Creamy Tahini Sauce
When I think of Levantine cuisine, I think of Baba Ghanoush, Fattoush, Challah, Manakish, Falafel, Shawarma, Tabbouleh, Hamin, Kebabs, Hummus, and so on. The group of countries and regions representing the Levant region gives this specific cuisine a beautiful array of flavors, colors and aromas. There’s Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Cyprus, Israel, Palestine, Turkey, Greece, Syria, Iraq, and Libya.
Like any other cuisine, Levantine has many sauces to complement their meals like Tzatziki, Shattah, Muhammara, Sahhawiq, Toum, and more. Here’s another exotic sauce recipe that I enjoy making… Creamy Tahini Sauce!
This is a versatile condiment that pairs so well with many Levantine dishes. I like to serve it along with my shawarma, Falafel, grilled chicken or fish, Shish Kebabs, roasted vegetables, Hawawshi or other sandwiches, and more. It can also be used as a dressing for your green salad.
This delicious sauce requires a primary ingredient… Tahini Paste which is made with ground sesame seeds and grapeseed oil with a pinch of salt. This is a great condiment I use for my Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Tahini Mango Peanut Butter Smoothie, Easy Baba Ghanoush, Broccolini Gomaae, and Halva as well as in the making of my Yogurt Sauce for my Lamb Kofta. It has a nutty flavor and creamy texture… perfect to use for a wide variety of dishes.
When I make my Creamy Tahini Sauce, garlic is another key ingredient. Unfortunately, the taste of raw garlic can be bitter. To remove it and make it milder, I blanch the unpeeled clove for 5 minutes in boiling water. This little extra step makes a huge difference in the sauce giving a nice garlicky taste without the sharpness of the vegetable. From there, I rinse it under cold water, peel it and make a paste with salt using my mortar and pestle. When this is done, I add a tiny amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice, about ¼ teaspoon, and turn my paste into a thick liquid so it’s easier to add to my tahini paste.
Many cooks make this sauce using water… it’s tasteless! I’m all about flavor and instead, I replace it with cold vegetable broth. I always have some on hand so why not use it. It’s still vegan, healthy and dairy-free with a slight boost of flavor.
I also add another unusual ingredient to make the sauce even better… Baharat! I love this spice blend from the Middle East and it’s perfect for this condiment recipe. You can easily find it at any specialty store or online. On the other hand, I’ll show you how to make it from scratch next year so stay tuned…
Nutty and slightly tangy, this Creamy Tahini Sauce recipe is simply amazing and can turn basic dishes into incredible! This lemony, garlic condiment is a great recipe to have on hand and it can be stored in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container.
Bon Appétit!
Check out these other sauce recipes…
– Cheddar Cheese Sauce
– Romesco Sauce
– Demi-Glace & Espagnole Sauce
– Seafood Cocktail Sauce
– Caribbean BBQ Sauce
– Iguana’s Mushroom Sauce
and for even more International recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • International
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
Creamy Tahini Sauce
Hover to scale
Ingredients
- 1 medium cloves garlic, blanched
- 1/4 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt, or more to taste
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided tips & tricks
- 1/2 cup tahini paste see Recipe
- 2 tbsp. cold low-sodium vegetable broth, or as needed
- 1/4 tsp. Baharat
Directions
- To blanch the garlic: Add unpeeled garlic to a small saucepan with boiling water and set the timer for 5 minutes. When time is up, remove from the heat and scoop out the garlic using a small sieve before rinsing under cold water; peel it.
- Add the blanched peeled garlic to a mortar along with a ¼ teaspoon of ground sea salt. Crush the ingredients using the pestle until it turns into a paste. To this, add a tiny amount of lemon juice, about ¼ to ½ tsp., and continue mashing until it gets liquid.
- In a mixing bowl, add tahini paste, garlic mixture and the remaining lemon juice. Whisk the ingredients until very well blended and the mixture gets thick. Add cold vegetable broth, a tbsp. at a time, until the desired consistency is reached, whisking constantly. Add Baharat and whisk until well incorporated. Serve right away otherwise transfer to the fridge until needed. Yields 2/3 cup
Don't forget to rate and comment on this recipe!
