Lemon Herb Tahini (Cava Copycat)
Make this Cava restaurant copycat Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce at home in 5 minutes using simple ingredients. Use it as salad dressing, as a dipping sauce, or drizzle it over roasted veggies (vegan, gluten-free).
Here are a few more homemade sauce recipes: Hibachi Mustard Sauce, Strawberry BBQ Sauce, Cilantro Garlic Sauce, Basil Walnut Pesto, and Thai Peanut Sauce.
My little kitchen garden keeps giving. Today, I harvested a big bunch of mixed herbs. Cilantro went into a batch of my Green Chutney and Cilantro Chimichurri. I made and froze a batch of pesto using Italian basil, and then the remaining cilantro, basil, and parsley were used to make this delicious sauce.
About Lemon Herb Tahini
Lemon Herb Tahini is a refreshing sauce made using tahini, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and some fresh herbs.
This creamy sauce is popularly served at Cava Grill, a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant chain across the USA.
This Cava copycat lemon and herb tahini is easy to make at home. It comes together in just 5 minutes using a few simple ingredients. It has a creamy texture and earthy and nutty flavor.
This sauce is very versatile and can be used in many ways. It is also an excellent substitute for the classic tahini sauce.
Serve it with freshly made pita bread or veggie sticks, smear it on your summer sandwiches, or use it as a great summer salad dressing. I love to drizzle it over grain bowls and grilled veggies or meat.
Ingredients
Tahini – You can make it home using my easy Tahini Paste or use a store-bought one.
Fresh Herbs – This recipe requires fresh herbs like parsley, basil, and cilantro.
Lemon Juice and Zest add the perfect tanginess to the tahini dip.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Use a good quality EVOO for the best taste. You can replace olive oil with avocado oil.
Others – You will also need fresh garlic, salt, and cold water.
Garlic is my favorite ingredient, which solely adds so much flavor. You can increase the quantity if you like the tahini to be more garlicky.
Cold water is added to adjust the consistency of the dip and make it even creamier.
How To Make Lemon And Herb Tahini
In the bowl of a mini food processor, add the following ingredients
- 1-2 peeled garlic cloves
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (packed, rinsed)
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (packed, rinsed)
- ¼ cup cilantro (packed, rinsed)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
Pulse until roughly chopped. Scrape the sides of the processor a few times while pulsing.
Note – If you like a smoother sauce, use a blender instead of a food processor.
Add 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and ½ cup tahini paste and pulse until well combined.
Now add 2 tablespoon of cold water and blend for a minute or until the sauce becomes creamy.
Add more water if you’d like a thinner sauce.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wash the lemon and pat it dry using paper towels or a kitchen towel. Hold the lemon in one hand and the zester (or a microplane grater) in the other.
Grasp the lemon firmly and place the zester on the lemon skin.
Move the zester downward while applying light pressure to remove just the outer yellow part of the lemon skin. Avoid grating the white pith beneath the skin, as it tastes bitter.
Pro Tips By Neha
If your tahini has become hard after refrigeration, microwave it for a few seconds.
Add a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup to this lemon herb tahini dressing to give it a slightly sweet taste.
You can replace tahini with cashew butter or other nut butters for a change. Seed butters like pumpkin seed butter, sunflower seed butter etc are also an option.
You Might Also Like
Craving more? Subscribe to Whisk Affair to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce Recipe (Cava Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1-2 cloves of garlic (peeled)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (tightly packed, rinsed)
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (tightly packed, rinsed)
- ¼ cup cilantro (tightly packed, rinsed)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest (approx 1 large lemon)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup tahini paste
- 2-4 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a mini food processor, add garlic, parsley, basil, cilantro, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Pulse until roughly chopped. Scrape the sides of the processor a few times while pulsing.
- Note – If you like a smoother sauce, then use a blender in place of a food processor.
- Add olive oil and tahini paste and pulse until well combined.
- Now add 2 tablespoons of cold water and blend for a minute until the sauce becomes creamy.
- Add more water, if you’d like a thinner sauce.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.