Tahini Yogurt Sauce with Lemon, Quick Dip Recipe

This Tahini Yogurt Sauce with Lemon is a nutrient-rich dip full of toasted sesame flavor that is so easy to make. A mix of nutty tahini, creamy yogurt, zesty lemon juice, fresh garlic, and a touch of olive oil all blended to whipped perfection and ready in 5 minutes. 

A perfect sauce to meal prep and use on different meals or snacks throughout the week. It might just be your new go-to healthy dip!

As a dietitian, I'll take just about any excuse to add plant-protein and healthy fats to a recipe. And this Tahini Yogurt Sauce does just that!

This recipe was inspired by my high protein hummus recipe. I had tahini leftover and wanted a sauce for Mediterranean Bowls or to serve with roasted chickpeas. It also pairs beautifully with Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots and makes a great base for a vegetarian meal.

Jump to:

• Video of How to Make Tahini Yogurt Sauce
• What You’ll Love about This Recipe
• Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
• Instructions for Tahini Yogurt Sauce
• Variations
• Storage
• How to Serve Tahini Yogurt Sauce
• Expert Advice
• Registered Dietitian Tip
• FAQs
• Related
• Pairing
• Looking for Nutrition Education?
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Video of How to Make Tahini Yogurt Sauce

Here's a video of how to make Tahini Yogurt Sauce that I hope is helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe.

What You’ll Love about This Recipe

Easy - Don’t be threatened by homemade dips! This is as simple as throwing a few ingredients in a food processor or blender and whipping them together.

Whole Food Ingredients - Many store-bought sauces and dips contain added ingredients. When you have a couple extra minutes, make homemade dressings and sauces to use throughout the week!

Nutrition - This recipe contains heart healthy fats, plant-protein, and many vitamins and minerals including magnesium and antioxidants that help support brain health. It also contains probiotics for a healthy gut.

Quick - If you have 5 minutes, you have enough time to make this delicious tahini yogurt sauce.

Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

*This Tahini Yogurt Sauce is made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Be sure to check the printable recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient measurements and full recipe.

• Plain Greek Yogurt - I use nonfat greek yogurt because it doesn't have saturated fats, but you can use whole fat or reduced fat. Be sure to use plain yogurt and not sweetened or flavored yogurt for this recipe. You could substitute with Skyr (Icelandic yogurt) or your favorite plant-based yogurt if you prefer.
• Tahini - Tahini is a sesame paste made from toasted and ground sesame seeds, oil, and usually salt. It has a creamy consistency with a nutty, earthy flavor and is used in many Mediterranean recipes. It's a key ingredient for this dipping sauce. When I make a recipe using tahini, I find it's easier to use a squeezable tahini. Mighty Sesame Co. and Seed + Mill both come in a squeeze bottle. Trust me - it's so much easier to get out of the bottle! If you prefer a sweeter flavor, feel free to substitute tahini with peanut butter or almond butter. Sunflower seed butter works for a nut free option.
• Fresh Lemon Juice -  Fresh lemon juice not only brings a tangy flavor to the tahini, but the citric acid in lemon juice also acts as a natural preservative. Plus, it contains vitamin C which is important for your immune health! 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil -  Just a bit of olive oil helps to give this simple sauce a perfect creamy texture. It also adds antioxidants and heart-healthy fats that support brain health and hormone health. You can use avocado oil if you prefer a more mild flavor.
• Garlic - You’ll be using raw garlic so a little bit adds lots of flavor. Garlic is an antimicrobial, which is why I often add it to an immunity booster shot. It also contains antioxidants. If you don't like the taste of garlic, feel free to leave it out. You can also substitute using ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder.
• Ground Cumin - A slightly sweet and nutty spice that is a perfect pairing for the fresh flavors from lemon juice and garlic in this recipe.
• Salt and Black Pepper - a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper is the best way to tie all the flavors together.

Instructions for Tahini Yogurt Sauce

*Below are the instructions for how to make Tahini Yogurt Sauce with some visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe. 

Optional alternative: mince your garlic and add ingredients to a mason jar. Give it a good shake.

Hint: use a squeezable tahini - it's easier to get it out of the jar!

Variations

• Dairy-Free - Replace the Greek yogurt with a dairy-free yogurt. You can find coconut yogurt, cashew yogurt, or almond milk yogurt at most grocery stores.
• Spicy - Make this a spicy dip by adding cayenne pepper, chili powder, or red pepper flakes.
• Fancy - Add flavorful feta cheese and fresh cilantro or parsley on top.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. A mason jar works perfectly. Or grab these single serve dressing containers for on-the-go. Perfect for meal prep. 

How to Serve Tahini Yogurt Sauce

Once you've made a batch of this delicious sauce, you can use it the next day or throughout the week in different ways. Below are some ideas but feel free to get creative.

• On a Salad - Use it as a salad-dressing on a salad made with flavorful tomatoes, kale, red onion, and your other favorite veggies.
• In a Grain Bowl - One of my favorite ways to use tahini yogurt sauce is to add it to a Mediterranean Grain Bowl with quinoa salad, roasted chickpeas, and spinach. 
• On Roasted Vegetables - I really enjoy this sauce with Roasted Carrots and Cauliflower. It goes great with root vegetables like potatoes or turnips or with other cruciferous veggies including broccoli, roasted cabbage steaks, or brussels sprouts.
• Holiday Appetizer - Serve this beautiful dip during the holidays and garnish with juicy pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top. 
• As a Dip with Veggies - Top with lemon zest and fresh herbs in the summer. Fresh mint, fresh dill, or fresh parsley are great options. Make an easy basic crudité platter by cutting up raw vegetables and serving them with this savory dip.
• On a Mezze Platter - Serve it up on a mezze platter with fattoush salad and fresh hummus paired with pita bread or pita chips. 
• In a Sandwich - It’s the perfect addition to a falafel sandwich. Use the yogurt tahini sauce as your dressing. 
• As an Accompaniment - Serve it with meat or your favorite plant-protein.

Expert Advice

• If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a little bit of water to thin it out.
• Use fresh squeezed lemon instead of lemon juice from the bottle for the best flavor.

FAQs

Related

Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

Here are some of my favorite recipes to pair this Yogurt Tahini Dip with:

Looking for Nutrition Education?

Here are some of my educational posts you may enjoy:

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram....I LOVE knowing there’s people out there trying out my recipes! 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian.

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References: Food Network, What is Tahini, Healthline