Lemon Tahini Dressing

This easy to prepare Lemon Tahini is made with 3 basic ingredients: tahini paste, lemon juice and garlic. I’ve had a love affair with tahini after the first time I ate middle eastern cuisine shortly after moving to the USA.

I spend a fair amount of time in my kitchen, and have learned to always keep a few staples in the refrigerator. You know for those times when you have no idea what to make for dinner, and your kids are “hangry”! A yummy sauce or dressing can change a simple veggie dish into a fabulous dish with very little effort. Lemon Tahini is one of my must haves.

I love that this dressing is so versatile. It goes well with so many dishes! Drizzle on roasted or grilled veggies. Use it as a dip to accompany an appetizer platter. Or, keep it as a simple salad dressing.

I think by now we can all agree you simply cannot eat too many vegetables. At the end of the week I toss whatever veggies are left in the fridge create a veggie bowl. Often quinoa or wilted greens are the base for my veggie bowls. But I absolutely love turning cauliflower or broccoli into “rice” to use instead.  Have you tried doing that yet?  Be sure to check out my Roasted Rainbow Bowl with Cauli’ rice for inspiration.

My girls are huge fans of this Lemon Tahini dip, and request it frequently in their school lunches with a few chopped veggies. What I love most about this dressing, is that you can customize it in so many ways. Add roasted garlic, fresh or dried herbs and spices. Serve it extra spicy etc. Let’s talk about what exactly is Tahini.

Let’s talk about what exactly is Tahini?

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds and is a staple in many cuisines, especially in the Mediterranean and Middle East. Store-bought tahini is usually made from hulled sesame seeds. This is my preference, too, however if I’m not pinched for time, I’ll sprout the seeds and make it from scratch.

  5 Health Benefits of Tahini

I love the powerful health benefits this tiny seed provides:

• rich in vitamins and minerals
• vegan source of iron
• plant based source of calcium
• 20% complete protein; higher than most nuts
• high in unsaturated fat – the good kind!

Print

Lemon Tahini Sauce

Course: condiment

Ingredients

• 1 cup tahini; sesame seed paste (I prefer the paste made from light colored seeds)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tsp water or more for preferred consistency
• 2 cloves raw garlic (or 4 cloves roasted garlic)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice - to taste
• 1/4 tsp salt - to taste
• 2 tsp fresh parsley; minced (optional)
• 1 tsp cumin (optional)

Instructions

1. In a food processor blend tahini paste, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt together until sauce is creamy.  Taste and season as necessary with more lemon juice and salt. Add a dash of water if necessary for consistency.

2. Pulse parsley until well combined 

3. Garnish with olive oil and sumac

Recipe Notes

• you can use a high speed blender if you don't have a food processor
• If using tahini to make hummus keep it thick and creamy. For sandwiches or as a dip thin it out a little
• When using a fresh jar of tahini, be sure to give it a stir as it tends to settle to the bottom of the jar.

If you try this recipe, let me know! I’d love you to pin it on Pinterest or share it on Facebook.  Post your re-creation on Instagram. (tag me @amandavs, #amandavs and #healtyissexymovement), I’d love to see your creations.

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xo Amanda