• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Monica Nedeff
  • Breakfast
  • Main Meals
  • Side Dishes
  • Desserts
  • Drinks
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    lemon herb tahini pinterest pin
    tahini sauce pinterest pin
    herb tahini sauce pinterest pin

    This Savory Lemon Herb Tahini is a great way to add flavor to salads or grains like rice, quinoa or farro or use it as a sauce for chicken, fish or falafel.

    herb and lemon sauce in a dipping bowl

    Made with tahini paste, lemon juice, pine nuts, garlic, fresh parsley, chives and dill. You'll love this dip if you're a fan of bold Mediterranean flavors!

    I love having homemade sauces or dips on hand that are infused with fresh herbs because they're an easy way to add flavor.

    This recipe is a creamy vegan dip thanks to the tahini paste and gluten-free, so a great sauce to have on hand for all dietary needs!

    Jump to:
    Fresh Herbs
    Steps to Making the Sauce
    Serving Suggestions
    Recipe Tips and FAQs
    Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

    Fresh Herbs

    In this recipe, we got Mediterranean herbs: parsley, chives and dill. They complement the bright flavors to the lemon and work well with the garlic cloves and creamy tahini.

    sliced lemon halves with dill, chives and parsley

    But the best part of this recipe is that you can easily get creative and swap the herbs for something else - swap the parsley, chives or dill for other herbs like rosemary, cilantro, thyme or oregano.

    The flavor will be a bit different, but it's a fun way to change it up!

    Never had these herbs before? Here's a quick idea of their aroma and flavor:

    • Parsley: earthy, vibrant, a little peppery - very common as a garnish in Mediterranean cooking. A great balance to the sweet maple syrup and creamy tahini.
    • Chives: has a mild onion flavor with garlicky notes - perfect for a dip!
    • Dill: similar to parsley with an earthy flavor but also has lemony/citrus notes too - pefect to go along with the lemon juice!

    Steps to Making the Sauce

    This recipe is easy peasy to make if you have a food processor or a high quality blender.

    collage of pine nuts, tahini, herbs and lemon blended in a food processor
    1. Start by blending the pine nuts, fresh herbs and garlic cloves.
    2. Blend until you get a fine paste like consistency.
    3. Add the liquids - tahini paste, lemon juice, maple syrup.
    4. Blend until well incorporated!

    The dressing will be thick! It's perfect consistency for dunking chicken or falafel in but if you're going for more of a dressing consistency, add a few tablespoons of water until you reach your desired consistency.

    Use the dressig on leafy green salads, grain bowls or use it as a dipping sauce for crusty bread!

    Serving Suggestions

    This recipe, in my opinion, is a great way of adding flavor to dishes. It's versatile and can work with different meals, so having some on hand makes adding flavor to dishes super easy!

    Ever find rice or quinoa boring? I feel like this is so common!

    If you ever just cook rice or quinoa in water, it's pretty boring - let's be real. Next time, add a dollop of this sauce into your grain and it'll make it creamy and full of savory flavor!

    I love making Mediterranean grain bowls and adding it as a sauce with hummus or tzatziki makes everything so flavorful!

    close-up of herb tahini  dip with squeezed lemons on the side

    Recipe Tips and FAQs

    Can I use the herb paste squeezes or slightly dried herbs as a substitute?

    I wouldn't recommend either. The slightly dried herbs won't create the right consistency and I personally find the squeeze tubes don't have the best flavor. If you can't get the exact 3 herbs I used in the recipe fresh, I would recommend substituting for another fresh herb you can buy like rosemary, thyme, oregano or cilantro.

    How much should I use for a serving?

    I use around 2 tablespoons when I use it as a flavoring for rice or quinoa or dunking chicken.

    lemon herb tahini in a serving bowl

    Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

    Lemon Herb Tahini is made with fresh parsley, chives, dill, garlic and pine nuts for a creamy, savory sauce you can make for dunking chicken, fish or falafel in or use as a dressing for salads or grain bowls!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 8 people
    Author: Monica Nedeff
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • ¼ cup pine nuts
    • ¼ cup chopped parsley
    • ¼ cup chopped chives
    • 2 tablespoons chopped dill
    • 2 cloves minced garlic
    • ⅓ cup tahini paste
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • In a food processor or high speed blender, blend the pine nuts, parsley, chives, dill and garlic cloves until the herbs are chopped up finely and a thick paste forms.
    • Add the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup and salt. Blend until incorporated well.
    • If wanting to make the consistency thinner like a dressing, add a few tablespoons water and blend until you get your desired consistency. Otherwise, it'll be a dipping sauce consistency.

    Notes

    1. If needing to swap the herbs in the recipe,  try rosemary, oregano, thyme or cilantro.
    2. I won't recommend using the squeezable herb pastes as a substitute or slightly dried herbs.
    3. Use the sauce on meats like chicken or fish or plant-based options like for dunking tofu or falafel. 
    4. Thin the sauce into a dressing to use in salad bowls or grain bowl. The dressing works well in adding a ton of flavor and creaminess to rice, quinoa or farro.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 228IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

    (Nutrition values are calculated by third-party software and an estimate that can vary based on product brands and cooking methods.)

    Course: Dip
    Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Keyword: tahini dip, lemon herb sauce, tahini sauce vegan
    Tried this recipe? I love seeing your creations!Mention @monicanedeff.rdn or tag #monicanedeff so I can share them with the community!
    « Buttermilk Lemon Pancakes
    Vanilla Kefir Ice Cream with Strawberries (No-Churn) »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! I'm Monica - a registered dietitian nutritionist, solo female traveler and recipe developer helping you eat healthy on the go while empowering you to nourish your body, mind and soul!

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • chocolate sea salt granola on a baking sheet
      Chocolate Sea Salt Granola
    • Hand holding a turkey burger with tzatziki dripping down the bun
      Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers With Tzatziki
    • ground turkey sweet potato skillet
      Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet with Brussels Sprouts & Apples
    • lemon lavender cookies stacked
      Glazed Lemon Lavender Cookies

    Winter Favorites

    • mediterranean lasagna slice
      Easy Mediterranean Lasagna
    • mediterranean farro salad on a plate
      Mediterranean Farro Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
    • chicken salad sandwich with cranberries and walnuts
      Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
    • mugs of cacao powder hot chocolate
      Cacao Powder Hot Chocolate

    Need Help Cooking?

    grocery bag of healthy food

    Grab my Grocery List + Cooking Tips + Meal Prep Guide for free to put the joy back into cooking and ease into preparing nourishing meals.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Mission

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for emails and freebies

    Contact

    Email

    Copyright © 2022 Monica Nedeff | All Rights Reserved