Creamy Lemon Tahini Pasta
Tahini pasta is rich, creamy and ready in under 15 minutes. Made with simple ingredients, this lemon tahini pasta is the great for weeknight dinners, healthy simple lunches or your weekly meal prep!
Why you are going to love this recipe
- Quick and easy – tahini pasta sauce is perfect for weeknight meals, as the sauce only takes 2 minutes to make with minimal ingredients. The lemon tahini pasta sauce is bright, creamy and rich, but doesn’t make you feel weighted down.
- Versatile -the tahini pasta sauce is also great on roasted veggies, salad or even on fresh veggies, so make a double batch and save the other half for meals later in the week!
- Simple ingredients – most of the ingredients to make pasta with tahini sauce are kitchen staples you likely have in the fridge and pantry right now.
- Healthy recipe – The creamy tahini pasta sauce is naturally gluten free, dairy free, vegan, Whole30 and keto friendly! Pair it with spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles if you are trying to reduce your pasta intake!
Ingredients
- Tahini – tahini is a great way to make a creamy sauce without dairy. Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds and has a similar consistency as runny almond butter. It can be found in most grocery stores and is often used in hummus. It has a nutty, sesame seed forward flavor that pairs so well with the lemon!
- Water – this helps to thin out the lemon tahini pasta sauce.
- Lemon – fresh lemon juice is best for this recipe, but in a pinch you can use bottled organic lemon juice as well.
- Spices: Garlic Powder, salt – these are easy to add to the lemon tahini sauce and help to give the tahini pasta sauce more flavor. Fresh garlic could overpower this sauce, so I recommend garlic powder
- Chickpea pasta – any kind of gluten free pasta will work for this recipe, but I recommend a chickpea or lentil based pasta to add protein and fiber, especially to vegan or vegetarian dishes.
- Broccoli and frozen peas – these help to add color to the dish and add a serving of veggies, making this a filling meal! You can use whatever veggies you have on hand (see a list below with more options).
How to make lemon tahini pasta
Chop the broccoli into small bite size pieces.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once water is boiling, add the pasta and stir well. Cook the pasta according to the pasta instructions.
While the pasta is cooking, combine the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt in blender until well combined into thick and creamy sauce.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray the skillet with olive oil or avocado oil. Once preheated, add chopped broccoli and frozen peas. Cook for 5-6 minutes stirring occasionally.
Once the pasta is done cooking, drain the water from the pasta.
Add the pasta back to the pot. Immediately add the lemon tahini sauce to the pasta and stir well. This will help keep the pasta from sticking together while you are waiting on the veggies to cook.
Once the broccoli and peas are done cooking, stir them in with the pasta and the creamy lemon tahini sauce. Serve hot.
Top tips
- Be sure to stir the tahini well before using. The oil at the top of the container needs to be well incorporated with the sesame seed paste or the tahini sauce will be dry.
- Make a double batch of the tahini pasta sauce to use later in the week as well. It also pairs well with potatoes, veggies and is great as a spread on sandwiches or wraps.
- I recommend using a small food processor or blender to get the best texture quickly. Tahini tends to get clumpy before getting smooth when blending it with liquids like lemon juice or water.
- Tahini based sauces thicken in the fridge. If you notice that the sauce is too thick right out of the fridge, let it rest on the counter for 5-10 minutes before adding more water.
Other veggies to add to pasta with tahini sauce
Chopped broccoli and peas are fantastic to add to this creamy lemon tahini pasta, but you can really use any veggies you have on hand. Some other great options include:
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Mushrooms
- Kale
- Spinach
- Sundried Tomatoes
- Roasted Red Pepper
- Artichoke Hearts
- Caramelized onions
- Cauliflower florets
Common questions
What is tahini?
Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds. Similar to peanut butter, almond butter or something similar, tahini is a great source of healthy fats, protein and calcium.
Tahini can be found in most grocery stores. Typically you will find it with the other nut butters and peanut butter or in the international or specialty food sections. I recommend Trader Joe’s Organic Tahini, Soom Foods (can be found online and in some specialty stores) or Thrive Market brand of tahini, as these have the best flavor.
How to add more protein
This recipe uses chickpea pasta which is high in protein and fiber. However, you may want to add more protein to your meal by adding:
- Shredded chicken
- 10 Minute Italian chicken chunks
- Grilled shrimp
- Roasted chickpeas
- Salmon bites in the air fryer
How long can leftovers be stored in the fridge?
Leftovers of this lemon tahini pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze the lemon tahini sauce?
Yes! You can make a large batch of the lemon tahini sauce and freeze it for later use. Simply freeze it in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 2 months.
Can you make the sauce ahead of time?
Yes! The lemon tahini pasta sauce will last in the fridge for up to 5 days in a well-sealed container.
Substitutions
- Tahini: If you cannot have sesame seeds or you are out of tahini, you could also use almond butter, cashew butter or even sunflower seed butter in place of tahini.
- Chickpea pasta: You can use whatever pasta you have on hand! This recipe calls for chickpea pasta because it’s higher in protein and fiber. Another great option would be lentil pasta as it’s also packed with protein and fiber!!
- If you are limiting your pasta intake or doing a Whole30 or low carb eating, you could also use spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles or low carb pasta.
- Lemon juice: Lemon juice is the key to this creamy tahini pasta sauce tasting fresh! You could substitute it with fresh lime juice or white wine vinegar but the flavor is best with lemon juice.
- Broccoli and Peas: See the list of other veggies you could add to substitute the broccoli or peas in this recipe.
If you love tahini, you should try
- Basil Tahini Pesto
- Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce
- Zucchini Mushroom Pasta
- Vegan Creamy Asian Spaghetti Squash Noodles
Creamy Lemon Tahini Pasta
$5.76 recipe, $1.44 servingGuided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 8 oz chickpea pasta - $2.99
- 1/4 cup tahini - $0.82
- 1/4 cup water - $0.00
- 1 large lemon juiced - $0.42
- 1 tsp garlic powder - $0.10
- 1/2 tsp sea salt - $0.03
- 1.5 cup broccoli florets, chopped - $1.15
- 1/2 cup frozen peas - $0.25
Instructions
- Chop the broccoli florets into small, bite size pieces.
- Bring the water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to directions on box (about 7 minutes).
- While pasta is cooking combine the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt in a blender until smooth.
- Preheat a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, Spray the skillet with non-stick (optional) and add the broccoli florets and peas to the skillet. Cook well 5-6 minutes.
- When pasta is done cooking, drain the water and add it right back to the pot. Pour the pasta sauce directly over the pasta and stir well.
- Once the broccoli and peas are done cooking (the broccoli looks green and is tender and the peas have defrosted), add them to the pasta and creamy tahini sauce. Stir well.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
- Make the tahini pasta sauce up to 3 days in advance so you have it on hand when you are ready to cook your pasta.
- Be sure to stir the tahini well before using. The oil at the top of the container needs to be well incorporated with the sesame seed paste or the tahini sauce will be dry.
- Store leftover lemon tahini pasta in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Added some nutritional yeast to balance out that lemon and 🤌🏻
Amazing, Creamy and Delicious. This pasta dish is absolutely the best I have tried with the goodness of veggies. Simply loved it.