Emulsifier Free Classic Tahini Sauce
Creamy, tangy, and deeply nutty, this tahini sauce comes together in minutes with nothing but a bowl and a whisk. Store-bought versions often sneak in stabilizers and additives to hold their texture, but this one achieves that silky, pourable consistency the old-fashioned way — through the natural oils in good tahini and a little elbow grease. The trick is adding ice water gradually while whisking hard, which causes the sauce to loosen and lighten into something almost fluffy. Fresh lemon juice brightens the whole thing, while a pinch of cumin adds just enough warmth to keep it interesting. Every single ingredient is whole and recognizable, so you know exactly what you're eating. Drizzle it over roasted vegetables, use it as a dip, or thin it out a little more for a salad dressing — it's endlessly versatile and completely clean.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- ½ cup tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 3–5 tbsp ice water, plus more as needed
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cumin until the mixture seizes into a thick, pale paste.
- 2
Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition, until the sauce loosens to a smooth, pourable consistency that falls off the whisk in a slow, steady ribbon. Start with 3 tablespoons and add more for a thinner sauce.
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