Garlic Tahini Sauce
Whisk tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, and cold water until the mixture breaks and then emulsifies into a pale, creamy sauce. This sauce relies on the contrast between the bitterness of toasted sesame and the sharp bite of raw garlic, smoothed out by the acid of fresh lemon.
Watch the texture transition
Tahini will seize into a thick, gloppy paste when you add the lemon juice. Do not worry; continue adding cold water in a thin stream until it turns back into a smooth, pourable liquid.
- small mixing bowl
- whisk
- garlic press or microplane
What goes in.
- 1/2 cuptahini paste, well-stirred
- 1/4 cupfresh lemon juice
- 2 clovesgarlic, finely grated
- 1/4 cupice-cold water, plus more as needed
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
Mastering the seize
The tahini will thicken aggressively once you hit it with acid. Slowly incorporate the ice water to force the fat to emulsify, resulting in a glossy, light-colored finish.
The method.
Combine base ingredients
Add the tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, and salt to the bowl. Whisk vigorously until the mixture becomes stiff and clumpy.
Incorporate water
Pour in the ice-cold water one tablespoon at a time. Whisk steadily until the lumps disappear and the sauce thins to the consistency of heavy cream.
Adjust consistency
If the sauce is too thick to drizzle, add more water, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your preferred flow.
Other turns to take.
Herb-Forward
Fold in two tablespoons of finely minced flat-leaf parsley or fresh dill for a brighter finish.
Spicy
Whisk in a half-teaspoon of harissa or a pinch of cayenne pepper with the garlic.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always stir your jar of tahini thoroughly before measuring, as the solids settle and the oil floats to the top.
Use ice-cold water to help the sauce emulsify faster and achieve a lighter, more whipped texture.
Let the sauce sit for 15 minutes before serving so the raw garlic flavor can mellow into the fat of the sesame paste.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my sauce turn into a hard ball?
The lemon juice causes the proteins in the tahini to tighten. This is normal. Just keep whisking and adding cold water until it loosens.
How long will this stay good?
It will hold its texture in the refrigerator for up to three days in an airtight container.
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