Greek Yogurt Tahini sauce adds a vibrant kick to many different dishes. It brings a burst of flavor to grain bowls, falafel, roasted veggies, grilled seafood, and chicken. Plus, it's a delicious salad dressing and dip for raw veggies.
Creamy, protein-packed Greek yogurt and nutty tahini are uplifted by the bright, unexpected zing of sumac, a deep red spice with a tart, lemon-like punch. A touch of honey unites the rich and sour ingredients.
If you’re short on time and love classic Middle Eastern flavors, this healthy, flavorful sauce is ready to elevate your food in just five minutes.
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Ingredients
- Tahini
- Lemon juice
- Greek yogurt
- Olive oil
- Honey
- Sumac
- Salt
- Garlic
- Cayenne pepper (optional)
- Nutmeg (optional)
Tahini: A smooth, pourable tahini works best for this sauce. If yours (like mine) is in the refrigerator and difficult to get out of the jar, leave it on the counter to warm or put it in the microwave on low power for up to a minute.
🍋Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is always amazing but use store-bought if time is short.
Greek yogurt: Whole-milk, full-fat yogurt has the best taste, but low-fat is fine, too.
Olive oil: Because this is a sauce or dressing, choose extra-virgin olive oil for the fruity flavor.
Sumac: You'll love how this lively, red Middle-Eastern spice brings the sauce to life.
🧄Garlic: If you don't have time or band-width to chop fresh cloves, sub in a frozen garlic like Dorot from Trader Joe's or use (affiliate link) paste from a tube rather than powder.
Cayenne pepper: This is an optional add-in for those who like hot spice.
Nutmeg: Another optional spice, it lends a roundness to the sauce and plays well with the sweet honey.
Other spices to consider: Cumin, coriander, and mint would all be delicious if you want to play around with the flavor profile.
👩🏽🍳How to Make
Wash your hands, lathering with soap and rinsing with running water for 20 seconds, before starting.
Starting with the tahini and liquids, place all the ingredients into a small bowl or jar.
When the sauce is ready, it will be thick and emulsified. Thin as needed with more water.
Taste the sauce and adjust the spicing and salt to your liking.
Use a small whisk, and beat to emulsify the sauce. Add more water, if the mixture is too thick.
Alternatively, place all ingredients in a tall, high-sided container and use a hand-held blender.
You can also use a jar. Put the lid on and shake all the ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Add water as necessary.
❄️Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Serving ideas
Three "D"elcious uses are as a Dip, Dressing, or Drizzle. It's also a decent marinade for chicken, vegetables, pork, or even, lean beef.
- Dip: Put a bowl in the center of an appetizer platter filled with raw veggies like sweet bell pepper strips, cauliflower florets, carrot and celery sticks. Add pita wedges, breadsticks, and long, thin pieces of flatbread.
- Dressing: Tahini dressings are terrific on many salads. Sweet, earthy roasted beets are especially wonderful with the tangy, nutty dressing, or try it in wraps and sandwiches.
- Drizzle: Drip this tasty sauce over skewers of grilled meats or shellfish, fillets of salmon, falafel, and roasted vegetables. It also livens up a grain bowl.
- Marinade: Yogurt and lemon juice, acid ingredients, help this sauce work as a marinade, tenderizing pieces of meat or vegetables.
FAQ
Sometimes, less expensive tahini is bitter because it is made with unhulled sesame seeds. Taste your tahini to ensure it has a smooth flavor.
It takes a long time for the oils in sesame seeds to oxidize so that is probably not the problem, and your sauce is safe to eat even if the flavor is slightly off. If needed, add more honey or yogurt to mellow it out.
It's completely normal for the sauce to thicken as it sits in the refrigerator. Warm it on low power in the microwave and stir. If it's still too thick, add hot water a Tablespoon at a time.💧
If you plan to use it as a dip, a thick consistency is nice. As a drizzle or dressing, you want it thinner and saucier.
Yes! Use a plant-based yogurt or milk instead of Greek yogurt made with milk.
Sure. This is personal preference. A small whisk works fine, but using a handheld blender will make your sauce super silky.
Unless you are making a large amount, a regular blender or food processor is overkill for this recipe.
Believe it or not, you can make tahini at home. Here's my recipe.
However, homemade tahini is not as smooth as store-bought and can be more bitter since hulling sesame seeds is an industrial process that's not easy to replicate at home!
Is This Sauce Healthy?
Compared to store-bought dressings or high-fat sauces with heavy cream, homemade sauce/dressing is a more wholesome choice. Tahini sauce is packed with nutrition and has several health benefits.
Protein: Despite the small serving size, this sauce contributes about two grams of protein to anything you drizzle it on thanks to the combo of Greek yogurt and tahini.
The yogurt also adds a dash of gut goodness in the form of probiotics for a healthy microbiome and better digestion.
Heart-healthy fats: Most of the fats are monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. When made with full-fat Greek yogurt, a small amount is saturated. If heart health or cholesterol levels are concerns, swap in low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
Antioxidants and phytonutrients: Tahini contains sesamin and sesamolin, antioxidant lignans that fight inflammation. Extra virgin olive oil also contributes phenolic antioxidants.
Preservative-free: Of course, a homemade sauce will be free of preservatives, artificial colors, and other additives.
Vitamins and minerals: Tahini is rich in seed nutrition, particularly minerals like calcium, copper, manganese, phosphorous, magnesium, and iron. Yogurt also contributes calcium and, phosphorous, and potassium.
Lemon juice adds vitamin C.
Sumac also has vitamin C and many other health benefits although the amount per serving is tiny.
Other recipes you may enjoy...
Looking for sauces with a nutty flavor? Try this Cilantro Pumpkin Seed Pesto. It has a gloriously fresh taste and plenty of powerful seed and herb nutrition.
Another herbal booster is Pistachio Gremolata, a quick relish of lemon, pistachios and parsley that is terrific on pasta and any variety of meat. Gremolata is traditionally served with Osso Bucco.
Savory Greek Yogurt Sauce is a basic sauce combining the creaminess of thick yogurt with zesty lemon and garlic. Delicious and versatile!
Greek Yogurt Tahini Sauce with Sumac
Equipment
- jar or bowl
- small measuring cup or set of spoons
- whisk
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons tahini,
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, from ½ a large lemon
- 2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 Tablespoons hot water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- dash cayenne (optional)
- smidgen nutmeg (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, large, pressed
Instructions
- Wash hands, lathering with soap and rinsing with running water.
- Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well combined.Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a small jar. Put the lid on and shake until emulsified.If necessary, add more water to loosen the sauce and make it whiskable or shakable.
- Drizzle onto grilled proteins, cooked vegetables, or falafel. You can also serve it as a dip for cut pitas and raw vegetables.
Notes
Nutrition
Copyright © 2025 Jani H. Leuschel
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