Move over, sriracha. We’ve got a new kid in condiment town, and his name is tahini (it kinda sounds like it could be a boy’s name, doesn’t it?).
Tahini is a sesame seed paste that has a similar texture to nut butter, but is more savory than sweet. It is relatively cheap– I can get a pretty large bottle of it for $5.50 at the grocery store (Achva brand), which will last me a few months. It’s one of the main ingredients in hummus and baba ganoush, and is used a lot in Middle Eastern cuisine. And not only does it have amazing flavor, but it’s really good for you too. It’s rich in minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium, and is a good source of protein and unsaturated (healthy) fat.
Tahini is a great condiment on its own, but I love making more complex sauces out of it too. These work great on salads, roasted veggies (like a buddha bowl), sweet potatoes, toast, wraps, and even oatmeal! So ditch the over processed, 30-ingredient Italian dressing and hop on the tahini train by trying some of my favorite homemade, wholesome tahini sauces!
Note: these are all single serving recipes. Just double/triple the ingredients if you want more.
Guahini Sauce
Creamy, spicy deliciousness.
Ingredients:
1/4 or 1/2 avocado
1 tbsp tahini
Squeeze of lemon wedge
Couple drops of vinegar (apple cider, rice, or balsamic)
1 or 2 tbsp of water to thin out as needed (add in a little at a time so you don’t make it too watery)
To make it even fancier, add in some spices like turmeric, cayenne red pepper, cumin, paprika. To make it extra extra fancy, add in some diced tomato and onion to make it even more guac-like.
Method: Mix all ingredients together with a spoon until you reach a smooth consistency.
Kick of Protein Sauce
For when you wanna add more protein and flavor to your dish.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp hummus
1 tbsp tahini
Squeeze of lime/lemon
Squeeze of sriracha
Spices of your liking (turmeric, cayenne red pepper, crushed red chili flakes, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, curry, THE SPICE DRAWER IS YOUR OYSTER!!)
Method: Mix all ingredients together with a spoon until you reach a smooth consistency.
Culturally Confused Sauce
For when you can’t decide if you wanna go Asian or Middle East. Perfect for those going through an identity crisis.
Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 tbsp tahini
1 or 2 tsp of rice vinegar
1 or 2 tbsp of water (careful not to make it too watery)
Optional: 1 tsp of soy sauce/tamari (the gochujang is already pretty salty so be careful with the soy sauce)
Method: Mix all ingredients together with a spoon until you reach a smooth consistency.
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Let me know if you try any of these, and what you think of them!
How do you use tahini?
Are you as obsessed with its flavor and versatility as I am?
Let me know in the comments!