Lemon Herb Tahini sauce is going to be your new go-to dip and spread for just about everything. This creamy, and nutty sesame seed dressing tastes just like a copycat Cava restaurant dressing and is perfect for dipping pita bread, crackers, vegetables, falafel, or topping salads.
Why This Recipe is the Best
This Lemon Herb Tahini sauce tastes amazing with Mediterranean foods, Middle Eastern foods, fresh vegetables, green salads, crackers, and pita bread. My family loves eating it with grilled chicken. It has become a household staple during the summer months.
This dip is perfect for Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, 5 Minute Air Fryer Green Beans, and Roasted Sunchokes.
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Key Ingredients
This simple and fresh-ingredient vegan sauce is made in five minutes and tastes amazing. Check out the list of ingredients for tips and tricks.
- Tahini- Tahini is the base of this dressing and is found most commonly near where peanut butter is found in most grocery stores. Try this homemade tahini recipe.
- Lemon- You can use either freshly squeezed lemon or lemon juice from the bottle. We've learned that freshly squeezed lemon juice has a better flavor.
- Pure Maple Syrup- Pure maple syrup is a perfect pair for this dip to take the bitter edge off of some of the herbs. You use just a hint so as not to overpower the bitter but complement it.
- Water- To thin the sauce out, you will need a little bit of water to get the consistency you need. Don't worry, if you make it thinner than you'd like, you can always add more tahini to thicken it back up.
How to make Lemon Herb Tahini
Follow these step-by-step instructions for the best results. Refer to the pictures for help.
- Add tahini to a food processor or a mini food processor. Then add in the salt, minced garlic, lemon juice, and pure maple syrup.
- Add the washed fresh parsley and cilantro to the food processor.
- Mix using the electric food processor. Add water to thin as you go
- Once smooth and creamy, transfer to a serving dish and top salads and dip vegetables.
Hint: Use fresh herbs during the summer months for a fresh ingredient dip.
Common Mistakes
When I was recipe testing, I was so confused about why I wasn't getting the right texture. It was clumpy, and the oil separated easily. I eventually tried blending the Lemon Herb Tahini for almost 2 minutes. When first blended, the tahini is stubborn and doesn't want to mix properly. You will get a grainy-looking dip. After blending for about 2 minutes, the bonds of the tahini will let go to make a creamy and smooth mixture.
Top tip
Remember to blend at a high speed for at least 1-2 minutes until the smooth creamy texture appears. It's fun to watch it change quickly once it goes from the blended herb look to the smooth sauce look.
Recipe
Lemon Herb Tahini
Equipment
- High Speed Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
- ½ cup Tahini
- ¼ cup parsley
- ¼ cup cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic minced, about 1 teaspoon
- 1 tablespoon chives optional
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a high speed blender of food processor add the tahini, garlic, salt, maple syrup, olive oil, and lemon juice.½ cup Tahini, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon table salt
- Add the fresh herbs and chives (optional) and blend for 30 seconds. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time to thin the sauce.¼ cup parsley, ¼ cup cilantro, 1 tablespoon chives, 2 tablespoons water
- Keep blending for 1-2 minutes until the mixture turns from grainy/chunky looking to smooth and creamy. Add more water if the consistency is too thick depending if you want to use it as a salad dressing or a vegetable dip.
Notes
- Make sure to blend until that smooth texture appears, it's fun to watch it make the texture jump! Tahini can be stubborn but will eventually give.
- You can easily substitute parsley and cilantro for either mint or basil. Each will give a unique but delicious fresh herb taste.
- Add 1 teaspoon of fresh dill for a dash of flavor.
- If you add too much water, you can add a teaspoon of tahini at a time to get the right consistency.
- This can be bitter, add a dash of honey to sweeten the dip up.
Nutrition
For other ways to use Tahini look at this Tahini Dressing or Tahini Salad. It's a great way to use this delicious sesame seed butter.
Storage
Store dressing in an airtight container for 5-7 days in the refrigerator. This can be frozen and thawed, but note that the texture may vary when thawed.
What to pair with Lemon Herb Tahini
This Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce is so versatile and can go with so many different meals and types of foods. Our personal favorites are topped on roasted vegetables, chicken, and fish. We've even used it with our Jennifer Aniston Salad.
I make this as a dip for vegetables, pita bread, crackers, and sweet potato fries. We've even tried it as a spread for fresh bread, and sandwiches and loved it!
Variations and Substitutions
- Basil -instead of parsley or cilantro use basil. While the taste of these herbs are very different, together with the tahini it makes a great herb flavor.
- Chives- add a tablespoon of chives for a subtle onion taste.
- Mint - just like the basil, you can replace the parsley or chives with mint leaves for a fresh herb taste.
- Honey-this is sweetened lightly with maple syrup but you can substitute the syrup with honey at a 1:1 ratio.
- Dill- add dill sprigs for an added dill taste. Depending on how much dill you want to be there will depend on how much you put in.
Andrea says
I had a recipe similar to this at Zoe's Kitchen and this is a great copycat of it. I tried to find it at Trader Joes and Whole foods but this homemade version is great! We put it on sandwiches, and used it as a dip for vegetables.
Anne says
I made this last night and really liked it, and my husband "absolutely loved it"! I served it over a rice bowl with grilled chicken, brown rice, and steamed carrots and broccoli. I just wasn't sure about measuring the herbs: is it 1/4 cup whole leaf, or 1/4 cup chopped?
Andrea says
I'm glad you guys liked it so much! When I make this recipe I use whole leaf. You can use chopped for a stronger herb taste!