Roasted Red Pepper Tahini Sauce

posted by Alex Aldeborgh, RD on Jun 29, 2022 0 comments »

This roasted red pepper tahini sauce recipe is quick & easy to make with wholesome ingredients like tahini, garlic, and roasted red peppers. It is thick, creamy, and perfect as a sauce for sandwiches, grain bowls, salads, and falafel.

Jar of roasted red pepper tahini sauce on a coaster with ingredients surrounding the jar

In case you haven’t noticed, we love tahini sauce recipes around here! I have recipes for lemon tahini sauce, goddess tahini dressing, and tahini green goddess sauce. As a Registered Dietitian, I love to use tahini in all sorts of recipes because it is such a nutrient dense food!

This roasted red pepper tahini sauce would be the most delicious tahini sauce for falafel, spread on pita sandwiches, or even used as a salad dressing. It is thick and creamy, and made with just a handful of ingredients.

This tahini dressing is vegan, gluten free, nut free, soy free, and dairy free. It takes just a few minutes to prepare, and is easy enough for beginners to make.

What is tahini?

Tahini, sometimes called “tahina”, is ground sesame seed paste, similar to peanut butter. It’s a staple ingredient in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Northern African cuisines. You’ll find tahini as an ingredient in dishes like hummus, baba ganoush, and halva.

What does tahini taste like?

Tahini on it’s own has an earthy, salty, nutty, and slightly bitter flavor. When mixed with ingredients like lemon juice, garlic, and spices, it makes an incredibly delicious sauce that is smooth and creamy.

Wondering “what to do with tahini”? I’ve got a post with over 20 recipes you can make with tahini!

Roasted red pepper tahini sauce ingredients measured out on a white backdrop

Ingredients in roasted red pepper tahini sauce

Here is everything you need to make this tahini dressing recipe. You probably have most of the ingredients already in your pantry!

Tahini
Jarred roasted red peppers
Garlic
Lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Water

Kitchen tools needed

To make this tahini sauce recipe, you will need a food processor in order to blend everything up.

Roasted red pepper tahini sauce ingredients in a food processor before being blended together

Roasted red pepper tahini sauce in a food processor

How to make roasted red pepper tahini sauce

This sauce is very easy to make! All you need to do is add all the ingredients to a food processor fitted with an S blade. Blend everything up until smooth and creamy, with no lumps remaining.

You can add additional water to thin the sauce out to your desired consistency. I like a thicker sauce for falafel or as a sandwich spread, and a thinner sauce to use as a salad dressing.

Storing tahini sauce

This homemade sauce recipe has no preservatives, so it’s best to use it up within one week. You can store it in the fridge in a jar or airtight container. It might thicken up a bit as it sits in the fridge, so give it a stir before you use it.

How to use tahini sauce

Tahini sauces are super versatile, so you can use this red pepper tahini sauce in a variety of ways! Try it as a dip for falafel, pita chips, or crunchy raw vegetables.

You can also use tahini sauce as a spread on sandwiches or wraps. Use it as a sauce to add flavor to a grain bowl or roasted vegetables. Or, try it as a creamy salad dressing!

Bowl of roasted cauliflower drizzled with roasted red pepper tahini sauce

Tahini nutrition benefits

Tahini is packed with lots of nutrients, and is a super healthy food to include in your diet. A two tablespoon serving of tahini provides:

4.8 grams of plant-based protein
2.6 grams of dietary fiber (9 percent of your daily needs)
0.346 mg thiamine (29 percent of your daily needs)
0.134 mg riboflavin (10 percent of your daily needs)
1.545 mg niacin (10 percent of your daily needs)
9.75 mcg selenium (18 percent of your daily needs)
120.77 mg calcium (9 percent of your daily needs)
2.54 mg iron (14 percent of your daily needs)

While tahini is high in fat, a majority of the fat comes from heart healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Let me know if you love this recipe by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!