Tahini Sauce Recipe (video recipe)

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Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. You can make a delicious and versatile tahini sauce by combining tahini with lemon juice, garlic, salt, and a small amount of water. Serve it with pita, kebabs, salad, falafels, and other Middle Eastern dishes.

Tahini sauce in a mason jar. — Paste Sauce – Tahini

If you opened my fridge right now, there’s a 99% chance you’d find a jar of tahini sauce sitting front and center. I love the stuff — it’s creamy, nutty, and endlessly versatile. I drizzle it over salads, use it as a dip, and often stir it into yogurt to make a quick, punchy sauce that works on everything from roasted veg to grilled chicken. It’s my go-to alternative to mayo-based dressings because it still gives you that satisfying creaminess, but with way less saturated fat.

In our house, tahini is basically a food group. My husband, who’s Israeli, could live on fresh pita and tahini alone — and honestly, sometimes he does. To him, it’s “poor man’s food,” but there’s something so comforting about it. No frills, just good, honest flavor. And over the years, it’s become part of my comfort food too. Whether I’m throwing it on a grain bowl or just spooning it onto a salad, tahini sauce is the one thing I never get tired of.

Why make homemade tahini sauce?

It takes just three ingredients to create a creamy, light, and delicious homemade tahini sauce.
Best of all, it takes less than 5 minutes to make this sauce, and you don’t need anything other than a mason jar. You don’t need a blender or any other special equipment.
In addition, it is dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan, which means you can serve it to anyone.
You can also flavor tahini by blending it with fresh herbs, such as cilantro, dill, parsley, or mint, when serving it with grilled meat.

Two mason jars with tahini. — Tahini Sesame Sauce

Ingredients and substitutes

Tahini paste – is ground sesame seeds with olive oil. Most supermarkets have tahini paste or tahini sauce in the condiments aisle these days. In some grocery stores, you can find it besides peanut butter, listed as nut butter under healthy products, or in the aisle that sells foreign products. Sometimes, the aisle that sells Middle Eastern or Asian foods.
Garlic – I love to use garlic powder so it disappears; there is no taste of fresh garlic in the mouth. If you do use fresh garlic cloves, mince them to a smooth paste so that they disappear into the sauce. You can easily do this by adding salt to the garlic as you chop it. Press the garlic and salt with the flat of your knife to make a paste.
Lemon juice – Use fresh lemons to make fresh lemon juice. While I say 3 or 4 tbsp, it certainly is to taste. When I make my tahini salad dressing, I often use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice.
Cold water – Some people recommend using warm water. However, a chef once told me that using cold, refrigerated water yields a brighter color. I find that room temperature water works just fine, too.

A collage of the ingredients for making tahini sauce. — Tahini is a Middle Eastern Sauce made with Sesame Seed Paste

No Blender? No Problem – How to Make Tahini Sauce by Hand

Sauce – In a mason jar, add the tahini paste, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Then, add the water. Close the lid and give it a good shake for 30 seconds.
Pro tip – You can also use a bowl and a whisk to make this sauce.
Taste and adjust – Adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste.
Check consistency – Add more water or more tahini paste if necessary.
For example, make a thinner consistency to pour over salad and a thicker consistency to serve with hummus or grilled meats

Progress pictures making tahini in a sauce. — Progress pictures – Tahini

A mason jar and spoon with tahini. — How to make Tahini

Creative variations

Classic Tahini sauce on its own with a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of paprika, ground cumin, or zaatar.
Thick 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 a 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 parsley and mint leaves. Blend to a smooth paste first, then add the sesame paste and other ingredients to make a mint tahini sauce with the desired consistency. Perfect with lamb kebabs or grilled meats.

Mint sauce with tahini. — Mini Tahini Sauce

Collage with recipes using tahini. — What can you do with tahini?

What do you serve tahini sauce with?

Top it over Hummus, and serve it alongside Shakshuka with Israeli salad.
A drizzle of little tahini sauce for authentic flavor over my healthy Hummus made without tahini.
Perfect with my Ultimate Ground Beef Kebabs.
Of course, drizzle over Shish Kabobs.
Dip your Crispy Falafel Recipe in tahini.
And, of course, over shawarma, try my Easiest Chicken Shawarma, Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken.

Homemade Hummus Recipe

Hummus Ma Lahma: Hummus with Meat

Healthy Hummus without Tahini

Easy Homemade Falafel Recipe

Frequently asked questions

How long will this tahini sauce keep?

You can keep a tahini sauce in the fridge for up to a week. The sauce gets thicker over time, so you may need to dilute it with a few tablespoons of water.

Tahini sauce vs tzatziki sauce?

Tahini sauce, as you can see, is made with tahini paste. Often, yogurt may be used to dilute the sauce, especially when making a salad dressing. Tzatziki, on the other hand, is a yogurt dip made with drained, grated cucumber with salt, lemon juice, and garlic.

Do I need a blender to make tahini sauce?

You certainly can, but there is no need. As you can see in the video, you can make perfectly creamy tahini by simply combining the ingredients in a bowl.

Veena Azmanov