Yogurt Tahini Sauce (3-Minute Recipe)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Jun 13, 2022 (last updated Jun 5, 2026) 
This quick yogurt tahini sauce is made with Greek yogurt, tahini, garlic, and fresh lemon juice. Perfect for chicken, shawarma, lamb, falafel, pita, or veggie platter; it’s like the fluffy Greek yogurt cousin of your favorite hummus dip!
5 star review
“Delicious and everything I hoped it would be! I went a little harder with the lemon juice because I love it. But so, so good!!”
– Cheri
This Tahini Yogurt Sauce is Perfect for Chicken and More
Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite dip! This yogurt tahini sauce is like the fluffy, creamy, Greek yogurt cousin of your favorite hummus (but you don’t even need a blender or food processor to make it!). You can whip this recipe up in one bowl or a mason jar in under 5 minutes, with just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients like Greek yogurt, lemon, and tahini.
It’s perfect for anytime you’re craving a snack or dip for anything from lamb, falafel, chicken, pita and fresh veggies!It’s great to bring to a potluck, brunch party or really anytime you need to feed a crowd, as it can be made ahead and will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3-5 days. In my opinion, with all the flavor that you get from the lemon & garlic, this sauce is pretty addicting exactly as is.
But if you wanted to make it feel extra special feel free to add your favorite toppings, spices or herbs on top to mix it up. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, some fresh chopped flat leaf parsley, a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top would all be great additions! I particularly love paring this yogurt tahini dip with my Greek yogurt chicken, my sheet pan chicken shawarma, and Greek chicken bowls, but really it’s good with just about anything!
Robyn’s Testing Tips for Tahini Yogurt Dip
- Whole plain Greek yogurt: If you want to make this a dairy free and vegan yogurt tahini sauce, simply swap the traditional Greek yogurt for an unsweetened plant-based option of your choice. Just be sure to select a Greek-style plant based yogurt, otherwise the sauce will be too thin. I don’t recommend using low-fat yogurt for this recipe, as the sauce will be too watery.
- Tahini: If you’ve never used it before, tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds and it’s what makes hummus so creamy and delicious! It plays the same role in this recipe, giving the dip a thick and luscious texture (as well as adding some healthy fats and a nutty, earthy flavor). Be sure to give it a good stir, as the oil can separate if it’s been sitting for awhile.
- Garlic: Since we’re using so few ingredients, I recommend fresh garlic for best flavor.
- Lemon juice: Just like in a good homemade hummus, the fresh lemon juice adds a refreshing bright flavor to this yogurt tahini dip.
- Make a spicy yogurt tahini sauce: Stir in ¼ teaspoon (or more!) of cayenne or other hot pepper powder.
Yogurt Tahini Sauce (3-Minute Recipe)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Equipment
Instructions
- In a mason jar or medium-sized bowl, stir together the yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt until smooth.
- Serve immediately or store, refrigerated and covered, for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Optional serving suggestions: extra virgin olive oil, flat leaf parsley, sprinkle of sesame seeds
- For vegan and dairy-free, use an unsweetened plant-based option of your choice in place of the Greek yogurt.
Delicious and everything I hoped it would be! I went a little harder with the lemon juice because I love it. I might cut the salt just a bit next time out too. But so, so good!!
Yay, so glad you enjoyed, Cheri! And I agree, if you up the lemon juice you don’t need as much salt. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
can this be freezed? how long does it last if not?
I made it..like it and love lemon yet the amount was to much for me so added honey to tame and did the EVOO you suggested. Very nice!
So happy to hear you enjoyed! I haven’t tried freezing it, but I image it will work. It may separate upon defrosting, but a good stir should get it together again.
This recipe is absolutely amazing! Thank you so much I did use a full fat Greek yogurt. I’m going to try the nonfat with my next batch. I’m sure it’s not going to be as creamy. But I’m trying to watch my fat intake. But this recipe is definitely a keeper!
Nancy, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one – it really is surprisingly delicious for how easy it is to make! If you can find Fage lowfat Greek yogurt it’s super creamy, and when mixed with the tahini you probably won’t even notice the difference!