TAHINI SAUCE (about 1 cup)
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Serve layered with tomatoes and cucumbers or, diluted, as a salad dressing. It’s also delicious with kebabs.
½ cup tahini, with a bit of its oil (Middle Eastern ground sesame paste, available bottled or canned at any Middle Eastern or health food store)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
juice of 1 lemon, more to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced, more to taste
½ teaspoon ground cumin
pinch cayenne
1 tablespoon minced cilantro (optional)
1 tablespoon minced parsley (optional)
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Thin with water, if necessary, until the sauce reaches the desired consistency (alternatively, the sauce can be thinned with sesame or olive oil, or yogurt).
- Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve, or refrigerate, covered, for a day or two.
SERVE WITH:
Lebanese-style tuna salad with tahini sauce
Roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce
adapted from Mark Bittman, The Best Recipes in the World