Can I make the tahini pasta sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the sauce ahead of time. Store it covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It may thicken after being chilled. Then continue with the rest of the recipe. Be sure to reserve the salted pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce and coat the pasta.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Yes, you can use gluten-free pasta. Try the recipe with lentil pasta or chickpea pasta. Follow the instructions on the package.

As long as your tahini is made up of one ingredient, sesame seeds, then this is naturally occurring fat separation. This is not a sign of spoilage, but the oil is separating and floating to the top of the jar. The separation will also make the rest of the tahini in the jar drier. The contents can be stirred back together for a smoother tahini. It’s similar to natural peanut butter that is made up of just peanuts or peanuts and salt.

Easy Tahini Pasta - Three Little Chickpeas

Description

This quick 25-minute tahini pasta is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. The pasta is coated in a creamy garlic lemon tahini sauce, with bursts of sweet, tangy sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach.

Ingredients

Scale

8 ounces (225 g) pasta
⅓ cup (80 g) tahini, stir before measuring
⅓ cup (79 ml) water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
A handful of fresh spinach (or shredded kale)
½ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes (see notes)

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Instructions

Fill a large pot with salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, blend the tahini, ⅓ cup of water, lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper in a blender until smooth.
When the pasta is done cooking, reserve 1 cup of the salted pasta cooking water. Then drain the cooked pasta.
Add the drained pasta back to the pot with the tahini sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Turn the burner to medium-low and start by adding ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Stir to combine the water with the tahini sauce and coat the pasta.
Then, add more pasta cooking water as needed. Stir frequently for the spinach to wilt and the sauce to emulsify. 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 tend to need about ½ cup of pasta cooking water. The longer the pasta sits on the stove, the more it dries out.
Once the spinach is wilted and the sauce is warmed through and coats the pasta, taste and adjust for salt. Then serve.

Notes

If you don't salt the pasta cooking water, then you'll want to adjust the salt in the tahini sauce. Always season to taste.

If you whisk the sauce instead of blending, then crush or mince the fresh garlic, and then whisk in all of the 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. There's no need to use ice-cold water if you're blending the sauce in a blender.

If using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drain. If you're using dry-packed, they may need to be rehydrated if they are not soft; it depends on the brand.

Nutrition facts are a rough estimate and for dry-packed, NOT oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: main course
Method: stovetop
Cuisine: american