Learn how to make THE BEST homemade tahini sauce with just 4 ingredients, including tahini, lemon juice, salt and harissa, a North African chili paste, which adds incredible flavor to this easy recipe!
Harissa Tahini Sauce is made in less than 5 minutes and is perfect for topping Charred Cauliflower Bowls or Harissa Broccoli Bowls. It's gluten free, vegan and low calorie, making it a wonderfully healthy choice for topping your favorite buddha bowl!
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What is tahini sauce?
Tahini is a paste made from crushed sesame seeds. It's gluten free, dairy free and free of tree nuts and peanuts, making it a great condiment for any diet. It's a popular base for a variety of sauces because of it's creamy texture and nutty, earthy flavor.
Tahini sauce is made from a combination of ingredients, that start with a base of tahini, traditionally combined with water and lemon juice. In this recipe, we've also added harissa, which is a North African chili paste. The harissa adds a little spice and a lot of flavor to this recipe!
How to make it
Add tahini, lemon juice, water, harissa and salt to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Quick Tip! If the sauce is a little too thick for your taste, add more water, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
Is it healthy?
Tahini sauce is a healthy addition to a balanced diet. Tahini is loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats. The sauce is low in calories and carbs, yet provides a good source of calcium and Vitamin A. It's vegan and gluten free, making it a great sauce for any diet!
One ounce of harissa tahini sauce, which equals two tablespoons, is 74 calories, contains 3 carbs and 2 grams of protein.
How long will it stay good in the refrigerator?
Stored in an airtight container, this tahini sauce recipe will stay good in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
The sauce can also be stored in the freezer for 6-8 months. For easy freezer storage and defrosting, I recommended pouring the sauce into ice cube trays. Once the sauce has frozen, remove the frozen cubes from the ice cube trays and place them in a freezer-safe bag.
To defrost, place a cube of the sauce in a small covered plastic storage container in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to use, place the sauce back into a blender and puree to awaken the flavors of the sauce.
Where can I buy tahini?
Tahini is available at most major grocery stores. You will usually find tahini sold near the nut butters. It can also be purchased on Amazon in bulk or individual containers. Since I make A LOT of tahini sauce for bowls, as well as homemade hummus (which also contains tahini) I like to purchase these large bottles of tahini online.
Where can I buy harissa?
Harissa can also be found at most major grocery stores, usually near the cans of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. It can also be found online. In a blind taste test of three different brands of harissa sauce, this harissa was my favorite.
What is tahini sauce used for?
Tahini sauce is a great topping for a variety of bowls and can also be used as a salad dressing. It adds a creamy texture and so much flavor to any recipe!
It also makes an incredible dipping sauce for roasted, grilled or raw vegetables. I recommend trying it with these healthy recipes!
- Charred Cauliflower Bowl
- Moroccan Chickpea & Carrot Bowl
- Roasted Broccoli Brown Rice Bowls
- Chicken Shawarma Salad
- Harissa Broccoli Bowl
- Grilled Brussels Sprouts
Recipe
Harissa Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp harissa sauce spicy or mild
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth.
Notes
- The nutritional information provided is for one ounce of sauce, which equals two tablespoons.
- While I use spicy harissa sauce to make this recipe, mild harissa sauce can also be used.
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