Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

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Do you want to impress your guests (and yourself) with a uniquely flavored sauce that has many uses and tons of flavor? Are you trying to find yet another use for all those herbs from your garden, CSA share, or Farmers Market? Try this Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce! I will show you how to make this easy recipe that will give new life to all kinds of dishes!

What Is Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce?

This sauce could also be considered a dressing, especially since it is made just like you would make any other salad dressing. What does lemon herb tahini sauce taste like? This sauce has the brightness of lemon, a creamy texture and notes of sesame from the tahini, and a freshness only herbs can bring.

What Is Tahini?

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. It has a consistency similar to peanut or other nut butters, and it tastes just like sesame seeds.

What Herbs Go With Tahini?

I decided to use fresh thyme and flat leaf parsley, but you can use others as well! Feel free to try rosemary, tarragon, oregano, basil, or sage. If you have it and it is fresh, give it a try!

Ingredients For Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

Olive Oil- I like to use light olive oil here, it has a more subtle flavor that does not compete much with the other ingredients. If you don’t have any olive oil, you can use vegetable oil or avocado oil.

Lemon Juice- Please don’t use store bought bottled lemon juice! You will not be as happy with the results. Fresh squeezed is best every time!

Lemon Zest- Where lemon juice is present, the zest should not be far behind. This will do wonders to enhance the lemon notes and add brightness, while helping to cut through the tahini a little bit.

Tahini- I used store bought tahini here. While I love to make things from scratch (if you have been following me for any length of time, you know it’s my jam) I have no problem using premade tahini here.

Fresh Thyme- I love fresh thyme and the flavor it imparts wherever you put it. All you need to do is pull the leaves off the stems and add them in. Even though you will be using an immersion blender to make this, I would not add the springs of thyme whole. There is a chance some of the stems may not break down, and no one wants those stuck in their teeth!

Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley- I don’t think this ingredients gets enough play in recipes sometimes. It has a “green” flavor (is that a thing?) that I really love. 

Salt and Pepper- I mean how can these not be included? Whatever type of salt and black pepper you have on hand is fine here, no need for anything special.

Honey- Honey helps emulsify the sauce, and adds a little sweetness for balance. I love using local honey, it just tastes better. One of my favorites is Marie’s Bees not far from where I live. Use whatever you can find that is close to you!

Water- This is really to thin out the tahini a bit. Add a tablespoon at a time so you don’t end up with a sauce that is too thin.

Dijon Mustard- I used plain old Dijon here (not whole grain). It adds a little zing, and plays nicely with the lemon.

How Do I Store Tahini Paste After Opening?

Does tahini need to be refrigerated? It actually doesn’t need refrigeration after opening. Just store it somewhere cool and dry, such as a pantry shelf or your spice cabinet. Refrigerating your tahini will make it thicker, so if that is what you want go for it!

How To Make Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

What is the secret to making amazing tahini sauce? I’ll show you, it is so easy!

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Prepare the fresh herbs.
3. Juice and zest the lemon.
4. Place the oil in the cup that comes with your immersion blender (or use a deep sided bowl).
5. Add the tahini, lemon juice, and honey.
6. Then, add the herbs, dijon mustard, salt and pepper, and lemon zest and blend.
7. Blend until smooth, stopping to add a bit of water as you go, stopping every few seconds to check for thickness.

How thick should your Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce be? If you know you are using it as a salad dressing, you will probably want it a bit thinner, so a little more water would be needed. If you are planning on using it as a dip, less water would be fine. Personally, I like it somewhere in between. 

When I make this, I like it to be thin enough to run off a spoon, but not runny. This way, I can use it as a sauce or as a dressing.

How To Use Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

1. Dip: Lemon herb tahini sauce makes an excellent dip for fresh vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, or bell peppers. Its creamy texture complements the crispness of raw veggies quite nicely! It is great with my Air Fryer Pita Chips as well! Try it as part of an appetizer platter with my candied pecans or lemon cucumber pickles!

2. Dressing: Drizzle this flavorful sauce over salads to add depth to your greens. It pairs exceptionally well with Mediterranean-inspired salad ingredients such as tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, and chickpeas. I also love to use it on my Farro Salad sometimes, instead of the artichoke vinaigrette that is part of the recipe.

3. Sandwich Spread: Replace traditional condiments like mayonnaise or mustard with lemon herb tahini sauce on sandwiches or wraps for a healthier alternative that also happens to be more flavorful.

4. Sauce for Vegetables: This is wonderful drizzled on roasted veggies! I like using it on roasted rainbow carrots and roasted green beans and carrots, in addition to the sauces included with those recipes. They all work really well together.

5. Gyros: This sauce would be great on Gyros, even combined with tzatziki!

6. Grilled Meat: This sauce is wonderful poured over some grilled chicken, or on salmon. 

This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks in a tightly sealed jar. You may need to give it a shake before you use it if you are storing any extra.

Looking for other homemade sauce recipes? Check out the Sauces and Condiments section of the site!

If you are reading this, thank you so much for visiting the site! I hope you try this lemon herb tahini sauce, and that you love it! ! If you tried this recipe, please let me know how it turned out! Just leave a rating or comment below. 

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