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Classic tahini sauce
For a large bowl
The universal sauce. Over raw vegetables, steamed vegetables, grains, in a sandwich, over a bowl — it connects everything. Tahini brings the roundness of sesame, lemon brings the tension, olive oil rounds the mouth. Three ingredients, a thousand uses. And in a single gesture, it tips toward umami: a touch of white miso or a dash of tamari, a turn of pepper, and the roundness deepens into a savory depth.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp artisanal tahini (stone-ground whole sesame)
- Juice of 1 lemon (≈ 2 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp first-pressed olive oil
- 2 to 4 tbsp spring water to adjust
- 1 pinch of fleur de sel, 1 garlic clove (optional)
- Umami version: 1 tsp white miso (or a dash of tamari) + a turn of the pepper mill
Method
Whisk tahini with lemon juice — the mixture seizes and lightens in color, this is normal. Add olive oil, then water one spoon at a time until the desired consistency. Season with salt. Grate in the garlic if using. Taste, adjust. For the umami version, whisk the white miso (or tamari) into the sauce and finish with a turn of pepper: the sesame gains a broth-like depth, that savory roundness that is umami's signature.
The Strength of Sesame
A pillar of Middle-Eastern cooking, tahini is rich in healthy fats (omega-3 and 6), calcium, protein and fiber. It supports bone health and a healthy digestive system — creamy texture, subtle hazelnut taste. Gomasio and furikake draw on the same seed, simply dry-ground rather than pasted: three ways of bringing sesame into our meals.