Creamy Tahini Pesto Sauce
Creamy tahini pesto is the perfect healthy sauce. This pesto uses tahini instead of pine nuts and is creamy, delicious and so easy to make. Making tahini pesto only takes 5 minutes and is great on pasta, with roasted veggies or over your favorite protein.
Ingredients
- Basil – fresh basil is needed to make the best pesto. This recipe is great in the summer with fresh basil from the garden!
- Tahini – nutty and so creamy, tahini is made from ground sesame seeds and has a very distinct flavor!
- Lemon Juice – helps to balance out the intense flavor from the basil. Gives a brightness to the pesto.
- Garlic Powder – I find that fresh garlic can quickly overwhelm pesto, but if you love it you could use 2-3 cloves finely chopped. I like garlic powder because it adds a savory note without overpowering.
- Salt – intensifies all the flavors.
- Water – use water to thin out the pesto, as tahini can get really thick on it’s own.
Instructions
Step 1: Tear basil leaves from the stems. Add the basil leaves to the food processor and process on high speed until fully broken down.
Step 2: Add everything but the water to the food processor and process on high until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides occasionally.
Step 3: Add water 1-2 tablespoons at a time depending on how thick you want the pesto.
Step 4: Store in the fridge in a well-sealed container for up to 5 days.
What is tahini?
Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds, just like almond butter or peanut butter. It is usually made with roasted sesame seeds and has a nutty, distinct flavor.
How to use pesto
- Serve over pasta, zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash
- As a sauce for pizza
- As a spread on sandwiches or wraps
- Drizzled over roasted veggies
- Over baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes
- Drizzled over shredded chicken, air fryer salmon or used in tuna salad instead of mayo.
- As a dip for raw veggies
Make this into Creamy Pesto Dressing
Create a delicious creamy pesto dressing simply by adding
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1/2 lemon juiced
Storage Options
How long does homemade pesto last in the fridge?
Tahini pesto can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Basil tends to lose it’s color and can start to turn black with exposure to air. Keeping it in an air-tight container will help with this.
Best practices for freezing pesto sauce
Yes! You can freeze tahini pesto for later use.
One of the best ways to freeze pesto is to pour it into ice cube molds. Freeze until solid and then store the cubes in an freezer safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
If you love this recipe, you should try
- Pea Pesto
- Artichoke Pesto
- Lemon Tahini Pasta Sauce
- Sunflower Seed Pesto
- Pesto Crusted Salmon
- Pesto Tuna Pasta
Creamy Tahini Pesto
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 large lemons, juiced
- 2.5 oz basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Remove the basil leaves from the stems. Add the basil to the food processor.2.5 oz basil
- Process on high for 30 seconds to break down the basil leaves.
- Add the rest of the ingredients (except the water) to the food processor and process on high for 1 minute, scraping down the sides as needed.1/3 cup tahini, 2 large lemons, juiced, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/3 cup water
- Add 1/4 – 1/3 cup of water to the pesto depending on how thick you want the end product.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
