This tahini pasta recipe is creamy, filling, and comforting. It comes together with 4 common ingredients in 15 minutes. Add pasta with tahini sauce to your dinner rotation this week!
Why you'll love this recipe
This quick and easy one pot pasta is thick and satisfying, perfect for a weeknight meal.
It's a fun way to switch up pasta night!
Vegan tahini pasta is naturally dairy free, egg free, and nut free.
It's incredibly versatile and can easily be altered to be gluten free and fit other dietary needs.
It's elevated comfort food, bursting with flavor from rich tahini and acidic lemon juice.
Equipment
This one pot pasta and sauce recipe is my new go-to meal when I'm craving something warm and cozy.
Buy Calpahlon Nonstick 6 Quart Stockpot with Cover
This pot is great for making pasta. The strainer lid makes draining water effortless and the nonstick coating makes cleanup a breeze.
Ingredients
Creamy lemon tahini pasta uses just a handful of minimal, simple ingredients.
Pasta: Any kind of pasta will work for this recipe, but I prefer penne or spaghetti.
Tahini: Tahini is a rich, creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds. It has a slightly bitter and nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with fresh lemon juice. You can find tahini at many grocery stores or online. Similar to peanut butter or almond butter, it’s a great source of healthy fats, protein, and fiber.
Lemon juice: I suggest using fresh squeezed lemon juice but bottle lemon juice works too. The bright, fresh, zingy flavor from the lemon juicy cuts through the bitterness of the tahini.
Pasta water: Adding reserved pasta water to sauces is my top cooking secret! The starchy cooking water helps distribute the sauce more evenly, helps the pasta absorb the sauce, and helps the sauce thicken up. It also adds more flavor.
Seasoning: A little salt enhances the overall flavors and balances everything out.
How to make lemon tahini pasta
This flavorful, creamy sauce takes less than 30 minutes to make! Perfect for a quick lunch or last minute dinner.
Start by filling a large pot with water and bringing it to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, add the pasta noodles and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.
As the water boils and pasta cooks, stir tahini and lemon juice together in a mixing bowl.
After the pasta is done cooking, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water in a measuring cup or jar. Drain remaining water and return pasta back to pot. Place on the stove over low-medium heat.
Pour the tahini lemon sauce over the cooked pasta and stir together, adding reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Season and serve warm.
Variations
Make this dish your own! Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Gluten free: Use your favorite gluten free pasta!
Make it spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes.
Give it some extra zing: Add some lemon zest.
Try herbed tahini pasta: Add fresh chopped herbs like basil or parsley.
Boost your greens: Stir in kale or spinach with the pasta sauce.
Serving suggestions
Tahini pasta is best served warm or at room temperature. You can enjoy pasta with tahini sauce alone or with a side dish to round out the meal.
Add a protein: Try tofu or falafel for a plant based protein! My husband likes this dish served with a side of grilled chicken.
Stir in a veggie: Broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, bell peppers, caramelized onion, or any frozen vegetable are all delicious options.
How to store leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
How to reheat
Reheat tahini sauce pasta in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel or in a pot on the stove. Alternatively, eat it cold!
Frequently asked questions
Pasta with tahini sauce is ultra-creamy, rich, luxurious, and comforting. It has a bright, fresh, and nutty flavor from the tahini and lemon juice. The starchy pasta water and salt rounds out the flavors for an enjoyable yet surprising lemony bite. You can add nutritional yeast flakes for a slightly cheesy-nutty flavor or crushed red pepper to bring the heat.
Tahini is a versatile pantry staple. The most popular ways to use tahini is to make homemade hummus or salad dressing! You can also dip raw veggies into it, spoon it on toast, spread it on a falafel wrap, make a tahini dressing out of it to drizzle on roasted veggies, or stir it into soup.
Tahini should be stored in a cool, dry place. I like to keep mine in the fridge due to the warm temperatures where I live. However, tahini can be stored in your pantry for up to 6 months.
Yes, simply whisk the sauce ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It’s normal for the sauce to thicken a bit, so add a splash of water and give it a big stir before adding it to the cooked pasta.
Related
Want more easy vegan pasta recipes? Try these next:
Tahini Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz package dry pasta
- ½ cup reserved pasta water more, depending on preference
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional
- 1 teaspoon salt more, depending on preference
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
- Meanwhile, stir the tahini, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt together in a small mixing bowl.
- After the pasta is cooked, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water in a measuring cup or glass. Drain the remaining cooking water and return pasta back to pot. Place on the stove over low-medium heat.
- Pour the tahini lemon sauce over the cooked pasta and gently stir to coat, adding reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time. Continue adding pasta water until your desired consistency is reached.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Tahini pasta is best served warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
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