Green Tahini Sauce

This creamy tahini sauce is garlicky, nutty and bursting with herbs and lemony freshness.

It’s the perfect condiment to keep in the fridge, to drizzle over roasted vegetables, grilled or roasted meat and fish, or even to use as a salad dressing. Plus, it’s a mix-and-match formula that’s perfect for making use of any fresh herbs or tender greens you happen to have in the fridge.

What is green tahini sauce?

Green tahini sauce is a vibrant Middle Eastern condiment. Tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds, is mixed with fresh herbs and garlic and diluted with lemon juice and water. The result is a creamy, pourable sauce that’s similar in consistency to regular yogurt (not Greek yogurt).

Fresh parsley and cilantro are the most common herbs used to make green tahini sauce, but many recipes call for mint, dill, and/or chives as well. This is what makes this sauce so magical: almost any fresh, soft herb can be used alone or in combination.

I even like to throw in tender greens like arugula or baby spinach if I have any. It’s a great recipe if you have these ingredients in your fridge and they’re starting to wilt or are a bit past their prime. But you can also do this in the summer when your herb garden is overcrowded.

How to substitute different herbs

As long as you use a packet of soft herbs or tender greens overall, you can mix and match to your heart’s content.

If the stalks are also tender, which is the case with cilantro, parsley, and dill, they can also be used. Experiment with different combinations to find your favorite—no two batches of green tahini sauce have to be the same! My current favourite? A combination of coriander for the bite, basil for the sweetness and dill for extra freshness.

The best tahini for green tahini sauce

Soom Tahini is my absolute favorite brand. Run by women and families, the company makes tahini that’s thick, nutty and rich, with the consistency of pancake batter. Since this recipe has so few ingredients, it’s well worth searching for this brand or reaching for another high-quality brand that you love.

Aside from making tahini green sauce, I love using tahini in homemade hummus, baba ganoush, and even baked goods like blondies and cookies.

How to use green tahini sauce

Green Tahini Sauce is a perfect accompaniment. Try it on roasted vegetables or your favorite cooked protein like chicken, fish, shrimp, steak or lamb.

It’s a classic pairing with falafel, but it’s also great on burgers and as a non-dairy substitute for mayo in chicken, tuna, or egg salads.

I often dilute it with a little more water and use it as a salad dressing, whether it’s a simple green salad or something heartier like a bean or grain salad. You can even use it as a creamy sauce for pasta – just dilute it with some pasta cooking water if needed. Or stir a little into store-bought hummus to make it infinitely better.

Green Tahini Storage

Green tahini sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight jar for up to a week. It will thicken in the fridge, so just stir in a little water – either cold or room temperature – to bring it back to a pourable consistency before using.

Amazing recipes to try with tahini sauce

• Grilled Japanese eggplant with tahini sauce
• Mediterranean chickpea shells with tahini sauce
• Sauteed Kale with Tahini Sauce