Harissa Tahini Sauce is a vibrant and fiery sauce that comes together in just 5 minutes. It adds a bold punch to roasted veggies and meats or makes a zesty dipping sauce.
This harissa sauce is uniquely tangy and delicious. We love it on our cauliflower steaks, chicken, or as a dipping sauce for French fries and wings. Adjust the heat level and consistency to your liking then enjoy!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Harissa Sauce
- Taste - The combination of harissa, tahini, garlic, and honey is uniquely rich with umami flavors.
- Texture - The sauce is smooth and creamy. You can make it thicker or thinner based on your preference.
- Effort - All you need to do is mix the ingredients then enjoy!
- Time - It takes just a couple minutes to mix everything together.
Key Ingredients
- Harissa - Harissa adds a smoky sweetness.
- Tahini - Tahini has an earthy sesame flavor.
- Lemon juice and zest - Lemon juice and zest adds brightness and acidity.
- Honey - Honey provides a little sweetness.
- Garlic - Garlic is pungent and aromatic.
- Salt - Sea salt or kosher salt enhances the honey's sweetness and adds a touch of salt to the sauce.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Spicy - Add a little chili oil for extra spice.
- Cumin - Cumin adds a warm nuttiness.
- Sweetener - Use date syrup or agave nectar instead of honey and sweeten to your liking.
- Shallot - If you prefer onion over garlic, grate half of a shallot and stir into the sauce.
- Citrus - Use lime or orange zest and juice instead of lemon for a different hint of citrus.
Instructions
- Mix ingredients - Add harissa, tahini, lemon zest and juice, minced garlic, hot water, honey, and kosher salt to a mixing bowl. Then stir until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add hot water one teaspoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
Pro tip - If you want the sauce to be thicker, you can add more harissa and tahini.
Recipe FAQs
Our favorite way to use it is as a sauce for roasted veggies and proteins. But you could also use it in sandwiches and wraps or as a dipping sauce.
The dressing is lightly spicy. If you want to make it spicier, you can add more harissa paste.
Related Recipes
Did You Like This Recipe?
Love this easy harissa sauce? Leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment below!
Sign up for THP's newsletter and keep in touch on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube. If you make this recipe, tag #theheirloompantry so we can see your homemade harissa dressing!
📖 Recipe
Harissa Tahini Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon harissa
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon hot water plus more if desired
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
Instructions
- Harissa Tahini Sauce - Add harissa, tahini, lemon zest and juice, minced garlic, hot water, honey, and kosher salt to a mixing bowl. Stir until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add hot water one teaspoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.2 tablespoon harissa, 2 tablespoon tahini, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon hot water, 1 garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Video
Notes
- Refrigerate leftover harissa tahini dressing in an air-tight container for up to 1 week. Before using it again, mix it until it reaches its original consistency.
Leave a Reply