What is tahini sauce?
Tahini sauce is a creamy Middle Eastern and Mediterranean condiment made with tahini, fresh lemon juice, water, salt, and crushed garlic.
Louise and I make it all the time to serve with hummus, homemade pita bread, and falafel––it’s ridiculously easy, and takes just 5 minutes.
Yet it’s so creamy, versatile, and nutritious. Honestly, it’s one of the most-used condiments in our home.
It’s also amazing drizzled over Mediterranean appetizers, like fattoush, baba ganoush, and masabacha.
It’s rich and creamy like dairy, but dairy-free 😎. And when you pour it? It flows like a dream.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Tahini: or tahina: (طحينة in Arabic), is a creamy sesame paste with a rich, nutty flavor. It’s a staple condiment across the Levant, Eastern Mediterranean, and parts of North Africa—usually mixed with other ingredients to make sauces and dips.
To get the best tahini sauce, start with good tahini. Look for one that’s light beige, smooth, and pourable.
Avoid tahini that’s dark, gritty, or pasty—it’s usually bitter and lower quality. Check the label: great tahini should be made from 100% hulled sesame seeds. Nothing else. - Lemon juice: Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice. It gives the sauce a bright, clean flavor that bottled juice just can’t match.
- Garlic: Use crushed garlic—not minced or grated. Crushing releases a gentle garlic flavor and keeps the sauce smooth. Grated garlic can make it gritty, which isn’t ideal for tahini’s creamy texture.
Variations
- Spiced Tahini: Mix in ¼ tsp ground cumin, sumac, or smoked paprika for bold flavor.
- Herbed Tahini: Stir in 1–2 tbsp finely chopped parsley, mint, or chives for a fresh twist.
- Yogurt Tahini: Whisk in 2–3 tbsp plant-based (or Greek) yogurt for a creamier, tangier sauce.
- Sweet Tahini: Add 1–2 tsp maple syrup or honey to make a sweet-savory dressing.
How to make tahini sauce
Step 1: Stir the tahini
Before you begin, stir your tahini well in the jar. Tahini naturally separates over time, with sesame oil rising to the top. Mixing it thoroughly ensures you get a smooth, consistent base for your sauce.
Step 2: Mix the Base Ingredients
Transfer the tahini to a medium-sized bowl. Add fresh lemon juice, cold water, and a pinch of salt. Begin whisking—at first, the mixture will appear thick, grainy, and curdled. This is completely normal. Continue whisking for about a minute, and you’ll see the texture transform into a smooth, velvety, light-beige sauce.
Step 3: Infuse with Garlic
Lightly crush a clove of garlic by pressing it with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Stir the crushed clove into the sauce and let it infuse for five to ten minutes. This gentle infusion gives the sauce a subtle garlic flavor without overwhelming it. Avoid using grated, pressed, or minced garlic, as these can make the sauce too intense or grainy.
Step 4: Taste and Adjust
Taste your tahini sauce. Adjust the seasoning to your liking—add more lemon juice for brightness, a touch of salt for balance, or a splash of cold water to thin it out if it has become too thick.
Step 5: Final Touches and Storage
Keep in mind that tahini sauce thickens as it sits, especially in the fridge. If you’re making it ahead of time, stir in a bit of water before serving to bring back its smooth, drizzleable texture. The sauce keeps well for a few days and only gets more flavorful over time.
How to serve tahini sauce?
Tahini sauce pairs well with most veggies, legumes, salads, and grain bowls.
Top Tip
If there’s one thing we’d like you to take away from this blog post is this:
“Source tahini made from hulled sesame seeds and light in colour, and typically made in the Levant region in countries such as Lebanon or Palestine. Avoid unhulled sesame pastes that are dark and gritty. We can’t stress enough how important it is to seek out authentic tahini. The key to creamy dreamy is in the tahini, really.”Yotam Ottolenghi and Noor Murad, Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love: Recipes to Unlock the Secrets of Your Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer: A Cookbook. Page 19.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you refrigerate tahini?
Yes. We recommend refrigerating tahini once opened because sesame oils become rancid at room temperature after a while, especially if you live in warm climates.
You can refrigerate tahini for 5 to 6 months.
The only downside of cold tahini is that it’s harder to handle and stir. If that’s the case for your tahini, take it from the refrigerator 10 minutes before using it, and mix well with a spoon.
Is tahini similar to peanut butter?
However, like most seed and nut butters, they have a rich, sticky, and silky texture and similar macronutrient (fats, carbs, and protein) content.
It’s tahini sauce healthy?
How do you store it?
More Easy Sauces and Condiments
Tahini Sauce
Tahini sauce is a creamy, nutty, healthy condiment from the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. It has a pourable consistency and a velvety-smooth texture.
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 0 minutes mins
Total Time: 5 minutes mins
Servings: –+ people
Course: Dressing & Sauces
Cuisine: Eastern Mediterranean, Middle-Eastern
Instructions
- Stir the tahini: Mix well in the jar to reincorporate any separated oil.Whisk the base: In a bowl, combine ⅓ cup tahini, ⅓ cup water, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and ¼ tsp salt. Whisk for 1 minute until smooth and creamy. The mixture will curdle at first—keep whisking until velvety.
- Add garlic: Crush 1 clove garlic and stir it in. Let infuse for 5–10 minutes, then remove. Avoid grated or minced garlic to keep the texture smooth.
- Adjust and Serve: Add more lemon juice, salt, or water as needed. Serve with hummus, pita, and falafel.
Notes
VARIATIONS
- Spiced Tahini: Mix in ¼ tsp ground cumin, sumac, or smoked paprika for bold flavor.
- Herbed Tahini: Stir in 1–2 tbsp finely chopped parsley, mint, or chives for a fresh twist.
- Yogurt Tahini: Whisk in 2–3 tbsp plant-based (or Greek) yogurt for a creamier, tangier sauce.
- Sweet Tahini: Add 1–2 tsp maple syrup or honey to make a sweet-savory dressing.
HOW TO PICK THE BEST TAHINI
If you want creamy, authentic tahini with balanced flavor, go traditional whenever possible.
Look for tahini that has a light beige or sandy color and a smooth, pourable texture. This usually indicates that it’s made from hulled, roasted sesame seeds—the kind used in Middle Eastern kitchens for generations.
Avoid tahini that’s dark, thick, gritty, or pasty. These are often made from unhulled seeds, which can taste bitter and lack the mellow richness of good-quality tahini.
Check the label: the only ingredient should be 100% hulled sesame seeds. No added oils, salt, or preservatives.
STORAGE
- Make Ahead: Can be prepared up to 4 days in advance; may need water to thin after 24 hours.
- Refrigerator: Store in a sealed jar for up to 5 days. Stir before serving; add lemon juice or water if it thickens.
- Freezer: Freeze in ice cube trays for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
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