The BEST Tahini Yogurt Sauce (2024)

May 23, 2024February 21, 2023 by Erin

This creamy Tahini Yogurt Sauce will quickly become your new favorite quick & easy go to. Drizzle it over grilled salmon, serve it with lamb kebabs or shawarma, or use it as a yogurt dip for veggies.

A Middle Eastern Yogurt Sauce that comes together in 5-minutes, is super versatile, and can be dressed up with your favorite herbs & spices? Yes, please!

When I came up with this recipe, I literally just started pulling out all my favorite ingredients from my spice drawer and cupboards. I knew that the base would be a mixture of greek yogurt and tahini, that I’d give a bit of a tang with either vinegar or lemon juice.

And then I knew that I wanted to incorporate my favorite spice, cumin, with a bit of heat (coming from some chipotle chili powder), and a pop of color, which came from those pomegranate seeds and a sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley.

What I didn’t realize was how obsessed I would be with it.

It was salty, tangy, creamy, smoky. I instantly wanted it on everything.

That first day, I used it as a dip served with radishes, cucumber and a bit of torn pita bread.

And then I used a bit of restraint.

I set it aside so that I could test it out the next day, drizzled over some grilled salmon. Amazing.

Now I’ve been dreaming up in my head all the ways I want to use this Tahini Yogurt Sauce…

And today, I’m going to show you just how easy this Middle Eastern Yogurt Sauce is to prepare, and how flexible this recipe can be.

Ingredients needed

• Plain Greek Yogurt – I prefer to use whole fat, but you can also use low-fat, non-fat, or even a dairy-free yogurt alternative.
• Tahini Sauce – Tahini is a sesame seed paste that’s nutty and delicious! Look for it near the peanut butter in your grocery store. Or, order it online. This is my favorite brand since it pours so easily.
• Lemon Juice – For a nice tang. You can also use vinegar or lime juice.
• Salt & Pepper

How to make it

• Combine greek yogurt with tahini and lemon juice, stir until smooth.
• Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to add extra richness and flavor.
• Sprinkle on your favorite herbs, seeds, nuts, etc. I’ve got loads of topping ideas below ↓↓↓
• To dress up my Yogurt Dip in these photos, I sprinkled on some toasted cumin seeds, chipotle chili powder, pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh parsley.

Here are some other great topping ideas and mix-ins for your sauce:

Topping ideas

• Sesame Seeds
• Toasted Pine Nuts
• Spices – Coriander, Cayenne, Za’atar, Sumac, Mustard Seeds
• Fresh Herbs – Dill, Mint, Cilantro
• Grated Garlic
• Chickpeas
• Calabrian Chiles
• Harissa
• Grated Cucumber

How to make ahead & store

• This yogurt sauce can be prepared up to three days ahead of time. Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.

Recipe FAQs

How to use it

• Greek Yogurt Dip for Fresh Vegetable Sticks
• Yogurt Sauce for Lamb Chops
• Tossed with Cooked Rice
• Middle Eastern Yoghurt Sauce for Shawarma
• As a Spread on Sandwiches
• Whisk with some Extra Olive Oil and Use as a Salad Dressing
• Combined with Warm Pasta
• As a Sauce for Falafel

More appetizer recipes

•Prosciutto Wrapped Avocado Bites
•Short Rib Crostini with Cambozola Cheese and Cherry Jam
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•Filet Mignon Bites with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

More Middle Eastern-inspired recipes

• Lebanese Cabbage Salad
• Fattoush Salad
• Lebanese Garlic Sauce
• Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh Salad
• Israeli Couscous with Tomatoes

More yogurt recipes

• Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing
• Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake
• Greek Yogurt Onion Dip
• Greek Yogurt Bowls
• Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
• Salted Caramel Yogurt Popsicles
• More → 45+ ways to use Greek yogurt!

More tahini recipes

• Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Tahini
• Roasted Squash Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing
• Farro Salad Recipe with Basil Lemon Tahini
• Grilled Eggplant Baba Ganoush
• Cauliflower Chickpea Salad with Quinoa
• MORE → 35+ Recipes that Use Tahini

Did you try this yogurt tahini sauce?

If you loved this middle eastern yogurt dip, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me onInstagramusing the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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This post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2023 to add new photographs and information. The tahini yogurt sauce recipe remains the same. Enjoy!