Tahini Sauce
Updated Mar 24, 2025
This is the best tahini sauce recipe (from someone who KNOWS Middle Eastern food). Made with tahini paste, garlic, and lemon - so good!
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Authentic Tahini Sauce!
Tahini sauce is one of the most popular Lebanese condiments that I learned to make from my parents and grew up eating with with falafel and beef shawarma, but also on top of Lebanese spicy fish), drizzled on oven roasted cauliflower and even used as a dip with zaatar fries. So you get my point- you can use it as a dip, a spread, or even a dressing and you might as well double the recipe to store in the fridge for all kinds of recipes.
All you need to make tahini sauce is tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and just enough water to give it the perfect consistency, which will depend on what you’re using it for. Commonly referred to as Tarator in Arabic, tahini sauce is a versatile Middle Eastern condiment that’s vegan, flavorful, and takes only a few minutes to make
What is Tahini Sauce?
Tahini sauce is a Middle Eastern condiment served with many dishes from the region. It’s made with only 4 ingredients: tahini paste, which is crushed sesame seeds, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Tahini is made by grinding toasted, hulled sesame seeds to create a creamy, smooth spread. It’s similar to the process of making peanut butter, actually. Once it’s in paste form, it has a savory and nutty flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Tahini paste: You can find it usually in the condiments section of your local store, or in the ethnic foods aisle and make sure the label includes no other ingredients. You want to make sure the only ingredient is hulled sesame seeds because that’s tahini paste in its purest form, which will give you the best flavor and consistency here.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled because it makes all the difference.
- Garlic cloves: Finely crush the garlic cloves for the best flavor. Don’t swap it with garlic powder
- Salt: A little salt helps to bring out the natural flavors of the tahini.
- Water: Add more or less depending on how thick or thin you want the sauce. If you’re using it as a dip with fries or vegetables, keep it thick and creamy. If you’re using it as a sauce to add to sandwiches or salads, add more water for a more liquid sauce.
How to Make Authentic Tahini Sauce
Recipe Video Tutorial
My Best Tahini Sauce Tips
- Make sure to crush, then mince, the garlic. It allows the garlic to mellow out evenly into the lemon juice and eliminates any harsh lingering taste.
- Use a food processor to make it faster. The traditional way of making tahini sauce is by manually whisking in a bowl, which takes a couple of minutes, and some elbow grease. However, using a food processor eliminates the need to crush the garlic in advance and creates quicker emulsification.
- Add seasoning or herbs to switch it up. I usually just add chopped parsley to keep it traditional. But you can add cumin, paprika, coriander, or cayenne pepper. You can also switch up the herbs by using cilantro, mint, or dill.
- Taste and adjust. As with many Lebanese condiments and recipes, I recommend starting with the recipe below and adjusting to your taste by adding more lemon juice or more salt. That’s because every jar of tahini will be different, and the acidity of lemon juice can also vary.
What to Eat with Tahini Sauce
Tahini sauce is vegan, gluten-free, and versatile, especially with Mediterranean recipes. You can use it in salads, in sandwiches, or as a dip. You can thin it out with more water when using it as a salad dressing versus a dip or sandwich sauce. Here are my favorite tahini sauce uses:
- Falafel
- Beef Shawarma
- Chicken Shawarma
- Air Fryer Potatoes
- Shawarma Pita Pizza
- Roasted Cauliflower Pitas
- Baked Kale Chips
- Lebanese Fish & Rice
Recipe Help & FAQs
This recipe makes about 8-10 ounces of tahini sauce, depending on how much water you add to it. I like to store mine in a clear mason jar in the fridge so I can see it. You can store it in any container you have on hand, though and expect it to last for up to 14 days in the fridge.
Yes, you can freeze the tahini sauce. Just place it in a freezer-safe container, and it’s good for up to 3 months!
I recommend the Ziyad brand on Amazon. Not all tahini is created equal. Look for high-quality brands that only have one ingredient – mechanically hulled sesame seeds. And make sure the tahini is not separated. If you notice separation, give it a good stir before adding it to the food processor. Bad tahini paste will be bitter and chalky, so you want to avoid that.
This could be due to the type of tahini paste you’re using since there are so many different varieties. I would recommend trying another brand to see if you have a similar issue. To fix your current batch, try adding some olive oil to the mixture.
More Sauces and Dips:
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Creamy Feta Dip
- Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
- Avocado Hummus Dip
- Lebanese Garlic Sauce (Toum)
If you try this Tahini Sauce recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Lebanese Tahini Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tahini paste
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves pressed or grated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Place the tahini paste in a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, garlic and salt. Use a fork or whisk to combine the ingredients until completely combined and they form a thick paste.
- Slowly add water to the mixture and whisk until completely combined, smooth with a pourable texture.
- Taste and adjust by adding more lemon juice, salt or water.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Comments
Enjoyed this with cauliflower recipe also. Had pasta spirals leftover spirals and was good together. Will make this again with the spirals
So happy you liked it, Fiona! Thanks!!
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