Our lemon herb tahini sauce is wonderfully tangy, garlic-y and nutty. Great as a dip, salad dressing or sauce for your grilled dishes, it is also vegan, dairy free and gluten free.
Do you sometimes get slightly bored with making the same dish too often? This lemon herb tahini sauce is a fabulous way of changing the flavour profile of your meal, plus its loaded with healthy fats, minerals and vitamins.
It’s a delicious blend of nutty, garlic-y, tangy fresh flavours in a smooth creamy sauce which can be made in advance and kept in the fridge.
We use it to drizzle over roasted meats, fish and vegetables, in wraps and sandwiches, as a dip, or thinned out with a little water for a tasty salad dressing.
You may already have the ingredients required in your pantry and whats great about this recipe, it can be made all year round.
Our lemon herb tahini sauce is also suitable for vegans, and those on gluten free and dairy free diets, making it a great recipe to bookmark for weeknight meals, holidays, summer cook-outs, tailgating, game-day, potlucks, picnics and lunch-boxes, etc..
We think it goes wonderfully with these lamb ribs, in chicken wraps, on Turkish meatballs, or simply drizzled over beets.
Comment down below to let us know how you like it.
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About the ingredients
The ingredients are few and simple, most of which you may already have.
- tahini paste – tahini is made from ground hulled or unhulled sesame seeds. Unhulled are darker and healthier but have a stronger and slightly bitter taste. We prefer to use lighter colored hulled sesame seeds for their milder flavour and creamier texture. Select a good brand where sesame seeds are the only ingredient. Like many nut butters, tahini tends to separate in the jar with the oil rising to the top. Do not discard the oil as it is not only healthy but also an essential part of a good tahini sauce.
- lemon juice – juice of a fresh lemon for the tangy flavour.
- garlic – for its pungent flavour.
- salt – because it enhances the flavour of the other ingredients.
- herbs – we like to use freshly chopped parsley or cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
- water – to thin the sauce out for drizzling and better mixing.
- olive oil – (not shown) for flavour and extra creaminess.
See recipe card for quantities.
Helpful tips
Follow these easy steps for great results.
Store bought tahini paste will have separated with the oil rising to the top. Stir the contents of the jar till mixed.
Once mixed, it will be easier to pour out of the jar.
In a small mixing bowl blend tahini paste, garlic, salt, lemon juice and water to make a smooth paste.
Then stir in the chopped herbs and olive oil till combined.
Serving
This lemon herb tahini sauce will harden slightly when cold or kept in the fridge. Before serving bring it to room temperature and mix well.
Serve as a dip, drizzled over meats, fish and vegetables, as a dressing for salads or in sandwiches, burgers and wraps.
Extra options
Here are some extra options to build even more flavour into the sauce as your dish might require.
- add some heat – whisk in some freshly ground black pepper or red chilli flakes. Adjust quantities to your taste.
- roasted red peppers – puree a medium roasted red pepper and mix into the sauce, with 1 teaspoon paprika plus a little extra water to thin it out to your required consistency.
- spices – mix in ¼ teaspoon ground cumin and ¼ teaspoon ground coriander.
Storing
The high levels of healthy oils in tahini sauce will ensure it will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
Tip: Cold tahini is difficult to stir so bring to room temperature mixing well before using.
It can be frozen! Freeze in ice cube trays for single use amount, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. Thaw before using.
FAQ
Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It has an earthy nutty flavour, is high in healthy fats and protein and low in sugar.
Serve it with …
These are our favorite dishes to serve with this lemon herb tahini sauce:
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📋 Recipe
Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 145 g tahini paste ½ cup, store bought or homemade
- 2 medium cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- 25 ml water ⅓ cup/5 tablespoons
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- If the tahini paste has separated, stir it in the jar to make it easy to pour. Add 145 g tahini paste to a mixing bowl with 2 medium cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 25 ml water and blend to a smooth paste.
- Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, add 3 tablespoons olive oil and mix well to combine. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
MEASUREMENT NOTES
The ingredients here on EOTF are set out in grams & milliliters and in US cups & spoons.
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