A 5-minute, super versatile lemon herb tahini yogurt sauce. This can be used as a quick dip, dressing, or even sauce – made up of just five ingredients – for tons of uses! Plus, this dip is naturally gluten-free and can be made dairy-free and/or vegan!

I love versatile dishes – give me something that can be used 101 different ways and …. well, it’s probably already sitting in my fridge, freezer, or pantry somewhere! Just like this lemon tahini sauce. Whether you want a salad dressing, drizzle for veggies and proteins, spread, or a thick dip, this tahini sauce does it all and with just a few simple ingredients and tweaks. 

You may have already seen my post for delicious homemade tahini (aka sesame paste), I even have a black tahini version. This ingredient, popular within hummus recipes, is made up of ground sesame seeds and has a hearty, nutty, and slightly bitter flavor. I love to use tahini as it adds tons of creamy, rich flavor to dishes like this selection of rainbow hummus and this lemon tahini dressing.

Best of all, this recipe takes just minutes to prepare. Plus, it can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week. That way, you’re never left with a boring dish. Plus, as I’ve mentioned above already – it’s made up of just a few super simple ingredients – many (if not all) of which you probably already have in the kitchen. 

The ingredients

Tahini: I use homemade tahini made with just one ingredient and in under 15-minutes. Feel free to use store-bought versions, too – there are lots of brands of tahini out there for you to choose from. 

The acid: For this recipe, I’ve used lemon juice though different acidic ingredients will work. i.e., limes, apple cider vinegar, etc. Experiment with each to find your preferred flavor profile.

Yogurt: The thickness of the yogurt you use will obviously affect the consistency of the tahini sauce. For thick and creamy sauce you can use thick homemade Greek yogurt or a store-bought version (which is creamy). You could also use natural yogurt for a thinner sauce. For a dairy-free/vegan version, then use dairy-free yogurt instead. 

Note* I’ve actually included the yogurt as an optional ingredient. The remainder of the ingredients can still make up a wonderful tahini dressing recipe that can be thinned down to the required consistency. Read the recipe notes for direction on how. 

‘Seasonings’: I’ve used parsley, minced garlic, cumin, and salt in this recipe as I pretty much always include them in the base. You can read my recipe notes for optional add-ins. 

The step by step instructions

Begin by chopping the parsley and finely chopping or grating/mincing the garlic.

Next, add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix well to thoroughly combine.

Taste the sauce and adjust any of the seasonings, to taste – i.e. more salt, acidity, etc.

The tahini sauce is ready to use immediately. If you plan to serve in the bowl then feel free to garnish it as you would hummus. You can use pine nuts, a drizzle of oil, pomegranate seeds, a sprinkle of spice, or sesame seeds, etc.

How to serve

When I said there are tons of ways to use this yogurt tahini sauce, I wasn’t kidding. Here are just a few of my top picks:

• Serve as a dip alongside crudites and appetizers (like these Spinach Fatayer pies)
• Drizzle over roasted veggies and proteins – like this High-Protein Grilled Salmon Avocado Salad Bowl and Roasted Purple Potatoes.
• Drizzle over eggs – like these pickled eggs or simple boiled eggs. 
• Use as a salad dressing for buddha bowls and various salads – like this Vegan Kale, Butternut Squash + Quinoa Salad, or Easy Spinach and Blackberry Salad.
• Smear over sandwiches, homemade pita bread, wraps (like this Authentic Falafel (Plus Wrap!)), and burgers (like this delicious falafel burger).
• You can use it in place of hummus and other dressings with falafels – like this Easy Rainbow Vegan Falafels 5-ways. In fact, this is the perfect falafel sauce!
• Serve alongside proteins like these Healthy Mushroom & Lentil Vegan Meatballs. Plus, if you’re a meat-eater, then it’s even the perfect accompaniment to salmon and various meats. 

How to store

Keep any leftover lemon herb tahini sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. If it separates at all, give the container a shake/ stir it, and it’s ready to go! 

Recipe notes & variations

• To use as a salad dressing, then you can keep or omit the yogurt and then thin the mixture with a little water, milk, or plant-based milk (i.e., almond milk or Homemade Soy milk, etc.). Either way, this lemon, herb, tahini dressing is packed with flavor!
• You can add in a spoonful or two of extra virgin olive oil to the tahini sauce for a super silky smooth mouthfeel.
• To add spice, you could drizzle with chili oil before serving or a little cayenne/chili powder.
• Experiment with different herb and spice combinations/additions: Za’atar, smoked paprika, chili pepper, basil, mint, chives, oregano, spring onions would all work. Also, wholegrain mustard will add extra zing and pops of flavor with every bite.
• You could also add finely chopped veggies to the lemon tahini sauce – similar to tzatziki and Borani. Options include cucumber, red peppers, grated carrot, spinach, olives, beets, etc. 
• Feel free to adjust the amounts of garlic, herb, and acidity to your taste!
• If you accidentally add too much acidity (it happens!), you can balance this with a little sweetener such as maple syrup (vegan) or honey. 
• You can make a beautifully green-colored lemon herb tahini mixture by blending the sauce ingredients. Alternatively, for a pink version, you can add a little chopped beetroot to the sauce and omit the herbs from the blender, then fold them in after. 
• For a super-thick tahini yogurt sauce, you can drain your yogurt overnight in a cheesecloth/nut milk bag to thicken it. If using homemade yogurt, then you can do this during the draining phase and just leave it for longer. OR use Homemade Labneh (which uses that method) and is a thick, cream-cheese like consistency. 

Related recipes

• Tahini Cauliflower Wings
• Simple Fatteh (Pita with Herby Chickpeas and Yogurt)
• Smoky Eggplant Dip (Baba Ganoush)
• Simple Smoky Eggplant Dip (Moutabal)
• How To Make Peanut Dipping Sauce
• Gluten-free Muhammara Dip (Roasted Red Pepper Dip)
• Creamy Avocado Cilantro Sauce
• Quick Mango Sweet Chili Sauce
• Lemon Tahini Sauce

If you give this lemon-herb tahini sauce recipe a try, then let me know your thoughts in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.