Lemon Tahini Pasta

Tahini pasta is rich, creamy and ready in under 15 minutes. Made with simple ingredients, this recipe is the great for weeknight dinners, quick and easy lunches or your weekly meal prep! The tahini pasta sauce is made with pantry staples and is creamy without any dairy.

Be sure to check out all my pasta recipes if you love a quick and flavorful meal, including this pesto tahini pasta or zucchini and mushroom pasta.

Bowl filled with tahini pasta paired with broccoli and peas.

If you’re looking for quick, easy, and nourishing recipes that don’t compromise on flavor, you’re in the right place. After owning my own meal prep business, I know how essential it is for meals to taste amazing, even when time is tight. At Bites of Wellness, you’ll find a collection of simple yet vibrant recipes designed to bring joy and convenience to your kitchen.

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Pasta tahini spotlight

  • Quick and easy
  • 10 Minute Meal
  • Versatile
  • Simple, pantry ingredients
  • Fits most diets including gluten free, dairy free and vegan

Ingredients

  • Tahini – tahini is what makes the sauce thick and creamy without any dairy or cream. It also has a slight nutty flavor that pairs so well with lemon and pasta.
  • Lemon – the vibrant flavor from the lemon helps to elevate the tahini and really makes a delicious pasta dish.
  • Pasta – use whatever your favorite pasta is for this recipe. You could even make it low carb by using spaghetti squash
  • Veggies (optional)
Spoon holding a serving of tahini pasta sauce over jar.

How to make tahini pasta

Chop the veggies

Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to the pasta instructions. Set a timer for 2 minutes less than recommended cooking time.

Make the tahini pasta sauce: Combine the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt in blender until well combined into thick and creamy sauce. Note: if you don’t have a blender, you can just use a fork to blend in a bowl.

Ingredients to make lemon tahini pasta sauce in a small food processor.

Cook the veggies with the pasta: When the timer goes off, add the chopped broccoli to the pot with the pasta. Stir well. Cook 2 minutes. With 30 seconds left, add the frozen peas to the pot. Drain the water.

Add pasta sauce and enjoy: Add the pasta back to the pot. Immediately add the lemon tahini sauce to the pasta and stir well.

Creamy lemon tahini pasta sauce being poured over a bowl of pasta.

Other veggies to add

Chopped broccoli and peas easy to add to the boiling pasta, but you can really use any veggies you have on hand. Some other great options that can be stirred in with the pasta and sauce:

  • Tomatoes (can add raw or sauteed)
  • Zucchini (sauté in a skillet for best texture)
  • Mushrooms (sauté in a skillet for best texture)
  • Kale, finely chopped, will wilt right in
  • Spinach, finely chopped, will wilt right in
  • Sundried Tomatoes
  • Roasted Red Pepper
  • Artichoke Hearts
  • Caramelized onions
  • Cauliflower florets – (steamed or roasted for best texture)

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.

Fork resting in a bowl of broccoli, peas and pasta in tahini pasta sauce.

What if you don’t have tahini?

If you don’t have tahini, you could make this with almond butter, sunbutter or cashew butter.

How to make this recipe more filling

I recommend using a high protein, high fiber pasta like chickpea pasta or lentil pasta. You can also increase the protein by adding:

Note: you will want to make more of the tahini pasta sauce if you plan on adding any of these other protein sources. See recipe card notes.

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
Bowl filled with lemon tahini pasta with a fork in the bowl.

Pasta with Tahini

Pasta tahini is a quick and easy weeknight meal that is packed with flavor and made with simple ingredients. The tahini pasta sauce is rich, creamy and so easy to make. This tahini pasta recipe is creamy without any dairy or cheese and comfort food in a bowl.
4.50 from 2 votes
Print Pin Save Rate
Course: dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pasta tahini, tahini pasta, tahini pasta sauce
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Guided Recipe Video

Ingredients

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. Set a timer for 2 minutes less than the box indicates.
  • While pasta is cooking combine the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt in a blender until smooth. Note: you can make this in a bowl with a fork, a blender is not required.
  • When the timer goes off, add the chopped broccoli to the pot with the pasta. Cook 2 minutes. With 30 seconds left on the timer, add the frozen peas.
  • 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.

Notes

Tips:
  • Stir the tahini well before measuring it out for the recipe, the oil on top should be well combined or the sauce will be dry. 
  • For the best results, I recommend using a small food processor, immersion blender or blender to get the best texture. 
  • The sauce will look thin at first, let it sit for 3-4 minutes and it will start to thicken.
  • 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.
  • Store leftover tahini pasta in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 
  • Tahini based sauces thicken when cold. 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.
If adding more protein or veggies: 
If you are adding beans, chickpeas, or a different protein, you will need to increase the amount of tahini pasta sauce so that everything is well coated. 
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 large lemon, juiced
  • 1.25 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
314
Fat
 
12
g
Carbohydrates
 
43
g
Fiber
 
11
g
Sugar
 
7
g
Protein
 
19
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Amazing, Creamy and Delicious. This pasta dish is absolutely the best I have tried with the goodness of veggies. Simply loved it.

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