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    Home » Recipes » Dips and Sauces

    Garlic Tahina Falafel Sauce

    By Lily・Published: Nov 23, 2020・Updated: Jun 21, 2021・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    If you've ever had falafel, you have probably had this garlic tahini yogurt sauce known as tahina. This is the nutty creamy sauce that's got a little bit of a garlicky lime kick. It's a very versatile sauce that can be eaten on falafel sandwiches or mixed into ful medames.

    pita bread sandwich

    What's The Difference Between Tahini and Tahina?

    Tahini is just plain ground sesame paste. Whereas tahina is a sauce made from tahini, plain yogurt, lime juice, and crushed fresh garlic. Tahina sauce is the tahini yogurt sauce that is added to falafel or ful medames.

    Ingredients You'll Need:

    • Tahini Sesame Paste: Tahini can be store-bought or homemade for this recipe, either will work. Homemade tahini is easy to make using a food processor.
    • Plain Yogurt: I use plain unsweetened yogurt for this recipe. Greek plain yogurt is also suitable. I do not recommend using any type of sweet yogurt for this recipe because this is a savory sauce.
    • Lime Juice: I recommend using fresh lime juice to taste. I normally start with half a lime and then adjust depending on the taste of the sauce.
    • Fresh Garlic: I use fresh garlic for this tahini yogurt sauce. I do not recommend using powder garlic, flaked garlic, or canned garlic if you have fresh garlic available. Mash the garlic with a mortar and pestle or use a garlic press. I don't recommend chopping the garlic with a knife either- it's just not the same.
    • Pinch of Salt and Pepper: Literally a tiny itty bitty pinch.
    • Water: The consistency of the sauce is changed depending on the amount of water added.
    tahini yogurt falafel sauce

    How To Make Tahini Yogurt Sauce (Step-By-Step)

    1. Using a garlic press or mortar and pestle, mash the garlic.
    2. Squeeze the lime over the garlic.
    3. Add the tahini sesame paste and yogurt to the bowl. Mix well until a peanut butter consistency has formed.
    4. Add water until you have reached your desired consistency.
    • garlic tahini yogurt sauce
    • the best tahini yogurt falafel sauce
    • tahini yogurt falafel sauce

    Tips and Tricks

    • Add the right amount of water. I start off by adding equal parts of water and tahini paste. For thinner tahina sauce, double the water. For thicker tahina sauce, keep the ratio equal parts water and equal parts tahini paste.
    • Mash the garlic. Garlic takes on an entirely different flavor chopped or mashed. I recommend either mashing the garlic with a mortar and pestle or using a garlic press.
    • Make ahead. This garlic tahini yogurt sauce can be made several days ahead. Store the tahina sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    What Do You Eat Tahina Sauce With?

    I lather this sauce on Lebanese falafel, Egyptian Ta'amiya (baked and fried), and in every falafel sandwich that I can get my hands on. This nutty garlic sauce is also great with ful medames.

    📋 Recipe

    tahina yogurt falafel sauce

    Garlic Tahina Falafel Sauce

    Author: Lily
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: Middle Eastern
    Prep: 5 minutes mins
    Total: 5 minutes mins
    4.20 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 6
    This garlic tahina falafel sauce is made from tahini, yogurt, garlic, lime, and cumin. 

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    • 4 tablespoon tahini
    • 2 tablespoon yogurt
    • 1 large garlic clove
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice about half a lime
    • 4 tablespoon water to start with
    • pinch salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Using a garlic press or mortar and pestle, mash the garlic.
    • Squeeze the lime over the garlic.
    • Add the tahini sesame paste and yogurt to the same bowl. Mix well until a peanut butter consistency has formed.
    • Add equal parts water (4 tbsp) for a thick falafel sauce. Double the water (total 8 tbsp) if you want a thin falafel sauce.

    Notes

    1. Store the garlic tahini yogurt sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    2. The nutrition facts are for a thick falafel sauce.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2 tablespoon | Calories: 70 kcal | Carbohydrates: 1 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 0 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 13 mg | Fiber: 0 g | Sugar: 0 g

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    About Lily

    Howdy! My name is Lilian, but my friends call me Lily. I'm the founder and one of the recipe authors here at The Matbakh. I enjoy sunsets, long walks to the fridge, meaningful relationships, and anything related to food. I'm so happy you are here!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.20 from 5 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Margaret

      February 15, 2022 at 6:50 pm

      5 stars
      wonderfully authentic. Very easy to prepare. It will be a constant in my fridge from now on for topping many of our meals..

      Reply
      • Lily

        February 15, 2022 at 7:29 pm

        Thank you so much for the comment and so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Farah

      July 14, 2021 at 7:00 pm

      5 stars
      Fabulous with fried tameya

      Reply
      • Lily

        July 14, 2021 at 7:23 pm

        Thanks for the comment!

        Reply

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    lily at the matbakh

    I'm Lily

    I'm an American Lebanese living in Texas. My kitchen, or matbakh, is a hodgepodge of recipes from the U.S. and Mediterranean region.

    ABOUT ME

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