Easy Falafel Sauce Recipes for falafel, salads, burgers, roasted veggies, sandwiches, and bowls! Quick, healthy, vegan, and dairy-free. Take your falafel to the next level with this 4-ingredient lemon-tahini Falafel Sauce.
It's versatile, and takes just 10 minutes to make. Drizzle it on a falafel salad, a falafel sandwich, or make a Falafel Bowl. Pair this easy lemon tahini dressing with my Vegan Air Fryer Falafel, and this Easy 10-Minute Tomato Cucumber Salad for a complete and delicious meal.
Additionally, you can make one of these other four falafel sauces below to change things up:
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Tahini has a nutty flavor and a creamy texture. It is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It's rich in healthy fats, protein, and fiber, as well as calcium, and iron. When mixed with garlic, and lemon, it makes the most delicious falafel sauce.
- Lemon juice adds a bright and tangy flavor. It's natural acidity cuts through the richness of tahini, and extends the shelf life of this lemon tahini falafel sauce. The juice also helps to thin out the consistency of the sauce. The citrusy aroma is another benefit from using fresh lemon.
- Garlic adds depth of flavor and a kick to this falafel sauce recipe. Plus, it has numerous potential health benefits, such as reducing immune system support.
- Ground cumin adds an earthy flavor and smoky notes to this lemon tahini dressing. It is also believed to have potential digestive benefits.
- Ice water is used to thin out the sauce.
See recipe card for quantities.
🍋 Substitutions
- Tahini - use cashew, coconut, or soy yogurt instead as desired
- Lemon - use apple cider vinegar instead if you have no lemon
- Spicy - add sriracha for a spicy lemon-tahini falafel sauce
- Miso - mix 2 teaspoons miso in 1 tablespoon water and add this to the sauce for more umami flavors
- Herbs - whisk ¼ cup chopped fresh, leafy herbs (parsley, cilantro, dill, basil) into the falafel sauce to brighten the flavor and add some greens
Visit my Vegan Condiment Recipes page for more easy dairy-free sauces.
📖 Instructions
Step 1. Transfer the lemon juice to a medium bowl. Press the garlic into the bowl using a garlic press, or mince and add. Whisk to combine.
Step 2. Add cumin, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Step 5. Add the tahini and whisk the mixture until fully incorporated.
Step 4. Add 2 tablespoons ice water at a time and whisk the falafel sauce until smooth. The mixture may seize but it will eventually become creamy and smooth. Use up to 6 to 8 tablespoons water, or the amount needed for the desired texture.
💡 Expert Tips
- For doubling the recipe, I recommend using a food processor or blender instead. Add all the ingredients (minus the water) to the canister of a food processor or blender and pulse or blend until fully incorporated. Then gradually add the water through the drizzle basin or feed tube until the desired consistency. You can also easily add fresh herbs using this method for a blended herby falafel sauce.
- The mixture may seize when whisking, but don't panic. It will eventually become creamy and smooth as you keep whisking and adding water as needed.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Lemon Tahini Sauce: A classic sauce made from tahini (ground sesame seeds), lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and water. It has a nutty flavor and creamy texture that pairs well with the crispy falafel.
Falafel is typically served in a pita sandwich along with hummus, tahini sauce, tzatziki, tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickled veggies. They are also often served as part of a mezze platter.
Peanut butter and tahini are both a good source of heart healthy fats. Peanut butter has slightly more protein. Both are naturally gluten-free.
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽🍳 Made This Recipe?
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Falafel Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about one-half large lemon)
- 3 large cloves garlic
- Pinch of ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ cup tahini
- ½ cup ice water
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Instructions
- Whisk lemon and garlic: Transfer the lemon juice to a medium bowl. Press the garlic into the bowl using a garlic press, or mince and add. Whisk to combine.
- Add cumin, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add the tahini and whisk the mixture until fully incorporated.
- Add water: Add 2 tablespoons ice water at a time and whisk until smooth. The mixture may seize but it will eventually become creamy and smooth. Use up to 6 to 8 tablespoons water, or the amount needed for the desired texture.
Notes
-
- For doubling the recipe, I recommend using a food processor or blender instead. Add all the ingredients (minus the water) to the canister of a food processor or blender and pulse until fully incorporated. Then gradually add the water through the drizzle basin or feed tube until the desired consistency. You can also easily add fresh herbs using this method for a blended herby falafel sauce.
- The mixture may seize when whisking, but don't panic. It will eventually become creamy and smooth as you keep whisking and adding water as needed.
- Storage: Refrigerate any remaining sauce in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate. Nutritional values may vary depending on factors such as product types and brands used.
Teresa says
My husband wanted to drink the whole container. I said NO! Thank you for such a great sauce. We had it with your Black Bean and Quinoa burgers -- was *perfect*!!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Awww so glad he enjoyed this sauce! Thank you for commenting.
Kim says
This sauce is delicious. The version in your video with the eggplant ragu looks like it had seeds of some type?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi, Yes, that one has whole grain mustard mixed in. Glad you enjoyed it.
Julie says
For the sauce you used in your vegan eggplant ragu video, you noted above that you added whole grain mustard. That version of this sauce isn't listed above. How much whole grain mustard do you add for this recipe? Is that the only change you make to this recipe when adding whole grain mustard? Thanks!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes add whole grain mustard to taste. You might want to add a little maple or date syrup.
Teresa says
Wowzaa!! This dressing is not only powerfully pleasing to the palate but it was super easy to make! Thank you for all that you do, I appreciate your knowledge and your gift of sharing.💖🌷
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you too for being here on this journey with me! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Jam says
this is the best tahini lemon garlic sauce i have tried. I tried other recipes and it was coming out not tasting right and I was so confused why everyone likes it. But this recipe and instructions made a good tasting sauce!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Awww makes my week to read this! Thank you so much. Glad it worked out.