This creamy tahini sauce is quick, flavorful, and easy to make. Ready in 10 minutes, it's perfect as a dip, dressing, or drizzle for vegetables and meats.
Growing up in Israel, tahini was always one of my favorite Middle Eastern foods. Made with sesame tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice, this creamy sauce is rich, nutty, and full of flavor. It's incredibly easy to make at home and keeps well in the fridge for several days, so I often make a batch at the beginning of the week. We enjoy it as a dip for fresh-cut vegetables or drizzled over meat or chicken.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Tahini: Sometimes sold as "sesame butter" or "sesame paste." The only ingredient should be ground sesame seeds. This is a brand I often use. I also like the Whole Foods store brand. It contains salt, so when I use it, I add just ¼ teaspoon of salt instead of ½ teaspoon. If in doubt, start with less salt. You can taste the sauce when it's ready and decide whether to add more salt.
- Minced garlic: For the best flavor, mince it yourself instead of using garlic from a jar.
- Olive oil: Extra-virgin has the best flavor. I highly recommend using it in this recipe.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is best.
- Chopped parsley: This is optional, but it adds a nice flavor and color.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Place the tahini, garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and water in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
It should be smooth and creamy - the photo below shows the consistency you're after.
Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir the sauce again before serving, and add more water if needed. It's perfect with fresh-cut veggies!
Recipe Tip
Depending on how much water you add, you can make this sauce as thin or thick as you like. A thick sauce is perfect as a dip for vegetables or crackers or as a sauce to accompany grilled meats and vegetables. A thin sauce can serve as a delicious salad dressing.
The image below shows lamb burgers served with bowls of tahini and tzatziki for dipping, alongside Israeli salad dressed with thinned-out tahini dressing.
Recipe FAQs
It tastes nutty and pleasantly salty, with a bit of tang from the lemon juice and a hint of sharpness from the garlic. Its mouthfeel is smooth and creamy.
They are both popular Middle Eastern spreads often served with pita bread, vegetables, or grilled meats as part of a mezze platter. However, they're quite different in flavor and texture.
Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds and has a smooth, creamy, pourable consistency with a rich, nutty flavor. Hummus is made from chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. It's thicker and fluffier, with a savory, hearty flavor. The photo below (hummus on the left and tahini on the right) shows their very different textures. 
Tahini sauce becomes smoother and milder once fully emulsified, so try whisking in a little more cold water and lemon juice. A pinch of salt can also help balance the flavor. If the garlic tastes too strong, let the sauce rest for 15 minutes before serving. Using a good-quality tahini also makes a big difference.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Stir the sauce again before serving it. If it has thickened too much while refrigerated, stir in a bit of water. I don't recommend freezing this sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally, tahini sauce is served as a topping for meats, falafel, or cooked vegetables.
I often serve it as a topping for beef kabobs, chicken kabobs, or lamb burgers. It's excellent with fresh-cut vegetables (as shown in the image below) or almond flour crackers.
I like to drizzle it over grilled eggplant or roasted zucchini. It's perfect on top of hard-boiled eggs, as shown below (seriously, give it a try. It's a delicacy).
If you add extra water, you can turn it into a salad dressing. I especially enjoy it drizzled over steak salad or Israeli salad.
Recipe Card
Easy Tahini Sauce Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini - see notes below
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic - minced
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - extra-virgin
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- 6 tablespoons cold water - plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons parsley - finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- Place the tahini, garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and water in a medium bowl. Whisk with a hand whisk until smooth.½ cup tahini, 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 6 tablespoons cold water
- If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. It should be smooth and creamy. If using, mix in the parsley with a rubber spatula.2 tablespoons parsley
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir again before serving, and add more water if the sauce has thickened in the fridge. Add a tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
Notes
- Tahini is sometimes sold as "sesame butter" or "sesame paste." The only ingredient should be ground sesame seeds.
- Seasonings, especially salt, are just guidelines. Adjust to taste.
- You can make it as thin or as thick as you like, depending on how much water you add. A thick sauce is perfect as a dip for vegetables or crackers or as a sauce for grilled meats. A thin one can serve as a salad dressing.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Stir the sauce again before serving it. If it has thickened too much while refrigerated, stir in a bit of water. I don't recommend freezing this sauce.
Nutrition per Serving
Save this Recipe!
We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
We will also add you to our weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. See healthyrecipesblogs.com/privacy/ to learn how we use your email.
Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
