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    Home » Recipes » Dips & Chutney

    Lemon Tahini Sauce

    May 11, 2022 . By Meeta Arora . Leave a Comment | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe
    Lemon tahini sauce in a small jar

    This easy Lemon Tahini Sauce is a rich, creamy and nut-free sauce. This healthy sauce is a perfect addition to vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free diets. Use it as a salad dressing, or as a spread on sandwiches and wraps, or as a sauce for falafel.

    Lemon tahini sauce in a small jar

    This Mediterranean sauce is now popular all over the world. It packs a punch in its flavor and is a simple sauce that comes together quickly with pantry ingredients.

    The base for this sauce is a tahini paste which is made with just 2 ingredients - sesame seeds and oil. For the tahini sauce, we add lemon, garlic, maple or agave, cumin powder and salt.

    It is a versatile sauce that can be used as a tahini dip for veggies, drizzle it over salad bowls or buddha bowls or over air-fried vegetables.

    This sauce has become a favorite with my family. The kids love to dip roasted veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower in it, and also falafel.

    Vegan Sweet Potato Chickpea Quinoa Buddha Bowl topped with avocado
    Vegan Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl with Garlic Tahini Sauce
    Jump to:
    • What is Tahini Sauce?
    • Ingredients
    • How to make?
    • Pro-Tips
    • How to use?
    • How to store?
    • Variations
    • Common Questions
    • Easy Lemon Tahini Sauce

    What is Tahini Sauce?

    Tahini is a common ingredient used in hummus and baba ganoush.

    It is made with toasted sesame seeds and oil. The toasted sesame seeds are ground to a fine paste just like almond butter or any other nut butter.

    You can make tahini paste from scratch at home too. Check out my easy homemade tahini recipe to make the paste at home. If you can't make it at home, you can buy the Tahini paste. I like the one at Trader Joes the best.

    Tahini sauce is the slightly runny version of the tahini paste with additional seasonings. It might sound a little bit confusing, but the tahini paste is used to make the sauce. Tahini is naturally vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.

    maple tahini sauce in a bowl

    Ingredients

    This lemon tahini sauce needs only a few ingredients that are available in your pantry.

    Tahini paste: This recipe's main ingredient is Tahini, so you can use homemade tahini paste or you can get store brands such as Trader Joes.

    Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice will work best for this tahini sauce

    Garlic: It adds that zing to this sauce. Finely mince or grate it to add it to the sauce. I usually mince the garlic while prepping this lemon tahini sauce.

    Cumin powder: Spoon it in to sharpen the nutty, earthy flavor.

    Salt: To bring the flavors together

    Water: This recipe requires only a few spoons of water. Add 1-2 tablespoons at a time. You can leave this sauce thicker to use as a spread or make it thinner to get a drizzle consistency for salads.

    Ingredients to make lemon tahini sauce

    How to make?

    • Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl and gently whisk to combine.
    • Add water one tablespoon at a time till the sauce becomes creamy and pourable.
    steps to make lemon tahini sauce in a bowl
    • Taste and adjust salt as needed.
    whisking lemon tahini sauce in a bowl

    Now your Lemon Tahini Sauce is ready to enjoy.

    lemon tahini dressing in a small airtight container

    Drizzle it on salads, crunchy veggies and spread it on pita bread and enjoy.

    dipping falafel in lemon tahini sauce

    Pro-Tips

    There is no need for a blender or food processor to whip up this sauce. But if you want a very smooth texture, you can use an immersion blender.

    In case you are adding any herbs like cilantro, you can use a food processor to finely grind and blend the sauce.

    How to use?

    This lemon tahini sauce can be used in many ways:

    • As a dip for air-fryer vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, beets, pumpkin and carrots.
    • Use it as topping for grilled burger, or shawarma.
    • As a dressing for salads or buddha bowls
    • Dip for vegetables, crackers, pizza or falafel
    Roasted pumpkin with a drizzle of lemon tahini sauce

    How to store?

    You can store this sauce in the refrigerator for at least a week. Use a clean and dry glass container to store the sauce.

    Variations

    You can make any variations of this sauce such as:

    • Adding finely chopped cilantro or parsley to make it a lemon herb tahini sauce. 
    • Add some ground spices such as cinnamon or turmeric to make turmeric lemon herb sauce .
    Lemon Garlic Tahini sauce in a jar

    Common Questions

    Is lemon tahini sauce anti-inflammatory?

    This lemon tahini sauce is a great source of anti-oxidants and it has anti-inflammatory properties as well as vitamins and minerals.

    What does lemon tahini taste like?

    It is bit like your regular peanut butter with slight bitter taste that is well balanced by the tangy taste of the lemon juice and sweetness of maple syrup.

    Why is my tahini sauce bitter?

    Tahini sauce will always have a slight bitter taste. But, if it is excessive it might be due to the over or under roasting of hulled sesame seeds. If you have bought tahini from the store, then check the expiration date.

    Can you freeze tahini sauce?

    Yes you can freeze tahini sauce in a glass container, but make sure it has the space to expand when frozen. Freeze the sauce in half or ¾th filled glass container. You can also freeze tahini in freezer friendly bags for later use.

    I hope you enjoy this amazing lemon tahini sauce. Do share how it turns out in comments!

    Tried this recipe?Give a rating by clicking the ★ below
    Lemon Garlic Tahini sauce in a jar

    Easy Lemon Tahini Sauce

    Meeta Arora
    This easy Lemon Tahini Sauce is a rich, creamy and nut-free sauce. This healthy sauce is a perfect addition to vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free diets. Use it as a salad dressing, or as a spread on sandwiches and wraps, or as a sauce for falafel.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Save Saved! Pin
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 98
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Diet: Gluten-free, Vegan
    Method: No-cook
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Cook Time: 0 mins
    Total Time: 5 mins

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 4 tablespoon Tahini paste
    • 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon Maple syrup or agave
    • 2 cloves Garlic minced or grated
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
    • 3-4 tablespoon Water
    • Salt add to taste
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    Instructions
     

    • To a medium bowl, add the tahini paste, lemon juice, maple syrup, minced garlic and cumin powder.
    • Whisk to combine. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the sauce is creamy and pourable.
    • Taste and adjust salt as needed.
    • Lemon Tahini Sauce is ready to enjoy. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    Video

    Notes

    Tahini: Tahini usually clumps together when stored, so you will need to stir ir well before using. The taste of tahini can vary depending on the brand. Taste and adjust seasoning or maple syrup as needed. 
    Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce: Add finely chopped cilantro or parsley to make it a lemon herb tahini sauce. 
    Uses: This works great to top on falafel, grilled chicken or veggies. Thin it down a little to use as a simple vegan salad dressing or dip. 

    Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 7mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword falafel tahini sauce, garlic tahini sauce, lemon tahini sauce
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @PipingPotCurry or #pipingpotcurry

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    Meeta Arora of Piping Pot Curry

    I strongly believe that each one of us has a chef inside us, we just need to explore the ingredients and create great food. Here you will find easy & delicious recipes using Instant Pot & Air Fryer.

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