One of my not-so-secret weapons for simplified meal prep is this: make a big batch of sauce or dressing on Sunday and use it all week long (because sauce is LIFE, imo). This tahini sauce takes less than five minutes to blend up and is super versatile.
Use it as a dressing for salads or bowls, a crema for tacos, or simply drizzle over roasted veggies for a side dish. If you’re indecisive like I am, just make the tahini sauce base without the flavor add-ins (the chipotle sauce or the parsley) and stir them in the night-of, depending on what you’re making.
Tahini! What is it?
Tahini is a condiment made from ground sesame seeds (also known as sesame butter because of it’s rich and silky texture). It’s super nutrient-dense (hello, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, selenium…I could go on) and delicious in and on all the things.
What does it taste like?
Though all tahini will taste somewhat similar, the flavor profile will depend on the type of sesame seeds used and whether or not the seeds were roasted before being ground. It can range from slightly bitter to slightly sweet depending.
There are a ton of brands out there, but generally, I prefer lightly roasted and salted (as opposed to raw) because: flavor. My absolute favorite brand for taste and quality is Seed + Mill (#YAS to women-owned businesses), but I also like Whole Food Market’s 365 brand tahini and Trader Joe’s tahini (both organic!) for easy-to-find, affordable options.
For Amazon shoppers, I like this brand.
Where can I find it?
You can find our favorite brand, Seed + Mill, right here and our favorite brand sold on Amazon here.
At the grocery store, tt’s usually with the nut butter or in the international aisle (look for the Middle Eastern section). In large grocery stores, it can sometimes be found in the natural food aisle with the natural nut and seed butter.
Recipes for the Tahini Sauce
Use the chipotle tahini crema on these roasted squash tacos and the green tahini sauce on these za’atar roasted chicken and eggplant bowls. Enjoy!
Chipotle Power
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are intense; a little goes a long way. Which means we always have extra. To save unused chipotle peppers, simply blend the whole can (sauce and all) and portion out teaspoon or tablespoon-sized dollops of the puree onto a piece of parchment or wax paper. Freeze the dollops and, once frozen, store in a ziplock bag in the freezer. Thaw when ready to use.
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Tahini sauce, two ways: chipotle creme and green tahini. Easy meal prep sauce you can make ahead. Vegan, paleo, and gluten-free.
Ingredients
Chipotle Tahini Crema
- 1/2 cup tahini paste
- 1/4 cup warm water
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- salt and pepper
- 1–2 tablespoons chipotle adobe sauce, depending on heat preference
Green Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup tahini paste
- 1/4 cup warm water
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup parsley leaves
Instructions
- Choose your tahini sauce flavor!
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Add the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic cloves, salt and pepper, and either the chipotle adobo sauce OR the parsley leaves to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy (you may need to add a bit more water to thin it out).
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Remove and store in a small jar in the fridge.
Notes
Ready to use the sauce? Try the chipotle tahini crema on these roasted squash tacos and the green tahini sauce on these za’atar roasted chicken and eggplant bowls. Enjoy!
Keywords: tahini sauce, green tahini sauce, dairy-free tahini sauce
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Roasted Squash Tacos with Chipotle Tahini Crema says
[…] the Sunday night strategy: make the zucchini or roasted squash filling, cabbage slaw, and chipotle tahini crema and prep the garnishes ahead of time. Then, whenever you’re ready, heat up the tortillas and […]