Garlic Tahini Sauce
Silky, nutty tahini whisked with lemon, garlic and ice water until pale and creamy. It’s the essential drizzle for shawarma bowls, roasted vegetables and grilled meats.
Nutrition per serving
2 tbsp- Net carbs
- 2g
- Calories
- 74kcal
- Protein
- 2.1g
- Fat
- 6.5g
- Total carbs
- 3.2 g
- Fiber
- 1.1 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Green tahini (herbs): A big handful of parsley and cilantro blended in makes a vivid green, fresh-tasting sauce for fish and grilled chicken.
- Make the sauce in a blender: blend the garlic-lemon mixture, tahini, herbs and half the water until smooth and bright green, then add more water to thin.
Yogurt tahini: Greek yogurt whisked in makes a thicker, tangier sauce, halfway between tahini sauce and tzatziki. Spoon it over kebabs and roasted eggplant.
- Whisk the yogurt into the seized tahini, then add only as much water as you need to make it spoonable.
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $2.30 for 10 servings ($0.23 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Stir the garlic, lemon juice and salt together in a bowl and let stand 10 minutes to tame the raw garlic. Strain out the garlic pieces if you want a very smooth sauce.
-
Add the tahini and whisk. The mixture will seize and turn thick and pasty; that’s normal.
-
Whisk in the ice water a tablespoon at a time. The sauce loosens and turns pale, silky and creamy; stop when it pours like heavy cream, or keep it thicker for dipping.
-
Whisk in the cumin, if using, and taste for salt and lemon.
Tips for success
-
Stir the tahini jar thoroughly before measuring, since the oil separates and sits on top. - Tahini brands vary a lot: some are smooth and mild, others thick and bitter. Lebanese- and Palestinian-style tahini made from hulled sesame is usually the creamiest.
- Drizzle over chicken shawarma bowls, lamb kofta, roasted cauliflower steaks or grilled fish.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 5 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Serve cold or at room temperature; whisk in a splash of water if it has thickened.
Prep tip: Make a jar on prep day to drizzle over the week’s bowls, roasted vegetables and salads.
Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 5 days. It thickens when cold; whisk in a little water to loosen it.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosGreen tahini (herbs)
FlavorA big handful of parsley and cilantro blended in makes a vivid green, fresh-tasting sauce for fish and grilled chicken.
- + ½ cup flat-leaf parsley
- + ½ cup fresh cilantro
2.1 g net · 75 kcal · 2.2 g protein · 6.5 g fat · ≈$0.29 per serving (+0.1 g net carbs vs the original)
Yogurt tahini
FlavorGreek yogurt whisked in makes a thicker, tangier sauce, halfway between tahini sauce and tzatziki. Spoon it over kebabs and roasted eggplant.
- ice water → ice water (a smaller amount)
- + ½ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
2.5 g net · 85 kcal · 3.2 g protein · 7.1 g fat · ≈$0.33 per serving (+0.5 g net carbs vs the original)
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