Easy lemon herb tahini sauce with fresh herbs is creamy, zesty, and takes minutes to make. Vegan with no added oil, it’s great as a dipping sauce, salad dressing, or sauce for your favorite veggies.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe has the zesty flavor of lemon tahini dressing and the herby flavor of cashew ranch (without the nuts).
- With just a few main ingredients and a few minutes, you get as much flavor (or more) as anything from a bottled sauce.
- You can easily adjust the flavor profile with different combinations of fresh herbs. And it's a great way to use small amounts you might have in the crisper or garden. We like a combination of fresh parsley, dill, and chives, but you can add fresh basil, cilantro, or whatever you have.
- Tahini sesame seed paste adds natural oil and healthy fats making a creamy sauce with added lemon juice and just water to thin it, so there’s no need to add olive oil.
Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions
Tahini. You can find tahini (sesame seed paste) at the grocery store or make your own using a food processor or blender. Use good quality tahini that isn’t processed with added oil. Some tahini brands add salt, so taste before adding additional salt.
Lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice gives this dressing the refreshing flavor it deserves. You can also add grated lemon zest for added flavor. Use prepared lemon juice if you don’t have fresh lemons. Use extra if needed and cut back on the amount of water.
Garlic powder. You can use 2 garlic cloves to replace the 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Garlic powder is more equally distributed throughout the sauce, so I used it over fresh garlic.
Maple syrup. A liquid sweetener is easiest to mix. Date paste makes a good substitute.
Chopped herbs. You’ll need a total of 1 cup of chopped chives, dill, and parsley. Mix and match according to what you have on hand. If you can’t find fresh dill, this is the one dry substitute you can make. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more if desired.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the tahini paste and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. The tahini will get lighter when mixed.
Step 2: Add the maple syrup and garlic powder. The mixture will be thick at this point.
Step 3: Add ¼ a cup of water and mix in more, a little at a time, until you have the desired consistency.
Step 4: Mix in chopped parsley, dill, and chives. Taste and add salt and/or black pepper if desired.
Pro Tips
Use more lemon juice and less water if you like more lemon flavor. You can also use lemon zest if you are squeezing a fresh lemon.
If your tahini is super hard or you want to make things easier, mix it with lemon juice and water with an immersion blender. Mix the fresh herbs with a spoon.
Serving Suggestions
This sauce is particularly good with fresh vegetables or Middle Eastern salads with couscous, grains, lentils, chickpeas, or stuffed whole wheat pita bread.
There are many ways to enjoy the great flavor of lemon tahini, and the list is endless. It's as expansive as your imagination, from simple ingredients like cooked green lentils to more complicated Mediterranean grain bowls or a delicious sauce over falafel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tahini, sesame paste, peanut butter, and ground peanuts have similar textures and colors but entirely different flavor profiles. In some specific recipes, say an Asian sauce, tofu marinade, or a small teaspoon of cookie batter, altering between tahini and peanut butter might not be profound. For sauces and dressings, the substitute will fundamentally alter the taste.
By design, this recipe isn’t spicy as in chili. However, it is zesty from the added lemon juice and garlic. Add a little cayenne pepper or red chili flakes if you want it spicy.
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container or jar with a lid for 5 days in the refrigerator. The sauce will thicken as it cools, so stir in a little lemon juice or water before reserving.
What to Serve with Tahini Herb Sauce
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Easy Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce
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Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup water
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ cup dill - chopped
- ⅓ cup parsley - chopped
- ⅓ cup chives - chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the tahini and lemon juice in a small bowl and mix well.
- Add the maple syrup and garlic powder, then start adding water a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Mix in the chopped herbs, taste, and add salt or black pepper to taste.
Notes
- You can easily change the flavor with different combinations of herbs. Instead of dill or fresh basil, chopped cilantro adds different notes to complement different dishes. Fresh mint is another option that adds notes of fresh flavor.
- Add more lemon juice and less water for a zestier flavor. Lemon zest will also enhance the flavor.
- Make homemade tahini for a fresh flavor with no added oil.
- Store leftover sauce in an airtight container or jar with a lid for 5 days in the refrigerator. The sauce will thicken as it cools, so stir in a little lemon juice or water before reserving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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