Tamari Tahini Sauce Recipe: Great For Dipping, Noodles or Salads

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Tamari sauce is commonly used in stir-fries, soups, sauces, and marinades.

It’s also a good flavor enhancer for tofu, sushi, dumplings, noodles (such as ramen), fried rice, and plain rice.

And so is tahini, which is a thick puree of ground sesame seeds that is popular in Middle Eastern cuisine.

You can blend them together to make a tangy and flavorful dipping sauce or salad dressing.

Tamari Tahini Sauce Recipe- Great For Dipping, Noodles or Salads

The mild taste makes it an ideal dip, especially as one of the more popular sauces used as a dip for sushi.

The reason it’s sometimes even better than soy sauce is that it’s less salty and therefore doesn’t overwhelm the fishy flavor.

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Make tamari tahini dipping sauce at home

If you’re looking to incorporate tamari sauce into your recipes, here’s one for a tahini tamari sauce that everyone at the table is sure to enjoy!

Recipe for Tamari Tahini Sauce - Great For Dipping, Noodles or Salads

Tamari tahini sauce

Joost Nusselder
The rich creamy texture of this tahini tamari sauce pairs perfectly with silky noodles or fresh veggies. It's so simple to make and only requires a handful of ingredients.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Sauce
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup sesame tahini
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar (add more if sauce is too thick)
  • 1 clove garlic minced

Instructions
 

Notes

You can add more water and a bit more tamari and rice vinegar if you want a runnier sauce. 
Keyword Tamari
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Cooking tips

  • Feel free to adjust the amount of soy sauce or vinegar based on your preferences. You can also add other herbs, spices, or sauces for a unique twist.
  • Be sure to whisk the sauce well each time you use it, as the tahini can start to clump or separate over time.
  • You can thin it out with more water or keep it a bit thicker for a creamier texture.

Favorite ingredients

It’s important to choose a good, flavorful tamari soy sauce.

The San-J Tamari Soy Sauce is gluten-free and has a pleasant, complex, and umami flavor that works great in this tahini tamari sauce.

My favorite tahini is Kevala Organic Sesame Tahini because it’s organic and smooth. It has a rich, nutty flavor that really complements the tangy soy sauce and garlic in this recipe.

And finally, you can use any rice vinegar you have, but I prefer the Marukan Seasoned Rice Vinegar because it has a great sweet and sour flavor that helps balance out the other rich, savory flavors in this sauce.

Can’t find rice wine vinegar? Use one of these substitutes that you do probably have in your pantry

Substitutes and variations

In place of the tamari soy sauce, you can use soy sauce or coconut aminos. But honestly, the tamari makes this sauce as special as it is.

There are some organic and non-GMO tamari sauces out there. Alternatively, you can use reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce.

If you want to switch things up for this sauce, you can use maple syrup or agave in place of the rice wine vinegar.

And if you have hot chili oil on hand, you can add a dash to give the sauce some heat. You could even blend in a little miso paste for an extra savory kick!

Some people prefer to use peanut butter instead of tahini but I think it changes the taste too much.

How to serve and eat

This sauce goes great with stir fries, noodle dishes, and salads. It’s also a tasty dipping sauce for fresh veggies like cucumber slices or cauliflower florets.

But my favorite way to eat this sauce is with sushi. You can dip your sushi rolls or sashimi in it, or you can use it as a marinade for tofu.

It’s the perfect combination of rich and savory flavors, making it a delicious addition to any meal!

If you want to try it with a salad, try tossing it with some lettuce, fresh greens, and diced bell peppers.

You can also drizzle it over a bowl of brown rice or quinoa for a delicious, quick, and easy meal.

You can even use it as a dipping sauce for fried foods like chicken tenders, kamaboko, or egg rolls!

The possibilities are endless, so get creative and enjoy this delicious tahini tamari sauce.

Simply drizzle it on your favorites and enjoy!

How to store leftovers

To store leftovers, transfer any unused sauce to an airtight container or jar and keep it in the fridge for up to a week.

When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat the sauce over low heat on the stovetop until it’s warm and liquidy again.

You can use it as a salad dressing while cold.

Similar dishes

If you don’t like tahini, you can make a tamari soy sauce dressing instead with EVOO, lemon, and herbs.

There are some tasty Japanese dipping sauces, like ponzu and yuzu, that you may also enjoy. You can use them for stir-fry, dips, and even sushi.

If you want to improve the flavor of seafood and eel, you can try nitsume eel sauce which is also tasty and savory!

Some of my other favorite sauces include yakiniku sauce and the world-famous teriyaki sauce!

Conclusion

Whether you’re looking for a delicious sauce to complement your favorite dishes or something new and exciting to try, this tahini tamari sauce is a flavorful and versatile option that is sure to please.

It is a bit thicker than your average soy-based sauce, thanks to the tahini paste.

So why not give it a try today? Your taste buds will thank you!

Got some tahini left over? Know that in a pinch you can use tahini instead of miso paste

Check out our new cookbook

Bitemybun's family recipes with complete meal planner and recipe guide.

Try it out for free with Kindle Unlimited:

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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.