This creamy Tahini Yogurt Sauce will quickly become your new favorite quick & easy go to. Drizzle it over grilled salmon, serve it with lamb kebabs or shawarma, or use it as a yogurt dip for veggies.
A Middle Eastern Yogurt Sauce that comes together in 5-minutes, is super versatile, and can be dressed up with your favorite herbs & spices? Yes, please!
What is Tahini Yogurt Sauce?
When I came up with this recipe, I literally just started pulling out all my favorite ingredients from my spice drawer and cupboards. I knew that the base would be a mixture of greek yogurt and tahini, that I’d give a bit of a tang with either vinegar or lemon juice.
And then I knew that I wanted to incorporate my favorite spice, cumin, with a bit of heat (coming from some chipotle chili powder), and a pop of color, which came from those pomegranate seeds and a sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley.
What I didn’t realize was how obsessed I would be with it.
It was salty, tangy, creamy, smoky. I instantly wanted it on everything.
That first day, I used it as a dip served with radishes, cucumber and a bit of torn pita bread.
And then I used a bit of restraint.
I set it aside so that I could test it out the next day, drizzled over some grilled salmon. Amazing.
Now I’ve been dreaming up in my head all the ways I want to use this Tahini Yogurt Sauce…
And today, I’m going to show you just how easy this Middle Eastern Yogurt Sauce is to prepare, and how flexible this recipe can be.
🛒 Ingredients Needed
- Plain Greek Yogurt – I prefer to use whole fat, but you can also use low-fat, non-fat, or even a dairy-free yogurt alternative.
- Tahini Sauce – Tahini is a sesame seed paste that’s nutty and delicious! Look for it near the peanut butter in your grocery store. Or, order it online. This is my favorite brand since it pours so easily.
- Lemon Juice – For a nice tang. You can also use vinegar or lime juice.
- Salt & Pepper
📋 How to Make It
- Combine greek yogurt with tahini and lemon juice, stir until smooth.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to add extra richness and flavor.
- Sprinkle on your favorite herbs, seeds, nuts, etc. I’ve got loads of topping ideas below ↓↓↓
- To dress up my Yogurt Dip in these photos, I sprinkled on some toasted cumin seeds, chipotle chili powder, pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh parsley.
Here are some other great topping ideas and mix-ins for your sauce:
🥣 Topping Ideas
- Sesame Seeds
- Toasted Pine Nuts
- Spices – Coriander, Cayenne, Za’atar, Sumac, Mustard Seeds
- Fresh Herbs – Dill, Mint, Cilantro
- Grated Garlic
- Chickpeas
- Calabrian Chiles
- Harissa
- Grated Cucumber
🕕 How to Make Ahead and Store
- This yogurt sauce can be prepared up to three days ahead of time. Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.
ℹ️ Recipe FAQs
Tahini sauce is a creamy sauce, similar to peanut butter, that is made with ground sesame seeds. Tzatziki sauces is a creamy, yogurt-based cucumber sauce.
Tahini is rich, nutty, and creamy. It’s most similar to peanut butter in flavor, but the flavor is lighter.
This homemade tahini sauce will last for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Tahini sauce should be stored in a cool, dry location, like a pantry or cupboard. It can also be stored in the fridge, but the consistency will become thicker.
✔️ Ways to Use It
- Greek Yogurt Dip for Fresh Vegetables
- Yogurt Sauce for Lamb Chops
- Tossed with Cooked Rice
- Middle Eastern Yoghurt Sauce for Shawarma
- As a Spread on Sandwiches
- Whisk with some Extra Olive Oil and Use as a Salad Dressing
- Combined with Warm Pasta
- As a Sauce for Falafel
🍢 More Appetizer Recipes
• Prosciutto Wrapped Avocado Bites
• Short Rib Crostini with Cambozola Cheese and Cherry Jam
• Prosciutto, Brie & Honey Crostini
• Fennel & Salami Bites
• Filet Mignon Bites with Creamy Horseradish Sauce
Did you try this yogurt tahini sauce?
If you loved this middle eastern yogurt sauce I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
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Tahini Yogurt Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt
- 3 Tablespoons Tahini
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Salt and Pepper (to taste)
To Garnish:
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon pomegranate seeds
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Combine yogurt, tahini and lemon juice in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with olive oil and top with pomegranate seeds, fresh parsley, cumin seeds and chili powder. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2023 to add new photographs and information. The tahini yogurt sauce recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
Wow, this looks so yummy! I never thought of combining yogurt and tahini. I’m definitely going to try this!
I’ve been obsessed with tahini lately, and I love this super-easy recipe for yogurt tahini sauce. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’ll help me eat more veggies as snacks, which is one goal I have in the new year.
Love a flavorful 5-minute sauce like this! Especially when it’s so versatile and can go with so many different foods.
This looks really tasty and easy to whip up! I’m putting this all the grocery list to pair with pita chips.
Yay! Hope you love it. It’s one of my favorites!
This was so simple to put together, that I really didn’t expect much. I was wrong! It was delicious, to the point that I had to force myself to stop eating it. I may have used more lemon than called for, but we love lemon. My tahini had been in the fridge for a while, so I zapped it in the microwave for 30 seconds to make it easier to blend. For toppings, I used olive oil (highly recommended), lemon zest, chopped chives and Aleppo pepper. Served with home made pita chips and cucumber spears, it was the perfect Friday night appetizer. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so happy it was a hit Vivian!!! I need to make this again soon too!