This creamy green tahini sauce is made with fresh herbs and spinach, with a nutty-sweet flavor that will instantly elevate nearly any meal, from grilled or roasted meats and vegetables, to grain bowls, salads and more!
What does green tahini sauce taste like?
If you’ve followed along here (or if you own my book, Build-a-Bowl) you know that I love easy, no-cook sauces. A good sauce can instantly take a meal from ordinary to extraordinary, and this green tahini sauce/dressing is one of my favorites. It’s nutty and earthy, with brightness from fresh lemon juice and a hint of sweetness from dates. This is a creamy sauce that’s naturally vegan.
Ingredients:
- Tahini: This sauce gets its rich, creamy texture from store-bought tahini (which is made from ground sesame seeds).
- Fresh lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice provides acid, balancing the earthiness of the tahini.
- Medjool dates: Dates are the secret ingredient, giving the sauce a subtly sweet flavor without any added sugar.
- Baby spinach and parsley: The sauce gets its green color from baby spinach and parsley.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A touch of olive oil rounds out the flavors.
How to make green tahini dressing:
- In a blender combine water, lemon juice, tahini, Medjool dates, spinach and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, and blend until smooth.
- Pour in extra virgin olive oil (adding the olive oil at the end prevents it from turning bitter).
- Blend the green tahini sauce until smooth.
Serving suggestions:
This green tahini dressing is incredible on this seared halloumi salad (pictured below) or with these pan-fried falafel. You can also spoon it over grilled or roasted vegetables, fish or chicken. Try it on a mezze platter with flatbreads, or you can drizzle it over your favorite grain bowls and salads. You can even use it as a dip for veggies. The options are endless!
Tips for this recipe:
- Medjool dates give the sauce a balanced sweetness. If you don't have a high-speed blender, soak the dates in warm water before using. That will help them to better incorporate into the dressing.
- If you prefer a thinner sauce or dressing, simply blend in a few more splashes of water.
- While you can use any store-bought tahini for this sauce, I prefer brands that are creamy and not too thick. My favorite brands are: Soom, 365 Organic and Brad’s.
- Find a ton of other no-cook sauces in my book, Build-a-Bowl!
FAQs
Green tahini is made from store-bought tahini (ground sesame seeds), fresh herbs, lemon and spinach. This version also includes dates, which give the sauce a subtle sweetness, balancing the other flavors.
Tahini pairs wonderfully with both Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, such as falafel, halloumi, hummus, babaganoush, lamb and fish. It’s also delicious with salads and grain bowls.
You can drizzle tahini dressing over any leafy green or kale salad, or try it over sliced tomatoes or cucumbers. It’s also fabulous on cooked vegetables and on hearty grain salads.
Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds and has a rich, nutty flavor, while tzatziki sauce is a yogurt-based sauce that incorporates cucumbers and herbs.
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Get the recipe!
Green Tahini Sauce / Dressing (Vegan!)
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1-2 lemons)
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 pitted medjool dates, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes (unless you have a high-speed blender), coarsely chopped
- ⅓ cup lightly packed baby spinach leaves
- ⅓ cup lightly packed fresh parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients except for the olive oil in a blender, and season with salt and pepper. Blend on high until smooth. Add the olive oil and blend just until emulsified. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Medjool dates give the sauce a balanced sweetness. If you don't have a high-speed blender, soak the dates in warm water before using. That will help them to better incorporate into the dressing.
- If you prefer a thinner sauce or dressing, simply blend in a few more splashes of water.
- While you can use any store-bought tahini for this sauce, I prefer brands that are creamy and not too thick. My favorite brands are: Soom, 365 Organic and Brad’s.
- Find a ton of other no-cook sauces in my book, Build-a-Bowl!
Did you make this recipe? If so, I'd love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and star review below - it's helpful to me and to others!
Angelique Ramsay says
I made this and the dressing was super thick despite me adding extra liquid. It tasted great but was hard to mix into the salad and I had to dollop rather than drizzle.
Nicki Sizemore says
Hi Angelique! I suspect this was due to the tahini you used (some brands are much thicker than others). In the future you can thin it with water (be generous if needed). So glad you enjoyed the flavor regardless!!
Ari says
Hi, can this sauce be freezed?
Nicki Sizemore says
Hi Ari, you can freeze the sauce, but be sure to stir it well once defrosted as it might affect the texture. I hope you enjoy!