Delicious with just about anything, this tahini garlic sauce is a simple but outstanding dressing or dip to have on hand. It hits all the right notes of creamy, tangy, smooth, savoury, a little garlicky – if you like tahini even a little, you’ll love this. Since it is more of a sauce than a vinaigrette, it’s best with warm salads or a heartier grain rather than with a plain green salad, but works just as well as a dip.

There are a handful of recipes on OE that use a variation of this sauce, and it’s a household staple for us. Try it with roasted carrot salad, on a seasonal pumpkin salad (I started making the dressing when introduced to it by Nina), or on a roasted pumpkin kale salad. I often serve it as a dipping sauce for dishes like quinoa patties, too.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Tahini: any colour of tahini can be used without any changes needed to the recipe. For the mildest taste, use a white tahini. Darker tahini is made with un-hulled sesame and it tends to be a little bitter but this will depend on personal preference.
• Vinegar: apple cider vinegar is a good neutral option, as is white wine vinegar. Use balsamic for a slightly sweeter, stronger variation. Lemon juice is good too.
• Honey: use maple syrup or sugar if preferred. I don’t recommend omitting the sweetener.
• Garlic: it can be omitted if you have difficulty with raw garlic. The sauce is still excellent without.
• Add-ins: if using lemon juice, try mixing in some lemon zest. Chopped fresh soft herbs (like parsley, mint, oregano, etc.) are all very nice, as are other spices like cumin. Try adding 1/2 teaspoon mustard or a teaspoon of fresh ginger. Change it up depending on how you plan to use it.

Step by Step

Step 1: add all of the ingredients to a lidded jar or bowl.

Step 2: mix until fully combined and thin if needed.

Recipe Notes

This will thicken as it’s mixed, and that’s normal. The quantities should be correct for a sauce that can be poured, but this will depend on how dry the tahini is, and how much vinegar you use. Thin with a bit of water as needed.

I suggest tasting your tahini before making the sauce as the level of bitterness will directly inform how bitter the end result will be. If you don’t particularly like tahini, I don’t recommend making this.

How to Store

Storage: keep the sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Freezing: while this can be frozen, it does tend to discolour slightly and the garlic can taste a bit off after thawing. If you must freeze it, plan to mix again after thawing.

Expert Tips

• Season to taste: your tahini may have added salt, and as with any sauce, this should be seasoned to taste, so adjust the salt and pepper amounts based on what you like.
• Don’t add too much garlic: the flavour of the garlic is carried through very effectively even when using a small amount, so don’t go overboard. A small clove is plenty and adding much more will result in a boring one-note flavour.
• Use a jar: mixing in a jar is easier and more effective, and there’s your storage container already sorted! Much better than using a bowl and whisk.

More Sauces and Dips

Sweet Potato Red Lentil Dip
Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Summer Strawberry Vinaigrette
Avocado Aioli