Green tahini: what happens when tahini gets herbaceous.
Think classic Middle Eastern tahini sauce - sesame paste, garlic, lemon, and salt - plus lots of fresh green herbs.
It’s an open invitation for herbs to join the tahini party: parsley, cilantro, mint, basil, dill, spinach, scallions, and more.
Classic tahini gets brighter, zestier, turns green, and becomes deliciously herbaceous.
Easily whip up this vibrant, versatile green tahini in under 10 minutes - enjoy it as a creamy dip or drizzle it over roasted veggie, grains, meats, and more.
What is Tahini?
Tahini is a paste made from toasted or raw ground sesame seeds.
Think of it as peanut butter – but made from sesame seeds instead.
Tahini has a creamy texture and a rich, slightly nutty flavor, making it a foundational ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine (and an essential part of hummus).
Tahini is typically made from hulled white sesame seeds, though it can also be made from black sesame seeds - like the black tahini I use in my Black Hummus.
My Green Tahini Dinner Party Hosting World
I love hosting and welcoming guests with a rainbow of dips.
For the green, I use this dip. See below. Different dinner parties and different herb combinations - same idea: it’s all green tahini.
I’ll serve it as an appetizer dip with pita and crudités and then use it again with my roasted purple cauliflower, smearing a big swoosh under it cause the vibrant green-purple color contrast is stunning, especially on a black plate. One dip, one dinner party, served two very different ways.
Green Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini
- ¾ cup fresh greens herbs parsley, cilantro, mint, basil, dill, spinach, scallions, or a mix
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt more to taste
- ¼ - ½ cup ice cold water
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor, blend together the tahini, herbs, lemon garlic and salt until smooth. Slowly stream in the water, until desired consistency is reached. Add additional salt to taste.
Notes
Colorful Middle Eastern Dips
I love hosting and welcoming guests with a rainbow of dips. Consider this your hummus playground – here are some variations to get your vibrant hummus game on.
- Tahini Sauce – the classic, core to hummus and the base of this green tahini.
- Beet Hummus – a vibrant, earthy roasted beet hummus that’s marvelously magenta.
- Carrot Hummus – a bright carrot hummus that works wonderfully with every color of the carrot rainbow.
- Black Hummus – a dramatic hummus made with black tahini for a richer, nuttier, more intense flavor.
- Butternut Squash Hummus – roasted squash adds a seasonal sweet-and-savory twist to classic hummus.
- Loaded Hummus – a playful riff on the classic American 7-layer dip… hummus style.
- Hummus with Spiced Lamb – a popular Middle Eastern dish that turns hummus into a hearty appetizer or full meal.
- Hummus with Tahini – the classic Middle Eastern hummus made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic.
- Whipped Feta – for a creamy, tangy, party perfect Mediterranean dip.
- Muhammara – a sweet, sour, smoky, spicy roasted red pepper and walnut dip.
- Labneh – a thick, creamy Middle Eastern 2-ingredient yogurt cheese.
If ya tried it, I'd love to hear – leave a comment below and tag me on IG, @danielagerson, so I can see too!
There's a whole lot more seasonal recipes and colorful produce guides waiting for ya on the site.
Let's make waves in the kitchen.
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