Easy Tahini Pasta

Ingredient notes 

The lemon tahini pasta uses simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for a full list and exact measurements.

Pasta- I use short to medium pasta with ridges that can grab onto the pasta sauce, like penne, fusilli, and cavatappi.  Cook it according to the package instructions.

Tahini - Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds and is the primary ingredient for the pasta sauce.  So choose a tahini that you enjoy the flavor of.  Like in these creamy tahini soba noodle or oil-free hummus recipes, use a good-quality pourable tahini. 

Sometimes, a layer of oil forms on top of the tahini; this is due to natural separation. The tahini at the bottom of the jar will likely be much drier than at the top, so be sure to give it a good stir before measuring.  

Tahini can sometimes be found near the nut butters, olives, or in the international section at the store.  If all else fails, you can order it online through Amazon. For more tahini-based sauce, try herb tahini dressing, dijon tahini dressing, or smoky tahini dressing.

Lemon - Fresh-squeezed lemon juice to give the sauce a tangy, fresh component and to cut through the bitterness of the tahini.

Maple syrup - Just a little sweetness is added to cut through the bitterness of the tahini.

Garlic- Adds some garlicky goodness to the vegan pasta recipe.

Nutritional yeast - Adds a little more depth of flavor and slight cheesiness. 

Crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper - Just a pinch for a smidge of heat.  They can be left out if you're not a fan of either one.

Sun-dried tomatoes - They add little pops of sweet tartness that go well with the creamy tahini sauce.  If using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drain before using.  If you're using dry-packed, they may need to be rehydrated since they are firmer than oil-packed.  It depends on the brand, but if your sun-dried tomatoes are rubbery rather than soft, they may need rehydration. Here's an article for a quick way to rehydrate dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes with vegetable broth.

Fresh spinach (or finely sliced kale) - Fresh spinach wilts quickly in the warmed sauce. If you use kale, finely slice it so it wilts more quickly.

Variations

• Instead of sun-dried tomatoes, add sautéed mushrooms, roasted or steamed broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus.  Cook them separately and add them when you mix the tahini sauce with the pasta.  
• Freshly sliced cherry tomatoes would also work well.
• Add fresh herbs like parsley or basil.
• Add drained and rinsed chickpeas, butter beans, sweet peas, or tofu.

Tips

• Reserve 1 cup of pasta water right before the pasta is done cooking.  Then you'll have starchy water to emulsify with the lemon tahini sauce.
• Stir the tahini in its container before measuring.  The contents at the bottom of the jar can be drier than the top, so it's a good idea to stir it each time before you measure it out.
• I only needed about ⅓ cup of water to make a creamy tahini sauce before adding the cooked pasta water.  You may need more water if your tahini is thick and not very pourable.  
• A small blender works well for blending smaller amounts of sauces or dressings.  
• If you whisk the sauce instead of blending, crush or mince the fresh garlic, then whisk in all ingredients besides the water.  The tahini will probably seize up once you add the lemon juice.  Then whisk in ⅓ cup of ice-cold water to the tahini sauce.  Keep whisking to get a smooth sauce. Then continue the recipe with the pasta cooking water, but only use as much as you need to get a creamy sauce to coat the pasta.
• There's no need to use ice-cold water if you blend the sauce in a blender.

How to make pasta with tahini sauce

1. Fill a large pot with salted water, and bring to a boil.  Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.  Cooking the pasta in salted water will flavor the pasta, and we'll be using the cooking water to thin out the tahini sauce to coat the pasta.  If you skip salting the water, then you'll want to adjust the salt in the tahini sauce; always season to taste.

2. While the pasta cooks, start the tahini sauce by blending the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper until smooth. 

3. When the pasta is al dente, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.  Then drain the cooked pasta.

4. Add the drained pasta back to the pot with the tahini sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach (or thinly sliced kale).  Turn the burner on medium-low and start by adding ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to thin out the tahini sauce. Stir to combine the pasta water with the tahini sauce and coat the pasta. Then keep adding more pasta cooking water if needed. 

5. Stir frequently for the greens to wilt and the sauce to emulsify with the pasta water.  You may not need all of the cooking water.  Only use as much as you need to create a creamy sauce and coat the pasta.  I use about ½ cup of pasta cooking water.  

6. The pasta water is salted, so taste and adjust the seasoning. 

7. Remove from heat and serve with fresh basil, lemon zest, more crushed red pepper flakes, or cashew parmesan. 

8. The longer the pasta sits on the stove, the more the sauce will dry out from the heat, so I like to reserve extra water in case it's needed (included in the 1 cup reserved). If the sauce gets too thick, add more pasta water.

Troubleshooting

• If you added too much and the sauce is too thin, turn the heat up on the stove and stir frequently for the excess water to evaporate.  The tahini sauce will thicken more as it cools.
• If the sauce is too thick and you've used up all of the pasta water or forgot to reserve it, then try using warm water to thin out the sauce, just like you would with the pasta cooking water.  The pasta cooking water is best because the starch in the pasta water helps to emulsify the sauce.

Serving suggestions

• Top it with cashew parmesan, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, fresh cracked pepper, freshly chopped parsley, or fresh basil.
• Serve the pasta with a simple salad, roasted or steamed broccoli, roasted or steamed cauliflower, sautéed asparagus, or garlic bread.

Storage

I think the pasta dish tastes best the day it's made, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for about 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.  Once the pasta and tahini sauce are chilled in the fridge, they dry out a bit.  I prefer the leftover pasta at room temperature.

Recipes for leftover tahini

• Oil-free hummus
• Creamy tahini soba noodles
• Oil-free fried rice
• Smoky tahini dressing
• Dijon tahini dressing

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I hope you enjoy the recipe! If you like it, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.