Perfectly creamy, garlicky, and tart—this four-ingredient tahini sauce recipe makes everything taste better!
Tahini sauce–or “awesome sauce” as my girls like to call it–is a rich and savory condiment that’s loved all throughout Mediterranean and the Middle East. It’s a blend of nutty tahini paste with fresh lime or lemon juice, raw garlic, and a little bit of water.
Just like with hummus, good tahini paste gives the sauce a velvety quality that’s totally addictive. In this easy recipe, I also add freshly chopped parsley, a popular twist where I grew up in Egypt called tahini bqaudoonis. The parsley adds a nice freshness but is optional. You can also easily switch it up with fresh mint or dill if you prefer!
Use this tahini sauce as a vegan dip for falafel or fresh veggies, or drizzle on grilled meat–lots more ideas below. Trust me: you’ll want to put it on everything!
What is in Tahini Sauce?
Real-deal tahini sauce does not have sweetener, and you don’t need it. No surprise but the VIP ingredient here is the tahini–seek out the good stuff. It should taste smooth and mildly nutty (bad tahini is bitter and chalky). Here’s some tips for what to buy:
- Garlic: I use 2 garlic cloves, but you can always do more or less to your taste.
- Kosher salt: Perks up the flavor.
- Tahini paste: A creamy, rich paste made by finely grinding roasted sesame seeds until buttery smooth.
- READ MORE: What is Tahini?
- TRY IT: My favorite is this organic tahini by Soom, but you can also check your local Middle Eastern market.
- Citrus: Use lime or lemon juice, whatever you have on hand.
- Parsley (optional): Swap with dill or mint, or use a combination.
How to Make Tahini Sauce
Here’s how to make this authentic tahini sauce recipe:
- Make a garlic paste. Using a mortar and pestle, crush 1-2 garlic cloves with 1/2 teaspoon of salt to make a paste. (Or mince the garlic and season with salt.)
- Combine. Scrape the garlic paste into the bowl of a food processor. Add 3/4 cup tahini paste and 1/2 cup fresh lime or lemon juice. Blend. It will be thick as it emulsifies, so add a splash of cold water and blend again until you reach your desired consistency (you’ll use about 1/4 cup cold water). Tahini sauce should typically be runny like salad dressing, but if you prefer it more as a dip, simply use less water.
- Season and serve. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more citrus juice and salt if needed. Transfer the tahini to a serving bowl, and stir in the parsley (if using). Enjoy!
Mix it Up
This tahini sauce recipe can very much be a base to add other flavors. A few ideas:
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne, or Aleppo pepper for a milder heat.
- Make a “green tahini”: Check out my green goddess dressing recipe.
What to Serve with Tahini Sauce
There are so many ways to enjoy tahini sauce. Some of my go-tos:
- Part of a big mezze table.
- As a salad dressing.
- To jazz up sandwiches like falafel pitas or chicken shawarama.
- Drizzle on top of grilled meat, like my grilled chicken kabobs.
- On lunch bowls, like my falafel bowl.
- I also serve it just with a few fresh veggies and some warm pita bread.
Try These Mediterranean Sauces Next!
We’re all about the sauce in the Mediterranean! I always say they’re what takes a meal to next-level delicious. Here are 4 more to try:
More Ways to Use Tahini Paste
Dips and Condiments
Vegan Green Goddess Dressing with Tahini (5 minutes)
Breakfast
Tahini Date Shake
Dips and Condiments
Cucumber Tomato Tahini Salad
Appetizer and Mezze
Hummus Recipe (Authentic Homemade)
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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Ingredients
- 1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup tahini paste
- 1/2 cup fresh lime or lemon juice
- Cold water (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 cup chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Make a garlic paste. Using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic cloves with the salt into a paste (or mince or finely grate the garlic and season with salt).
- Combine. Add the crushed garlic, tahini paste, and lime juice to the bowl of a food processor and blend (it will be thick as it emulsifies). Add the water, a little bit at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Finish and serve. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in the parsley (if using). Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the tahini paste used in this recipe.
- Use only a little bit of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Generally, tahini sauce should have a runny, salad dressing-like consistency. But, if you prefer tahini more as a dip, simply use less water.
- Storage: Refrigerate in a tight-lid container for 2 to 3 days.
Nutrition
Try Organic Tahini by Soom
Try Soom’s world-class Tahini, made from from 100% organic sesame seeds.
*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
Mortar and pestle will work better than mortar and pastel 🙂
Ah yes, thanks for catching that!
This is my new favorite way to make tahini sauce! Thank you!
Tanya
This is so easy that I’m not ever buying it again!
Excellent, I wouldn’t either 🙂
I loved this tahini sauce with fresh veggies! So delicious and refreshing! It was a perfect summer appetizer.
So, my wife made this and it was absolutely vile … trying to figure out what went wrong. The acid overpowered every other flavor in the sauce. We all ended up scraping it off our food and tossing it. Any ideas? It sounded so good 🙁
Bill, this is the first time I hear this. I am not sure what might have been wrong with your tahini. But a couple thoughts, are you using quality tahini that is not old or sticky? And you can also start with less acid if you’re not sure and add as needed. But this tahini recipe has been a winner for us and everyone I’ve heard from so far.
The Tahini sauce turned out perfect. Thanks!
Awesome, Mushell!
Awesome!! Filipinos like me will not forget the taste of táhini specially with lamb shawarma.
Awesome, Claro! Thanks for sharing!
Hi
Great recipe!!
I love to add a bit of turmeric as well 🙂
I made my own tahini paste, because they didn’t have any at my market. Very easy to make, the tahini sauce is very good. I love the taste of sesame seeds so this is a winner in my kitchen.
Awesome, Colleen! Thank you!
I used this as the dressing for the cucumber and radish salad. It was great. The Olive Bistro in Atlanta serves something called a Jerusalem salad that seemed like a taboulleh with a Tahiti sauce. I love it but never asked how they made the tahini dressing. This seems very close. I loved it. Thank you for all the recipes.
This was so good on the falafel I made!
Yes, tahini and falafel are a match made in heaven! Thanks much, Amber!
i love a lemony tahini sauce!
Ain’t it awesome! Thanks for stopping in, babe!
this sauce has me craving pita now! sounds delicious
It really is! Thanks, Heather.
I am so excited to try this homemade version of Tahini. I do not like to purchase a product premade if I can make this at home.
I have to admit something that I am kind of embarrassed to say…. I’ve never had tahini sauce. Shame on me! This post makes me want to turn my kitchen lights back on and whip some up instead of going to bed. I am definitely making this ASAP!
haha…no worries, hon. You may be new to tahini, but I’m sure once you try making it, you’ll be a pro! Thanks for stopping in, love! XOXO
I never thought to make my own tahini. I always just buy it at the Middle Eastern store that I shop at whenever I’m in that area! Now I have to try this!
Awesome, Michelle! Hope you enjoy this recipe! XOXO