When I go to my local Syrian pita shop I always ask for extra tahini sauce on my falafel pita pocket. A good creamy and slightly tart tahini sauce brings the flavor of falafel to new levels. The traditional tahini dressing that you will find in many Middle Eastern restaurants is made up of tahini, garlic, lemon and some cumin. To me, it is so good that I can eat it on a spoon with nothing else.
Sweet Tahini Sauce and Dressing with Balsamic and Honey
I have always wanted to make a variation to the traditional tahini sauce and this week I was forced to because I ran out of lemon and ended up using balsamic vinegar instead. I also changed up the cumin for smoked paprika and added honey to give it a sweetness that works magically with any slightly bitter dishes like sautéed beet greens or on a radish and snap pea salad. It is quite versatile and does wonders to sweet potato fries and most any lettuce salad. It is a great way to add protein to a vegetable dish.
This recipe can be made with many different devices from a fork to a food processor. If all you have is a fork then I would recommend using a garlic press for the garlic or at least mincing it very fine. I like to use an immersion blender with a wide mouthed mason jar to blend the ingredients because the immersion blender is super easy to clean and you can store the dressing in the jar. If you are looking for a thicker sauce then add around 1/4 cup of water. If you are wanting salad dressing consistency I would add about 1/2 cup of water, but you can decide how thick you want it as are making it.
This dressing will last at least a week in the refrigerator. If it thickens up too much over time you can stir in a little more water or olive oil to whatever consistency you enjoy. I hope you enjoy the recipe and please rate and review below!
Sweet Tahini Sauce & Dressing with Balsamic and Honey
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/4-1/2 cup water
Instructions
- There are different ways you can puree this sauce. Add all the ingredients, except the water to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Add water to desired consistency. I have also made this with an immersion blender and a wide mouthed mason jar. Add all ingredients, except the water, to the jar and then use the immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add water to desired consistency. Refrigerate for up to a week.
Nutrition
About the Author: Bill Bradley, R.D.
Great base recipe! I was looking for a different sauce for pasta and this was good by itself. (I omitted the honey, as I was looking for a less sweet flavor.) I then sauteed up some onions and mushrooms for a topping, and it hit the taste buds perfectly. Thanks!
You are welcome. I like your additions.
Paired simply with sliced apples, may be one of the best things I’ve eaten all year. Much appreciated.
I haven’t tried it with apples. Brilliant!
This is great. I normally just eat tahini straight up on my salads but wanted to cut down on using so much. I will use this as my new go to, thanks so much!