The BEST Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (2024)

Did I self-proclaim the nickname #TahiniQueenie a few years ago? Yes, yes I did.

Why you ask? Because after a trip to Israel where we ate a good amount tahini-based dips and dishes, I couldn’t stop cooking and baking with tahini. If you haven’t tried my favorite recipes using tahini yet, here’s a list to get you started.

Lately, I can’t stop drizzling and dipping things in this easy-to-make, basic tahini sauce. It’s nut free, and perfect to drizzle over roasted sweet potatoes, carrots or cauliflower or to spoon over a quick buddha bowl or salad. Creamy, quick to make, earthy and ridiculously addicting — I hope you give it a try!

The BEST Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (1)

What is tahini?

Tahini is simply ground sesame seeds and it’s very similar to how peanut butter or almond butter is made. Good tahini is creamy, mild, nutty, toasty and spoonable. It should not be overly bitter, thick or pasty. My favorite brand of tahini is bySoom (plus it’s female-owned!).

Ingredients in basic tahini sauce

You’ll only need a handful of super simple ingredients to make this incredible tahini sauce. Here’s everything you’ll need:

  • Tahini: you’ll want to use a natural tahini that’s just ground sesame seeds. More info on tahini and my favorite brand below! It’s a nut-free option to using nut butter that’s creamy, mild and toasty. Great for adding your favorite flavors like in this easy sauce. Use the code ‘ambitiouskitchen’ to get 10% off my favorite brand, Soom!
  • Garlic: for a punch of delicious flavor.
  • Lemon juice: a little lemon juice adds the perfect acidity to this tahini sauce recipe.
  • Water: you’ll want to add a bit of water, just a small amount at a time, to thin out the sauce to your liking.
  • Salt & pepper: to bring all of the flavors together.
  • Optional add-ins: dijon mustard for a slightly tangy flavor and pure maple syrup for a little sweetness to pair with the nutty tahini and zippy lemon juice.

The BEST Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (2)

How to make creamy tahini sauce

A one-step, one-bowl recipe? Yes, please:

In a small bowl mix together tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water and salt until well combined and creamy. Add maple syrup if you’d like it to be a little sweeter or dijon mustard if you want some tang. Drizzle over whatever your heart desires.

Customize your sauce

Feel free to get a little creative with your tahini sauce. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Get herby. Blend it up with cilantro, parsley, basil or even mint for an herby dip or dressing.
  • Go earthy. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric for an earthy yummy yellow dressing or dip.
  • Add protein. Stir in 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt for a creamy, protein packed dressing.

The BEST Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (3)

Ways to use this tahini sauce

Not only will you fall in love with this easy, creamy tahini sauce, but you’ll also be obsessed with all of the ways you can use it. Here’s what I suggest:

  1. As a dip. It’s the perfect dip for yummy sweet potato fries, raw veggies or even chicken nuggets.
  2. As a topping. Spoon it onto your favorite burgers like this one or this one, or on your go-to sandwiches.
  3. As a dressing. Use it as a salad dressing like this salad for creamy, delicious flavor.
  4. As a drizzle. Drizzle it on roasted or grilled veggies for a wonderfully savory side dish.

The BEST Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (4)

How to store homemade tahini sauce

Store this creamy vegan tahini sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If the sauce appears too thick for your liking when you take it out of the fridge, simply add a bit of water and mix it well.

More sauces, dips & dressings

  • Spicy Green Cashew Dip
  • Creamy Tahini Poppy Seed Dressing
  • Our Favorite Homemade Tomato Sauce (using fresh tomatoes!)
  • Sunshine Dressing
  • Jalapeño Cashew Cream Sauce

Get all of my sauces recipes here!

I hope you love this delicious basic tahini sauce recipe and find some fun, creative ways to use it! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rate the recipe below so others know how you liked it! Thank you for your readership! xo.

The BEST Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (5)

The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook

125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day

Preorder Now

The Best Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe

5 from 9 votes

Leave A Review Print Recipe

The BEST Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (6)

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

ServesServes 8 servings

The BEST basic tahini sauce made with simple ingredients like all natural tahini, lemon juice, garlic and optional flavor add-ins. This creamy, easy tahini sauce recipe is vegan, nut free and delicious as a dressing or dip for tons of different recipes.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated (or sub ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • Optional: ½ teaspoon dijon for a little zing
  • 2-3 tablespoons warm water, to thin out a bit
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional: 1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup to sweeten a little

Instructions

  • In a small bowl mix together tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water and salt until well combined and creamy. Drizzle over whatever your heart desires.

Recipe Notes

I like to use hulled tahini for tahini sauce. Soom is my favorite brand!

See the full post for fun ways to customize your tahini sauce, plus storing tips.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 92calCarbohydrates: 4.1gProtein: 2.6gFat: 8.1gSaturated Fat: 1.1gFiber: 1.4gSugar: 0.3g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by:Eat Love Eats

The BEST Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

How do you make tahini sauce not bitter? ›

If it is too bitter, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or honey. And if the flavor is too sharp, mellow it with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Why is my tahini sauce not smooth? ›

The key to smooth and runny tahini is to give it time, so keep blending. Transfer to a container and enjoy!

What thickens tahini? ›

Adding a small amount of water to tahini causes it to thicken into a paste because of carbohydrate binding.

Why does tahini seize with lemon juice? ›

Tahini is simply sesame-seed butter, made by grinding hulled sesame seeds into a paste. Much of its makeup is carbohydrates, and when a small amount of juice (or any water-containing liquid) is added to tahini, a portion of each carbohydrate molecule is drawn to the water.

Why does my homemade tahini taste bitter? ›

Bitterness is generally part and parcel of tahini - it's how ground sesame seeds taste. What you will find, however, is that some tahini can taste more bitter than others. This is down to a few things; like how that particular tahini is processed, or the levels of something called oxalic acid in the hulls of the seeds.

Why does my tahini taste weird? ›

The taste will be sour, kind of metallic, and just plain weird. Utilizing a trusty sniff test is another way of finding out if it's time for your tahini to take a one-way trip to the bin. But something that's important to remember is that ground sesame seeds do naturally have a slightly earthy, bitter aftertaste.

Does lemon juice thicken tahini? ›

Tahini Paste: Add the tahini, lemon juice, salt, and any additional add-ins to a medium bowl. Whisk together; the tahini will become very thick and lighter in color.

Do you stir tahini before using? ›

Stir your tahini well before using, as the oil separates during storage. Once opened, you may have to vigorously stir the oil back into the sesame paste. Store the jar in your fridge to prevent spoiling. Tahini keeps for many months, but the oils will go rancid over time.

Does lemon thicken tahini? ›

The acid in the lemon juice causes a very runny tahini sauce to thicken up and become stiff and solid.

Can too much tahini be bad for you? ›

Potential Side Effects of Tahini

However, in excess, it can interfere with normal body metabolism. As a result, it might decrease glucose levels and also blood pressure. Other side effects of overeating tahini are: High fibre content can cause bloating and abdominal pain.

How do you make tahini more runny? ›

The water will cause the tahini to clump together at first, but these clumps will disappear as you add more water. Continue to add spoonfuls of water until the tahini is as thin as you want it. Keep in mind that the tahini may lose some of its flavor if you thin it a lot.

Why is tahini so hard to stir? ›

Because tahini is made purely from sesame seeds, which have a high oil content, even the highest quality brands will separate over time.

What to do when tahini splits? ›

When that happens, just spend some time and elbow grease to mix it back together again. if the tahini was stored in the fridge, it might take longer because everything will be harder. Just leave it on the counter for a while until it gets to room temperature before mixing it back together.

What is the purpose of tahini? ›

Tahini boosts flavor in baked goods

Along with boosting the flavor, because of its protein and fat content, the sesame paste makes most baked goods more moist without added oil. It also contributes antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to a recipe's nutritional profile.

Why do I love tahini so much? ›

Made of ground sesame seeds, tahini offers a richer, more savory flavor profile than your standard peanut butter. And it's way more versatile. It's just as good drizzled over greens as it is starring in a cookie recipe.

How do you counteract tahini? ›

You cannot “remove” the bitter taste, bur you can counterbalance it using more salt, adding sugar or honey.

How do you take the bitterness out of sesame seeds? ›

Preparation of sprouted and de-bittered sesame seed flour

After sprouting, the seeds were divided into two portions. The first portions were properly rinsed, put in a cooking pot, covered with water and boiled to a temperature of 100 °C for 20 min in a covered container to remove bitterness.

Which tahini is not bitter? ›

#1: Baron's Organic Tahini

Naturally mild sweetness and not too bitter. Texture: 5 – About as creamy and smooth as it gets. Overall thoughts: 4.25 – We love how easy it is to stir and how creamy it is, and the flavor was pretty delicious.

Does tahini sauce taste bitter? ›

The sesame seed paste has “a strong, earthy taste with bitter undertones, but it should be a very pleasant bitterness with a hint of sweetness when it first hits the palate,” Reem Kassis writes in “The Arabesque Table.” It is one of the key ingredients in hummus, responsible for the dip's slight nuttiness, but it can ...

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Last Updated:

Views: 6315

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Birthday: 1994-06-25

Address: Suite 153 582 Lubowitz Walks, Port Alfredoborough, IN 72879-2838

Phone: +128413562823324

Job: IT Strategist

Hobby: Video gaming, Basketball, Web surfing, Book restoration, Jogging, Shooting, Fishing

Introduction: My name is Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner, I am a zany, graceful, talented, witty, determined, shiny, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.