Lemon Herb Tahini

Lemon herb tahini sauce is a zesty and creamy condiment that blends tahini's rich, nutty flavor with fresh lemon juice and aromatic herbs. Perfect for drizzling over salads, roasted vegetables, or grilled meats, this versatile sauce adds a burst of vibrant flavor to any dish.

What is tahini?

Tahini is a creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds. It is often used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. It has a rich, nutty flavor. Tahini is one of the essential ingredients in dishes like hummus, baba ghanoush, and various Middle Eastern sauces and dressings.

Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

Adding lemon and herbs to the homemade tahini takes the sauce to the next level. Herbs bring in a refreshing flavor, while lemon adds a citrusy flavor. I also love spicy sauces and dressings, so I have added 1 green chili or serrano pepper to the sauce. You can skip the pepper/ chili if you can't tolerate heat.

Additionally, you can add maple syrup to the sauce if you want a hint of sweet and tangy flavor combination. However, I have not added any sweetener to the sauce. If you are plant-based, check out my post on vegan dips and sauces here.

Ingredients to make lemon herb tahini

Tahini: You can make it instantly at home or use store-bought tahini. To make tahini, pulse the roasted sesame seeds until they turn crumbly, add some neutral oil, and blend again until it becomes a creamy sauce.

Herbs: Parsley and cilantro. You can choose any combination or any of these (as per your choice).

Lemon - Lemon balances the nuttiness of sesame seeds and adds tanginess to the sauce. Add lemon juice generously since it will also balance the mild bitterness of the sesame seeds.

Garlic: Fresh garlic adds a robust flavor to the sauce. You can substitute this with garlic powder, but I recommend adding fresh garlic to this lemon herb tahini sauce.

Extra virgin olive oil - removes the nuttiness in flavor and makes the sauce creamy and rich.

Maple syrup—This is optional, but it helps balance the sauce's flavor. Adding maple syrup helps banish tahini's bitter taste.

Salt and black pepper - to taste.

Water - You will need some water to dilute the sauce. Use gradually; after everything is ground, add to dilute and whisk once in a blender.

Substitutes

Fresh Herbs: Choose either cilantro, parsley, or both of them. You can also add other fresh herbs of choice.

Oil-free: to make oil-free hemon herb sauce, you need to prepare tahini at home since the store bough tahini always has oil in it. Substitute oil with water to dilute the sauce.

Vegan yogurt: You can add vegan yogurt to this sauce. This also enhances the flavor.

Fresh garlic: You can substitute fresh garlic with garlic powder, but fresh garlic adds more freshness to the sauce.

Instructions -

Add tahini, herbs, garlic, lemon juice, chili pepper, salt, and pepper to the food processor or a blender jar. Process for a minute. Then add olive oil. Add more water to dilute as required and blend to smooth.

Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and black pepper if required. Add maple syrup now and stir to mix. Lemon herb tahini is ready to serve.

How to serve lemon herb tahini?

Serve this tahini sauce as a dressing or dipping sauce with any salad. For more inspiration, check out my vegan appetizers and vegetarian appetizers.

Here are a few of the ideas to try this tahini sauce with-:

Air Fryer Falafel

Falafel Wrap

Chickpea salad

Quinoa Salad

Southwest Salad

Falafel Salad

Air fryer roasted chickpeas

How can we take the bitterness out of tahini?

Tahini is naturally bitter. To balance the bitterness, add more sourness, like lemon juice or vegan yogurt. Adjust the salt to taste after adding more of these. You can also add ½ tsp maple syrup.

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