Lemon Tahini Pasta
This pasta is one of my favorites lately! It’s refreshing and slightly tangy with a lemon tahini sauce, tomatoes and fresh basil.
What do you need to make this Lemon Tahini Pasta?
Pasta. I used gluten free spaghetti, but feel free to use any pasta of your choice!
Tahini. Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds and is a great base for dressings, sauces, etc.
Lemon. Fresh lemon juice gives this sauce a bright, zesty flavor.
Garlic. Garlic is such a staple in my kitchen. I use it in probably every pasta dish and it adds a great flavor to this pasta.
Olive Oil. I find that a bit of olive oil enhances the texture of the sauce.
Nutritional Yeast. Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast that adds a savory, almost “cheesy” flavor to this sauce.
Salt/Pepper.
Tomatoes. I actually used to hate tomatoes but have grown to love them in recent years and add them to so many meals. They add a tangy flavor that pairs well with the nutty tahini sauce.
Basil. Fresh basil is a must in this recipe! I find that dried basil doesn’t have the same effect.
How to make this Lemon Tahini Pasta:
First, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl, setting aside some pasta water to mix into the sauce.
Prepare sauce. You can either use a blender, which is what I did, or you can whisk the ingredients together in a bowl. To a blender or a bowl, add tahini, pasta water, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Blend/mix until combined.
Chop grape or cherry tomatoes and roughly chop fresh basil. Set aside.
Pour 3/4 the tahini sauce into the same bowl with the pasta, along with the chopped tomatoes and basil. Save the remaining sauce in an airtight container to pour over each serving as you eat it because the pasta will thicken in the refrigerator.
Mix everything to combine. I eat this pasta cold, but if you prefer it warm and plan to heat up each serving over the next few days, I would recommend leaving out the tomatoes and basil and not mixing them into the entire dish. Instead, add them to each serving after heating up the pasta so that they are a fresh topping.
Scroll down to get the full recipe for this pasta!
Lemon Tahini Pasta
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 8-12 min
Total Time: 18-22 min
Yield: 6-8 servings
Category: Entree
Ingredients
• 16 oz package of spaghetti or pasta of choice
• 3/4 cup tahini
• 3/4 cup pasta water
• juice of 1 1/2 lemons
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup chopped cherry/grape tomatoes
• garnish: roughly chopped fresh basil
Instructions:
Add 16 oz uncooked pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, chop cherry/grape tomatoes into halves and roughly chop fresh basil. Set aside.
Once pasta is finished cooking, drain and transfer to a large bowl, setting aside some pasta water to add to the sauce.
Add tahini, pasta water, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper to a blender or bowl. I used a blender to combine the sauce ingredients, but you can also whisk them together in a bowl.
Once sauce is combined, pour over the pasta along with the chopped tomatoes and fresh basil. If you are not serving immediately, save about 1/4 of the sauce in a separate container to add to each serving as you eat it, as the pasta will thicken and slightly dry out in the refrigerator.
Mix all ingredients together and serve immediately or place into airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see! Tag me @blake.swanson on TikTok or @blakeswanson on Instagram. Enjoy!
