Tahini Sauce

vegan sauce middle-eastern beginner make-ahead
⏱ 3 min ✋ 3 min active 🍽 4 (as sauce)

Classic Middle Eastern

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 4–5 tbsp cold water (add gradually)
  • Pinch of salt

Method

  1. Whisk all together, it will look like it’s splitting, then suddenly goes silky and creamy
  2. Consistency should be thick double cream
  3. If too thick, add a little more cold water

Key Details

  • Never heat tahini, always use cold, drizzle raw. Heat makes it seize and go strange
  • The splitting-then-coming-together moment is normal, keep whisking
  • Always use cold water, not warm, warm water makes it harder to emulsify

Variations

  • Add a pinch of cumin for a deeper version
  • Thin further with more lemon juice for a dressing consistency
  • Add a tiny pinch of smoked paprika for a Spanish direction

Pairs well with

  • Roasted cauliflower (essential)
  • Roasted aubergine
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Falafel
  • Roasted chicken (drizzled over vegetables, not the skin)
  • Any vegetable from the oven

Notes & learnings

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