Tahini Sauce

This Tahini Sauce is rich and luscious! Made with only four simple ingredients, and the result is magical. Seriously magical! Video included too so you make them over and over.

This Tahini Recipe is tangy and fresh with the addition of lime juice, smokey and flavorful with the addition of cumin spice, lightened up and thinned with a little water, seasoned with a little salt.

Finally, just whisk away to a silky smooth sauce, dip, dressing, you name it—goes perfect with meats, fish, salads, veggies or just soaked up with pita bread!

Tahini is now quite popular which is YAAY for me, however I still get so many questions about it so I thought I’d answer as much as I can here.

WHAT IS TAHINI

It’s simply sesame seeds butter. Just think of it as your peanut butter or sunflower seed butter, but instead of nuts it’s just sesame seeds. 

So it’s a paste of white sesame seeds. There are often times where you’ll find fancier versions like toasted sesame tahini. But for the most part it’s just pure sesame seeds ground in to paste.

So like any seed or nut butter, you need to give it a mix because there’s a layer of oil form the seeds. Also the bottom part of your jar will be thicker so it’s always best to mix the jar.

What is Tahini used for?

Many people associate it as that secret mysterious ingredient that is used in hummus, which is true, and this ultimate hummus dip is proof.

Since it’s basically ground sesame, it is in fact a tad bland if you try it on its’ own. That’s why we jazz it up into a sauce with simple seasonings.

How do You Make Tahini From Scratch?

Think of it like peanut butter. You’ll need to process sesame seeds until you get a paste like consistency. It may take a while, and require a heavy duty food processor. So it’s best of you can find it at your grocery store.

TAHINI SAUCE

What is Tahini sauce Made of?

Tahini Sauce Ingredients

• Tahini paste (ground sesame paste)
• water
• lemon juice
• salt
• cumin
• That’s it!

A creamy sauce with a base of sesame paste and water to thin it out and almost any extra flavor booster works perfect.

Because this delight of a paste is pure magic, it goes from paste to silky sauce with just water! The sky’s the limit to how you finish off your sauce.

Should tahini be refrigerated?

No because it will harden tremendously and you won’t be able to whisk it. I’ve read in some sites where they do recommend storing it in the fridge. I will say however, that my family has been doing tahini for years and years and my grandma has never stored it in the fridge.

HOW TO MAKE TAHINI SAUCE

You’ll start with the sesame paste, and water. The mixture will look curdled and you’ll feel like you messed it up! That’s ok, keep whisking until it becomes smooth once again, which I assure you it will.

Then the basic things to add are lemon/lime juice, a touch of cumin and some salt. Whisk more and adjust the thickness/thinness of your sauce using water. Life’s simple pleasures!

That’s the basic sauce recipe, however the sky’s your limit to flavoring it.

What Does Tahini Sauce Taste Like?

It tastes like a creamy, nutty base with a tangy zesty hint of lemon, and smoky from the cumin.

What Can you Add to Tahini Sauce?

• crushed garlic
• ginger
• minced herbs
• chilli powder, curry spice, etc.

However, today’s perfect sauce recipe is the basic simplest yet most divine in my opinion! It’s the way you’ll find it in countries like Turkey, where it’s a THING!

Your sauce can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks and taste just as luscious! It does however thicken up so make sure you add a touch of water before serving 🙂

USES for TAHINI SAUCE

I love it as a dip with grilled spicy chicken, meat or fish. It makes a great salad dressing for my Tabouleh or Tabouli With Lemon Tahini Dressing, a great spread when you’re wrapping a pita bread sandwich-like this crowd pleasing Best Falafel Sandwich. 

Also to dress up these Lentil Fall Harvest Buddha Bowl, or just on it’s own as a dip with some pita bread. Try it with Spicy Harissa Lamb Shoulder Chunks in Pita Cones with Tahini Sauce, Chicken Shawarma Platter with Tahini Sauce, Ultimate Lamb kabab Platter!

TAHINI PASTE

Obviously, I love to use the paste to make luscious silky sauces like this perfect sauce. Also use it to add body and flavor to hummus and dips like Garlic Kale Hummus Dip and  Ultimate Hummus Dip.

Aside form that,  the paste is also used in baking recipes to add natural good fats. I don’t have a recipe on my blog yet, but I will soon! Because the paste is so creamy, it makes  tasty cookies, cakes, brownies and other desserts!

TAHINI SAUCE TIPS

1. First of all, make sure you mix the jar well before using it.
2. You’ll need to whisk in water to the paste so it turns in to a sauce for you. Initially the paste will separate and look like a mess, so just keep going.. 🙂
3. The beauty of this sauce recipe is that you absolutely control the thickness of the finished sauce, it can be as runny as a salad dressing or think as a dip.
4. That’s mainly because sesame paste on it’s own is a paste and as you whisk in the water and lime juice it will thicken up and change it’s character from an oily seed paste into a smoother lighter paste.
5. Here you need to add some water to thin out this paste. It’s entirely optional how much you’ll need to add. So however you prefer the thickness of your sauce to be is how much you should add water.
6. Seasoning is very important because sesame is quite bland. So salt and cumin are classic here and just perfect.
7. Variations: Add herbs minced, garlic, chilli flakes, garam masala, or any of your favorite spices!
8. Use it over my Best Falafel Sandwich as a Falafel Sauce!

I would recommend start with this basic perfect tahini sauce and jazz it up according to what you’ll be serving it with. Enjoy!

4.13 from 24 votes

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Perfect Tahini Sauce

This perfect tahini sauce recipe is the perfect addition to any meal. It’s rich and luscious from the tahini paste, made tangy and fresh with the addition of lime juice, made smokey and flavorful with the addition of cumin spice.

Course condiment

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword tahini, tahini dressing, Tahini Sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes

whisking time 3 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 90 kcal

Author Mahy

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tahini paste
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice ( a really big juicy one, or use a full lime if not that juicy)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup water cold
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Instructions

1. In a bowl whisk the tahini with lime juice and salt. You will notice a change in texture and body of the tahini paste.
2. thin it our with water to your desired consistency, the 3 Tablespoons water will make a thick sauce.
3. Whisk the water and add the cumin at the end and which it in.
4. taste and adjust salt, cumin or more lime to your taste.
5. Then adjust thickness to your taste, add more water if you need to thin it out and add more tahini paste if you need to thicken it out.
6. Serve and enjoy!:)

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

TAHINI SAUCE TIPS

1. First of all, make sure you mix the tahini jar well before using it.
2. You'll need to whisk in water to the paste so it turns in to a sauce for you. Initially the paste will separate and look like a mess, so just keep going.. 🙂
3. The beauty of this tahini sauce recipe is that you absolutely control the thickness of the finished sauce, it can be as runny as a salad dressing or think as a dip.
4. That’s mainly because tahini on it’s own is a paste and as you whisk in the water and lime juice it will thicken up and change it’s character from an oily seed paste into a smoother lighter paste.
5. Here you need to add some water to thin out this paste. It's entirely optional how much you'll need to add. So however you prefer the thickness of your sauce to be is how much you should add water.
6. Seasoning is very important because sesame is quite bland. So salt and cumin are classic here and just perfect.
7. Variations: Add herbs minced, garlic, chilli flakes, garam masala, or any of your favorite spices!
8. Use it over my Best Falafel Sandwich as a Falafel Sauce!

Nutrition Facts

Perfect Tahini Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 90 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 297mg13%

Potassium 77mg2%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 26mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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