Tahini-Yogurt Dip

We’re calling this tahini-yogurt sauce a dip, but maybe it’s a dipping sauce or a spread? We don’t mind what you call it but we do think you should make it. It’s a quick, no-cook recipe that has just a few ingredients. Combine tahini with Greek yogurt, stir in lime juice and just enough ice water to get the consistency you want, add chopped cilantro, and you’re done. A garnish of pomegranate arils, toasted pine nuts, and sesame seeds is lovely, but not essential. This versatile recipe complements all kinds of appetizers, vegetables, and sandwiches—is there anything it can’t do? It’s a back-pocket recipe you’ll be making for last-minute hosting, and you’ll soon know it by heart. But first, try it with our Crispy Squash Fries—it’s their perfect partner.

Key Ingredents for Tahini-Yogurt Dip and Possible Swaps

This simple recipe really comes down to two ingredients:

Tahini: An essential ingredient in hummus, tahini is a ground sesame seed paste. It’s a versatile ingredient and used in many sauces, dressings, and desserts, among other dishes, for its flavor and as a thickener. There is no suitable substitute for tahini in this recipe, it is essential to the dip.

Greek yogurt: Thick and creamy, Greek yogurt is a strained yogurt usually made with cow’s milk. Do not substitute a thinner yogurt, such as regular plain yogurt, as this recipe needs the thick creaminess of Greek yogurt to work.

Fresh lime juice: Do not substitute bottled lime juice, but you can use freshly squeezed lemon juice in a pinch.

Fresh cilantro: This herb brings its unique flavor to the dip. You can’t substitute dried cilantro, which has a very different flavor and texture. Fresh parsley is a possible swap, or you can skip the fresh herbs if you don’t have cilantro.

5 Ways to Use Our Tahini-Yogurt Dip

• Serve it as a protein-packed dipping sauce for fresh vegetables such as bell peppers, celery sticks, fennel, and endive leaves
• Enjoy with squares of pita bread or crackers as a creamy dip
• Use it as the sauce for vegetable fries like the chunky squash wedges we mentioned before or Sweet Potato Fries
• Spread on sandwiches in place of mayo or hummus
• Try it with roasted vegetables like roasted Brussels sprouts or cauliflower