Homemade Tahini Sauce with Garlic and Cumin

Homemade tahini sauce is one of the easiest, creamiest sauces you can make, it goes with almost everything, and it’s so delicious and healthy for you. Drizzle on salads or roasted vegetables, add to hummus, serve with meats or add to your sandwiches.

Tahini sauce, dressing, dip, call it what you want, this homemade tahini sauce is the best you will ever have. It’s not really an original recipe, but an inspiration by a fellow Dallas food lover who goes by the name @svpz on Instagram, who was inspired by Chef J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, who was inspired by a technique of Michael Solomonov, author of Zahav cookbook. What can I say? Good recipes travel a long way.

Creamy, homemade tahini sauce perfection with a subtle hint of garlic and cumin

This tahini sauce has only four ingredients (plus the spices), one of which is water, but the magic is in the technique. You need one blender, one full garlic head, unpeeled cloves, one cup of tahini, lots of lemon juice, and cold water. The spices are cumin and salt.

You start by adding the unpeeled garlic cloves to the blender with the lemon juice. Pulse until the garlic gets well mixed with the lemon juice.

One whole garlic head might seem too much, but in fact, it is not. It’s just enough for flavor without overpowering the sauce. By straining the garlic and lemon mixture, you remove all the solid parts of the garlic and are left just with amazing flavors. 

When it comes to getting that soft, silky texture, the secret is to add cold water, bit by bit. And use a hand whisk to incorporate the water into the sauce. Stop when you are happy with the consistency. 

How to serve tahini sauce

This homemade tahini sauce works as a salad dressing, dipping sauce, or as a spread. One of my favorite ways to eat it is with the Flax Seed Crackers with Zaatar Spices.

You can drizzle it on Crunchy Stir-Fry With Tahini Sauce.

Or, dress this beautiful and colorful salad: Crunchy Beets and Jicama Salad with Tahini Dressing. 

Orange tahini dressing

For another version, try our tahini orange dressing. This dressing goes well with Cauliflower Falafel, but you can also use it as a salad dressing and a spread or dip.

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Print Recipe

Homemade Tahini Sauce with Garlic and Cumin

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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By Claudia Curici – Serves: 4-6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Homemade tahini sauce is one of the easiest, creamiest sauces you can make, it goes with almost everything and it's so delicious and healthy for you. Drizzle on salads or roasted vegetables, add to hummus, serve with meats or add to your sandwiches.

Ingredients

• 1 cup tahini
• garlic cloves of one whole garlic head, unpeeled
• 2/3 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
• cold water
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• salt to taste

Instructions

1

Add the lemon juice and the unpeeled garlic cloves to a blender.

2

Pulse them about 15 times until all the garlic gets crashed.

3

Let them infuse for 15 mins.

4

Strain the mixture to remove all the skins and the bigger pieces of garlic (press with a spoon to get all the juices out), and mix the strained liquid with one cup of tahini.

5

Start adding cold water one tablespoon at a time and continue to mix until you get a soft, creamy texture.

6

Add salt to taste and one teaspoon of cumin.

7

Store in the fridge in an air-tight glass jar.

Notes

This dressing can be easily stored in the fridge and lasts for at least one week.