Chili Lime Tahini Sauce (Printable)

Creamy tahini blended with zesty lime and spicy chili for drizzling over salads, bowls, and grilled dishes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Base

01 - 1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
02 - 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
03 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Seasonings

04 - 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave syrup, adjusted to taste
05 - 1 to 2 teaspoons chili flakes or 1 small fresh chili, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

→ Liquids

08 - 1/4 cup cold water, plus more as needed for thinning

# How To Make It:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the tahini and lime juice until smooth. The mixture may thicken and seize initially; continue whisking until it comes together.
02 - Add the minced garlic, maple syrup or agave, chili flakes or fresh chili, ground cumin, and sea salt. Whisk thoroughly to combine all seasonings into the base.
03 - Gradually whisk in the cold water, adding it slowly until the sauce reaches a creamy, pourable consistency. Add additional water in small increments if a thinner sauce is preferred.
04 - Taste the sauce and adjust salt, sweetness, or heat level as desired. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes exactly ten minutes and tastes like something from a restaurant that charges twenty two dollars for a side plate.
  • The heat and acidity balance themselves beautifully once you find your sweet spot with the chili and lime.
02 -
  • If the tahini seizes into a stubborn clump when you add the lime juice, do not panic, just keep whisking and it will come back together within a minute or two.
  • Refrigerating this sauce for a few hours before serving actually improves the flavor because the garlic and cumin have time to mellow and mingle with everything else.
03 -
  • Stir your tahini well before measuring because oil separation makes a huge difference in how the sauce comes together.
  • Adding a strip of lime zest along with the juice creates an aromatic layer that makes people ask what your secret is.

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