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, lightened up and thinned with a little water, seasoned with a little salt and whisked up into a silky smooth sauce, dip, dressing, you name it—goes perfect with meats, fish, salads, veggies or just soaked up with pita bread!
Many people associate tahini as that secret mysterious ingredient that is used in hummus, which is true, and this ultimate hummus dip is proof. And while some may have tasted tahini on it’s own, they don’t always relate it to their everyday meals, basically because tahini is pure ground sesame seeds. So it is in fact a tad bland if you try it on its’ own. But this delight of a paste if pure magic in my opinion! It’s used to make luscious silky sauces like this perfect tahini sauce, used to add body and flavor to hummus and dips, used in baking recipes to add natural good fats and what most people don’t expect; it’s used to make tasty cookies, cakes and other desserts!
For now, we’re sticking to this perfect tahini sauce. I love it as a dip with grilled spicy chicken, meat or fish. It makes a great salad dressing for my speedy quinoa tabouleh salad, a great spread when you’re wrapping a pita bread sandwich-like a falafel wrap. Or just on it’s own as a dip with some pita bread.
The beauty of this 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. That’s mainly because tahini on it’s own is a paste and as you whisk in the lime juice it will thicken up and change it’s character from an oily seed paste into a smoother lighter paste. At that point, some water is needed to thin out this paste, how much is entirely optional and depends on the recipe or your preference. Salt is essential to bring out the beauty of sesame flavor and and cumin is a the perfect spice to compliment. I have added fresh minced garlic at times, fresh chopped cilantro, and or, parsley at times and have turned out wonderful!
I would recommend start with this basic perfect tahini sauce and jazz it up according to what you’ll be serving it with.
Enjoy!
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, lightened up and thinned with a little water, seasoned with a little salt and whisked up into a silky smooth sauce, dip, dressing, you name it—goes perfect with meats, fish, salads, veggies or just soaked up with pita bread!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup tahini paste
- juice of 1/2 a lime ( a really big juicy one, or use a full lime if not that juicy)
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)
- 3 tablespoons of cold water
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin seeds
Instructions
- In a bowl whisk the tahini with lime juice and salt. You will notice a change in texture and body of the tahini paste.
- thin it our with water to your desired consistency, the 3 Tablespoons water will make a thick sauce.
- Whisk the water and add the cumin at the end and which it in.
- taste and adjust salt, cumin or more lime to your taste.
- 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.
- Serve and enjoy!:)
I never thought to make my own tahini sauce. But we make Middle Eastern food a lot…I need to try this!
You will absolutely love this recipe Michelle–I hope you make it soon! Enjoy 🙂
Where do you find tahini paste? Thanks!
Hi LynAnn, you should find it at large grocery stores and online for sure. At the grocery store, I think either in the condiments aisle or ethnic foods aisle–in all cases, if you ask a store rep. it would be easier to locate it. I’m not sure where you live, but if you have a Middle Eastern store nearby–then 100% you’ll find it there! Hope this helps–please let me know when you get it and how you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Hi. Your recipe has lime, but your photos are with lemons. Which is best?
Hey Nicole–you are right! I love it best with lime, but I often make it with lemon when I run out–hence the photo! But either one works well, the limes are a bit tangier and have no seeds which makes life easier. 🙂
I am getting tahini sauce from two different places the tahini tastes the same from both places excellent flavor, and I swear they are using liquid smoke?? but I don’t know for sure. but the sauce is the best cant get better they know what their doing. and it is thin (runny)
Are you buying tahini sauce or tahini paste? The tahini paste itself (the one used to make the sauce) does not have liquid smoke for sure, but if you’re busying a sauce that’s ready made then maybe they added it to the sauce. Try to find tahini paste (that’s pure ground sesame seeds–like peanut butter, only made using sesame) and make the sauce on your own 🙂