This 6-ingredient tahini pasta is creamy and savoury, and comes together in 20 minutes! Perfect on its own or with veggies mixed in for an extra hearty meal.
Tahini pasta is a bit of a genius recipe.
Not only does it take minutes to make, but it's creamy, satisfying and very customizable, making it perfect for meal prep or those busy weeknights where you need an easy dinner.
You may not think of tahini as partnering particularly well with pasta, but surprisingly, it does! The nuttiness adds extra bite, and when mixed with oil, lemon zest and nutritional yeast, it makes a perfectly creamy sauce.
(You might also love my 10-Minute Spinach Pasta or Beet Pasta Sauce.)
Using just a handful of simple ingredients (tahini, lemon zest, olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and basil leaves), this recipe gives you a creamy lemon tahini pasta that's packed full of healthy fats and can be whipped up in no time!
Why tahini in pasta sauce works
Tahini - a paste made from ground sesame seeds - works surprisingly well in pasta sauce! It's:
Lightly tangy - That familiar almost bitter sesame taste gives the sauce body.
Creamy - Offsets the tangy flavour nicely, and makes the sauce comforting.
Nutty - Nutty flavor provides richness and depth.
Smooth - When mixed into a sauce, tahini glides over pasta perfectly, making it silky smooth.
Ingredients
Tahini - Use a good quality smooth, roasted tahini. Make sure you buy a brand of tahini you love the taste of. I don't recommend raw because it can be quite bitter. You also don't want chunky as you'll end up with bits!
Pasta - Use your favourite - gluten-free pasta if needed or lentil/chickpea pasta to increase the protein in this dish.
Garlic - Adds depth of flavour to the sauce. Fresh garlic is best.
Lemon zest - We use zest only (not lemon juice as it makes the sauce sour). It adds a fragrant layer and brightens the sauce.
Nutritional yeast - Adds cheesiness. Rounds the sauce out nicely.
Fresh basil (to decorate) - For fragrance and colour! I don't recommend subbing dried as the flavour is too strong.
How to make tahini pasta
Boil pasta as per package instructions. When al dente, scoop out 1 cup cooking water, before rinsing and draining pasta.
While pasta is cooking, make sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, salt and (if using) chili flakes.
Warm a large skillet or pot on medium heat. Add sauce and about ½ cup reserved pasta water. Cook while stirring constantly until water has been absorbed (about 1-2 minutes).
Stir in about ¼ cup more of the water, and gently cook sauce for another 1-2 minutes until smooth. (If sauce still looks thick, add a little of the the remaining pasta water - otherwise you can discard it.)
Stir pasta and basil leaves into sauce, and divide between bowls. Decorate with extra basil leaves, black pepper or chili flakes, if desired.
Follow my step-by-step of how to make tahini pasta sauce.
Tips
Reserve more pasta water than needed. Using pasta water in sauce is great because it thickens the sauce and gives it a silky texture.
I've suggested reserving 1 cup pasta water, even though you'll likely only need ¾ cup. This is so you can add more to thin your sauce out if needed (especially helpful if your tahini is quite dry).
Keep stirring the sauce while it cooks! This will help it absorb the water and thicken into a smooth, creamy sauce.
What can I add to tahini pasta sauce?
Any of the following are great options to make it heartier:
- Roasted vegetables (try asparagus, red peppers, garlic-roasted broccoli, mushrooms or maple syrup roasted carrots)
- Wilted leafy greens, like spinach
- Sun-dried tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- Marinated, cooked tofu or tempeh
- Vegan cheese
To make this pasta even more filling, try serving it alongside your favourite protein.
Storage
Store any leftover tahini pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
If freezing, store in an airtight container and only freeze the sauce. Although you can technically freeze cooked pasta, I don't recommend it as it loses texture. I suggest cooking it fresh as needed.
FAQs
If your tahini separates, just scoop it into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth again.
Most stores! I find it in my supermarket, bulk or local grocery stores these days. If you're really stuck, try looking in the 'world food' section of your local store.
Tahini is very healthy, containing good fats, antioxidants and some minerals (manganese, vitmain B6 etc.). Learn more about the health benefits of tahini.
Of course! Just make sure you use gluten free pasta.
More vegan pasta recipes
6-Ingredient Creamy Tahini Pasta
Ingredients
- 7 oz your favourite pasta (200g)
- 3 tablespoon tahini
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½-¾ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- basil leaves, to decorate
Instructions
- Boil pasta as per package instructions. When cooked, scoop out 1 cup cooking water, before rinsing and draining.
- While pasta cooks, make sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, salt and (if using) red pepper flakes.
- Warm a large pot or skillet on medium-low heat. Add sauce and ½ cup reserved pasta water. Cook while stirring constantly until water has been absorbed (1-2 minutes).
- Stir in ¼ cup more of pasta water, and cook sauce for another 1-2 minutes until smooth. (If it looks too thick, add a splash of remaining pasta water - otherwise discard it.)
- Stir pasta and basil leaves into sauce, and divide between bowls. Decorate with extra basil leaves and chili flakes, if desired.
Notes
Nutritional information per serving
If you’ve tried this creamy tahini pasta recipe, please leave a comment or tip for others below!
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chelsea
so delicious great job 🙂
Elizabeth
Thank you 🙂