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Home » Pasta » Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

Published: Mar 19, 2023 by Kelsey· This post may contain affiliate links ·

Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

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This flavorful lemon herb tahini sauce is creamy, flavorful, and takes just five minutes to make. It's perfect to enjoy as a dip, spread, or tossed in your favorite pasta.

A creamy green sauce in a small white bowl.

I was inspired to make this recipe after trying the Cava lemon herb tahini. Level up your next meal at home with this creamy, savory recipe.

This tahini recipe is super versatile and an easy way to spice up your usual recipes. It's perfect to make at the start of the week and great to use in a variety of dishes.

If you enjoyed this recipe, try my Spicy Cashew Dressing next!

Jump to:
  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Substitutions & Additions
  • Step by Step Instructions
  • How to Serve Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce
  • Expert Tips
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Plant-Based Recipes You'll Love
  • Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Incredibly creamy: The avocado and tahini make this sauce super creamy and delicious.
  • Vegan & gluten-free: This recipe doesn't use any animal products or gluten/wheat products making it a great option for a variety of dietary needs and preferences.
  • Fresh flavors: This sauce is made with fresh basil, garlic, avocado, lemon juice and more!
  • Versatile: You can serve this sauce however you like best. My favorite ways to serve it are over pasta or as a dipping sauce for fresh vegetables.

Ingredient Notes

Labeled ingredients including: lemon, tahini, salt and pepper, garlic, olive oil, agave nectar, basil, avocado.

Basil: Be sure you're using fresh basil in this recipe for the best possible flavor and freshness.

Tahini: Using tahini in this sauce makes it extra creamy and gives a bit of a nutty flavor. Make sure you stir the tahini well before measuring it out and adding it to the rest of your ingredients.

Agave nectar: We use agave nectar in this recipe to sweeten the sauce. It's a plant-based swap for honey!

Avocado: If you want an even creamier consistency and nourishing plant based fats, add half an avocado.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

Bowtie pasta covered in a green sauce in a white bowl.

Substitutions & Additions

Make it spicy: You can turn up the heat and make this sauce spicy by adding ½-1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes before blending.

Make it extra creamy: Add an additional half of an avocado to increase the creaminess of your sauce.

Swap out the tahini: The flavor will be different but you can use either cashew butter or soaked almonds instead.

Give it a cheesy flavor: Add 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast before blending to give a plant-based cheese flavor.

Step by Step Instructions

Four images labeled 1-4 including: step 1: ingredients laid out on a white marble counter, step 2: the ingredients in a blender, step 3: the ingredients blender inside a blender, step 4: the blended sauce in small white bowl.

Image 1: Prep all of the ingredients for this recipe. Wash the fresh basil and lemon, peel the garlic, and stir up that tahini.

Image 2: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend the sauce until it becomes smooth and creamy.

Image 3: Adjust as necessary adding extra salt or seasoning to taste. You can also thin out the sauce by adding one tablespoon of water at a time until it has reached the desired consistency.

Image 4: Enjoy this creamy tahini sauce with your favorite sandwich, pasta, salad, or use it as a dip.

Top Tip: This flavorful sauce can be made in advance but might turn brown due to the avocado. Place plastic wrap on the surface of the sauce if making in advance and storing it in the fridge.

How to Serve Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

A piece of celery covered in a green creamy sauce.

There are so many different ways to enjoy this sauce, these are some of my favorite recommendations:

  • Pasta: Toss your favorite pasta in this sauce for the ultimate creamy green pasta sauce.
  • Salad: Thin things out a little by adding an extra tablespoon or two of water to the tahini sauce and enjoy on a fresh salad.
  • Dip: Whether you're dipping fresh veggies, crackers, warm peta or bread slices, this recipe is a great dip to elevate your next happy hour or gathering.
  • Sandwich Spread: Level up your next sandwich by using this sauce as a spread on the inside of your sandwich bread.
A bowl of bowtie pasta covered in a green cream sauce.

Expert Tips

  • Use a blender: Though it might be tempting to mix everything by hand, using a blender will give you the creamiest possible texture. With that being said, you can still mix by hand if you prefer.
  • Use Fresh ingredients: Using fresh ingredients rather than pre-prepped ingredients will make a big different in terms of flavor. For example using fresh garlic rather than jarred and freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than pre-squeezed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is lemon herb tahini made of?

This recipe is made using fresh avocados, creamy tahini, basil, garlic, olive oil, agave nectar, lemon juice, and seasonings.

What is tahini made of?

Tahini is made by grinding up toasted sesame seeds.

What is a good substitute for tahini?

You can use almond butter or cashew butter for an easy replacement for tahini.

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If you loved this recipe or any recipe on my website, please consider leaving a star rating or a comment below. I love hearing your feedback!

A small white bowl filled with creamy green sauce.

Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce

Kelsey Riley
This flavorful sauce is made using creamy avocados, fresh herbs, and more! It's perfect to serve as a pasta sauce or as a dip, spread, or salad dressing.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 381 kcal

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 2 cups basil
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ avocado
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 teaspoon agave nectar

Instructions
 

  • Prep the ingredients by washing the fresh basil, juicing the lemon, and peeling the garlic cloves.
  • Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
  • Serve as a dip, spread, salad dressing, or tossed with your favorite pasta.

Notes

If you want to make the sauce less thick, you can thin it out by adding 1 tablespoon water at a time until you've reached the desired consistency.
This sauce can be stored in the fridge in a covered container for up to four days.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 10.8gProtein: 3.6gFat: 38.5gSodium: 169mgPotassium: 237mgFiber: 3.6gSugar: 4.2gCalcium: 95mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @plantedinthekitchen or tag #plantedinthekitchen!

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About Kelsey

Planted in the Kitchen is a plant based food blog. Here you will find healthy and delicious vegan recipes!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tansley says

    April 13, 2023 at 12:58 pm

    5 stars
    Yummmm!! Loved this, I added a full avocado and lime instead of lemon, but it was delicious. I would possibly add a little less tahini and more citrus next time - but that's just personal taste. Absolutely love your recipes and following you on Instagram! Thank you x

    Reply
    • Kelsey says

      April 14, 2023 at 3:49 pm

      Hi Tansley, great suggestions! I try that the next time I make it and will possibly adjust 🙂 Thanks for following along and for your feedback!!

      Reply
  2. Nancy says

    March 19, 2023 at 9:33 pm

    5 stars
    This looks absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to try it…

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Kelsey!

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On my blog you will find delicious and easy vegan recipes. I'm a registered nurse turned blogger with a passion for plant based food.

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