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    Home » Recipes » Dips, Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments

    Lemon Herb Tahini

    Published: Dec 30, 2022 . Modified: May 31, 2023 by Allie

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Lemon herb tahini sauce in a glass jar with cilantro.

    This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

    This lemon herb tahini comes together in about 10 minutes and is easy to make.  It’s great on roasted vegetables, in Buddha bowls, or as a dip.  

    Lemon herb tahini in a glass jar with cilantro.

    The tahini creates a creamy sauce that’s vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.  Add fresh lemon juice to brighten up the dressing and fresh cilantro to add loads more flavor.   If you like tahini-based dressings you also might like my smoky tahini dressing or dijon tahini dressing.

    If you need more ways to use tahini, try it on tahini pasta, tahini soba noodles, or in oil-free hummus.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredient notes
    • How to make the sauce in a bowl
    • How to make the sauce in a blender
    • Tips
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storage
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments
    The ingredients for lemon herb tahini in bowls on a cutting board.

    Ingredient notes

    Tahini is made from sesame seeds and can vary in consistency with different brands.  Your brand will most likely have a layer of oil on top that has separated. It will need to get stirred back into the tahini, then measure the needed amount for the recipe.  

    The contents at the bottom of the jar tend to be drier than what’s at the top, so each time I use tahini for a recipe I give it a good stir to redistribute.  So depending on your brand and if the tahini came from the bottom of the jar, you may need to add more water.

    Fresh Lemon juice is best to give the lemon herb tahini dressing a tangy citrusy flavor.

    Fresh Cilantro can be substituted for parsley or a mix between the two.

    Maple syrup cuts through the bitterness of the tahini, but can be left out if you don’t want the added sweetness.  This can also be substituted with agave syrup.

    How to make the sauce in a bowl

    Tahini dressing in a glass bowl being mixed together.

    To mix this dressing together in a bowl instead of blending, you’ll need ice-cold water.  Mince the garlic and chop the cilantro.  Whisk everything together except the cilantro and water. 

    Tahini dressing with cold water in a bowl.

    Once the lemon juice hits the tahini, the tahini will probably seize up.  Then whisk in cold water.  The cold water loosens up the sauce and creates a thinner consistency.  Then stir in the chopped cilantro.  

    Tahini sauce in a glass bowl with chopped cilantro.

    How to make the sauce in a blender

    I prefer to use a small blender for dressings and small amounts of sauce.  It’s easier to puree small amounts without having to keep stopping and pushing the ingredients down. 

    To make this lemon herb tahini sauce in a blender, add everything except the cilantro, then puree until smooth.  Then pulse in the cilantro until is chopped up.  It can also be made in a food processor.  You won’t need ice-cold water to blend in a blender.

    Tips

    • Use quality tahini, it should be creamy and pourable.  
    • How much water you’ll need depends on how thick or thin your tahini is and your desired consistency. If you want to use it as a dip and be thicker, use less water.
    • I don't have a problem with my blender pureeing garlic cloves in a dressing, but if your blender or food processor does then you might want to crush the garlic before adding it in with the rest of the ingredients (if using the blender method). 

    Serving suggestions

    • Use it as a dressing for noodles, like in this tahini soba noodle recipe
    • A dip for veggies
    • A dressing for Buddha bowls or salads
    • Serve it over roasted vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, or broccoli
    • I’ve been enjoying it with roasted sweet potatoes with salt and smoked paprika tossed with fresh kale and cooked chickpeas.

    Storage

    Store in an air-tight container for about 5 days.  It may thicken once chilled in the fridge, add a tablespoon of water at a time to thin it out (if needed).

    Lemon herb tahini in a glass jar with a spoon and cilantro.

    Related recipes

    • Oil-free hummus
    • Smoked paprika hummus
    • Dijon tahini dressing
    • Smoky tahini dressing
    • Creamy tahini soba noodles
    • Tahini pasta
    • No garlic hummus (includes ideas on how to flavor hummus without garlic)

    As always, I hope you enjoy this herby tahini sauce! If you like the recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.

    Print

    Recipe

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    Lemon herb tahini dressing in a jar with a spoon.

    Lemon Herb Tahini


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Allie
    • Total Time: 10 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    This lemon herb tahini comes together in about 10 minutes and is easy to make.  It’s great on roasted vegetables, in Buddha bowls, or as a dip.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • ⅓ cup tahini, stir before measuring
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 garlic clove, minced or crushed
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
    • Pinch of fresh black pepper
    • Pinch of allspice, optional
    • ⅓ cup ice-cold water
    • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

    Instructions

    1. In a small or medium bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, cumin, pepper, and allspice.
    2. Then whisk in ⅓ cup of ice-cold water to thin, until the sauce loosens and becomes creamy.
    3. Next, stir in chopped cilantro, taste, and adjust for seasoning.

    Notes

    How much water you’ll need depends on how thick or thin your tahini is and your desired consistency. If you want to use it as a dip and be thicker, use less water.

    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Category: sauces, dips
    • Method: no bake
    • Cuisine: american

    Keywords: lemon herb tahini, lemon herb tahini dressing.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathy

      January 24, 2023 at 12:52 pm

      Very delicious, I drizzled it over some roasted vegetables!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Allie

        January 24, 2023 at 12:58 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Allie! I love cooking and I want to share my simple plant-based meals with you. Eating this way doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Just simply delicious!

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