Homemade Tahini Sauce (video recipe)

Name: Homemade Tahini Sauce aka Middle Eastern Tahina
Prep time: 2 min
Total time: 2 min
Ingredients: 250 ml Tahini paste; 180 ml Cold water; 1 tsp Garlic (minced); 1/4 tsp Salt; 1/4 tsp Pepper; 4 tbsp Lemon juice

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Homemade Tahini Sauce
(video recipe)

It takes just three ingredients to create a creamy, light, and delicious homemade tahini sauce. Have it on its own with pita bread or drizzle some on a salad. Often, served alongside middle-eastern dishes like hummus and baba ganoush, falafel or shawarma.

How to make a sauce with tahini paste in just 2 minutes — Tahini is a Middle Eastern Sauce made with Sesame Seed Paste

Well, if you have eaten Middle Eastern food, whether it's Lebanese, Armenian, Arabic, Egyptian or even Israeli, you must have seen this bowl of creamy sauce either as an appetizer or over a salad. It is also served alongside popular dishes like kebabs and shawarma or the popular falafel.

About this tahini sauce

This tahini sauce is made from a thick paste made of sesame seeds. The sesame seeds are soaked in water overnight, then crushed, so the bran and kernel are separated. The paste made from the kernels is then sold in supermarkets for us to use.

You get two types of tahini paste. A light-colored paste, which is made from only the kernels. And, you can also find a more cream pale tahini paste, which has the kernel and bran both made to a smooth paste. I usually use the second because it's got the kernels too. It's just like choosing processed white flour or whole wheat flour. The thick tahini paste makes a great base for many different uses, such as this tahini sauce.

The best part about tahini sauce, it's healthy for your heart! It has healthy fats and amino acids and is a great source of essential vitamins and minerals. Also, it regulates blood pressure and cholesterol, even improves skin health. These are just a few of the benefits that fascinate me. But, if you do a search on the benefits of tahini, you will find that there are so much more.

Useful tips and tools

You don't need any fancy equipment to make the tahini sauce. I use a mason jar to make my sauce. Works perfectly to make and store in the fridge.
I prefer to use a zester to grate the garlic, so it's a paste consistency. No one likes to bite into a piece of garlic.

Ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

Garlic - You want to mince the garlic to a smooth paste, so it disappears into the sauce. This is easily done by adding the salt to the garlic when chopping it. Press the garlic and salt with the flat of your knife to make a paste.
Lemon juice - While I say 3 or 4 tbsp - it certainly is to taste. So, before you store it in a mason jar, taste your seasoning. When I make my salad dressing, I often use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice.
Coldwater - Many people say to use warm water. But a chef once told me that if you use cold fridge water - it gives you a brighter color. Never questioned it, and I have been doing that for many years now. Room temperature water works just fine.

How to make homemade tahini sauce (save/pin)

In a mason jar, add the tahini paste, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
Add 3/4 cup water.
Close the lid and give it a good shake.
Taste and adjust seasoning - adding more salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste.
Check consistency - adding more water or more tahini paste if necessary.

Tahini sauce variations

Tahini Sauce - served with kebabs and meats - you do not need more water. Keep it thick
Salad dressing - add a few more tablespoons of water so it's pouring consistency. Better yet, add a few tablespoons of yogurt to make a tahini yogurt dressing
Mint Tahini - use a blender or food processor to make the sauce and add a few mint leaves (1/4 cup) - Perfect with lamb kebabs.

Homemade Tahini Sauce aka Middle Eastern Tahina

Author: Veena Azmanov

5 from 24 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 2 mins

Total Time: 2 mins

Calories: 291kcal

Adjust Servings Here: 2 Cups

Description

ADJUST SERVINGS HERE - 2 Cups

Ingredients

Instructions

In a mason jar add the tahini paste, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
Add the water.
Close the lid and give it a good shake.
Taste and adjust seasoning – adding more salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste.
Check consistency – adding more water or more tahini paste if necessary.

Recipe Notes

TAHINI SAUCE VARIATIONS

Tahini Sauce – served with kebabs and meats – you do not need more water. Keep it thick
Salad dressing – add a few more tablespoons of water so it’s pouring consistency. Better yet, add a few tablespoons of yogurt to make a tahini yogurt dressing
Mint Tahini – use a blender or food processor to make the sauce and add a few mint leaves (1/4 cup) – Perfect with lamb kebabs.

Equipment

Mason Jars

Nutrition Information

Calories: 291kcalCarbohydrates: 11.6gProtein: 8.3gFat: 25.8gSaturated Fat: 3.6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 22.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 521mgPotassium: 0mgFiber: 4.6gSugar: 0.6gVitamin A: 0IUVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 0mgIron: 0mg

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

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Frequently asked questions

Where can I find tahini sauce?

Most supermarkets have tahini paste or tahini sauce in the condiments isles these days. In some, you can find it in the aisle that sells foreign products. Sometimes the isle that sells, Middle Eastern or Asian foods.

Is tahini sauce healthy?

It is said that sesame seeds contain healthy fats that lower cholesterol and a great way to add them to your diet is, of course, tahini sauce. One tablespoon is said to have about 8 grams of total fat of which 80% is unsaturated.

What is the difference between tahini and tahina?

Some Middle Eastern Countries refer to this as tahini paste while some called it tahina. It is the same and often uses the same ways blended with chickpeas to make hummus or with eggplants to make a Roasted Eggplant Dip Baba Ganoush or Mutable or as a dip and sauce with falafel. Yes, the dipping sauces served with falafel are usually made from tahini sauce. It makes a delicious salad dressing too

Do you need a food processor to make tahina? NO!!

The tahini paste is really smooth and blends well with just a spoon. Unless you want to mince two garlic cloves in the food processor you don't need a food processor. I mince my garlic with a zester or kitchen knife and chopping board. As you can see in the video below, I make my tahini sauce in a mason jar and just give it a good shake.

How do you store tahini sauce? & a Little tip

Tahini sauce has a long shelf life. I can stay in the fridge for a month but ours never last more than a day or two. My husband is middle eastern so he can eat Tahini with pita bread for dinner with a side salad.
A little tip - store the tahini is a mason jar because it does become thicker over time. Instead of going through the process of mixing it again. Just add a few tablespoons of water to the mason jar and give it a good shake. Voila!! It's back to consistency.

What can you use homemade tahini sauce with?

Well? the possibilities are endless!!

Try it just on its own as a dip! I serve a bowl of veggie sticks for my kids' pajama party. Kids love to dip their carrot and cucumber sticks in tahini sauce.
I use it as a salad dressing. If you love creamy dressings tahini sauce works a treat.
Do you steam veggies and then add lots of melted cheese over it to get your kids to eat veggies? Well, I drizzle good old tahini sauce.
If you make my homemade Falafel (a popular recipe on this blog) recipe - I serve a side of tahini. Because tahini just makes falafel taste better.
Have you tried my shawarma chicken recipe that gets done in 20 minutes? always serve it with tahini - Tahini and meat - a perfect combination.
Tahini sauce works best with any meat or fish dishes. If you love kababs? This is a must-have with kebabs. Have you tried my Moroccan Chicken skewers or Chicken Kebabs?

Tahini Sauce with Falafel

How to make Middle Eastern Chicken with Shawarma Spice Mix in just 20 mins

Chicken Shawarma Recipe in 20 mins10

Hummus with Tahini Sauce

This simple but classic Middle Eastern dip Baba Ganoush is a Roasted Eggplant Dip often served as an appetizer or salad with pita bread

Baba Ganoush Roasted Eggplant Dip9

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