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)
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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.
Quick, easy and so delicious!! Thanks.
This is so good! Even though I’m old, I never had anything like it. I think Soom is the best. I’m trying to eat healthier in my old age. Tomorrow I make your Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplants which sound interesting and tasty. Even found the Moroccan couscous at my local store. Thankyou for taking the time to post all these wonderful recipes.
My pleasure, Sue! Glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Delicious – this is the best Tahini sauce I’ve made – the proportions are spot on.
Thanks so much, Conrad!
Hi Suzy,
I had the honor and pleasure of making all three of your recipes, Falafels, tahini and salad. All came out super delicious. Thank you so very much for sharing your ethnic food and culture with me! With all do respect, I would like to mention though, that I believe in your Falafel recipe the tablespoon of pepper is probably inaccurate. I was smart enough to not have used that amount or I would have had to open a Falafel stand, lol, but others may not realize such. I would think it is not over 1/8 of a teaspoon or even less otherwise, it will be exceedingly peppery. I would actually even use less than an 1/8 even though I love spice as a little black pepper goes a long way. Thank you once again. I look forward to making more of your awesome recipes. Have a wonderful New Year 2022! Stay safe and God Bless you and your family! 💖❤💝🤩😍🥳💯
I used the full tablespoon of black pepper and it was not at all too peppery. The recipe is spot on.
I made your Falafel and it was super easy and this is the perfect accompaniment
Thanks so much, Jane!
I have not been able to find tahini paste. I can find tahini sauce. Can I use this and will it be as good.
Hi, Joyce. This is a recipes for that sauce. So you would use it as is. No need to make this sauce. Does that make sense?
Any tips on how to make this sauce without a food processor? 40 Year old processor died last month and I have no plans to replace it at this point but I would really like to make this sauce.
Hi, Beth! I blender would also work.
Simple and Perfect!!
Thanks, Teresa!
Is it possible to freeze tahini sauce?
Hello! I have not tried freezing this particular recipe, but it could work. The only issue is that the texture may be affected… it can separate. If you give it a go, I’d love to hear how it worked out!
I froze this sauce for a month or so and it was perfectly fine. I had it with the leftover chicken schwarma which I froze at the same time. It was great!
Awesome! Thanks, Julie!
Delicious. I feel like the chopped parsley really makes the difference.
This Tahini Sauce Recipe reminds me of what I got overseas from the street vendors. It is Awesome. Put it on my Beef Shawarma. This is the best Mediterrnean Diet Website I have found. I have been making a bunch of your recipe’s. I also follow you on FB and Instagram. Keep up the great work!!!!!
i saw a few tahini sauce recipes calling for raw tahini paste…do you think raw or roasted makes a difference?
Hi there, the tahini I use daily is Soom https://shop.themediterraneandish.com/product/organic-tahini-by-soom/ which is from 100% roasted and pressed organic Ethiopian White Humera sesame seeds. I love how nutty and rich this tahini is. Others might prefer tahini from raw sesame seeds, though, and that is fine to use here.
There is an error in the yield for your tahini recipe. You have posted 12 Tbsp (5 servings), Well, the lime juice and water alone equal 12 Tbsps, so when you add in 3/4 cup tahini, there will be much more..
Thank you for mentioning, Michael. We’ll take a look.
@ TMD: apparently you DIDN’T take a look because it’s 2025 and it STILL says 12 Tablespoons. I’d really like to know theREAL amount this makes…..
What a FABULOuS website !!! Having lived in the ME, have been eating this kind of food for decades and this website expands all previous experience, plus Suzy adds charm+. THANK YOU !
Awww! Thank you, Lynne!
Have only made this absolutely rich and creamy tahini sauce and yummy falafels. Look forward to making more recipes from Suzy. I’m of the “waste not want not” culture so I zested the lemons used for the juice and added the zest to the tahini and which gave it an even fresher and more lemony flavor. Could cut back on the juice if it’s too much. Worth a try!
Thanks for sharing, Lucy!
Easy. So delicious. Makes me WANT to eat veggies–or literally anything else.
Yay! 🙂