Tahini Stir Fry Sauce
This 4 ingredient tahini stir fry sauce is creamy and spicy with plenty of savory flavors. It’s delicious on top of your favorite vegetables and protein!
I’m focusing on getting more protein and less carbs in my diet. I absolutely love bread, chips, crackers, etc. but they don’t fill me up the way protein and fiber do. So I’ve started cooking more proteins at night, such as tempeh, tofu, beans, etc. The other night, I wanted to do a stir fry, but I wanted a sauce more substantial than soy sauce, so I whipped up something lightly based on my peanut sauce recipe.
What is Tahini?
If you’re not familiar with tahini, it’s a creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds. It’s frequently used in hummus but it makes a great replacement for nut-based spreads like peanut butter. You can usually find it in the grocery store near the peanut butter or by the condiments. You can also order Tahini on Amazon!
Is Tahini Healthy?
Tahini is made from sesame seeds, so it’s high in fat, but it’s a good kind of fat! It’s also full of vitamins and minerals, so it has a lot of nutrients. You may also be wondering, “Is tahini vegan?” It is! Since it’s made with nothing but sesame seeds, it’s vegan. However, some people are allergic to sesame, so be aware that tahini can be an allergen for some.
How to Stir Tahini
Tahini may separate, with the oil floating at the top. It can be messy to try to stir the oil back into the tahini paste. The best way to incorporate it is to stir the tahini jar upside down in the pantry overnight. This helps the oil travel to the bottom of the jar, making it easier to stir. For the least messy option, look for a squeeze bottle of tahini!
Tahini Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients
- Tahini– Obviously, you need tahini to make this sauce. Tahini is made from sesame seeds, so it adds healthy fat to the sauce without oil.
- Soy sauce– This adds a salty, umami flavor to the sauce. It’s perfect for a stir fry!
- Maple syrup– This adds a hint of sweetness to balance out the salty flavor of the soy sauce.
- Red pepper flakes– These add a little heat to the sauce. You can skip them if you don’t want a spicy flavor.
- Black pepper- A pinch of black pepper adds complexity to the sauce.
Substitution Ideas
If you don’t have tahini, try using peanut butter! You can make this easy 5 ingredient peanut sauce with similar ingredients. To make this recipe gluten-free, use liquid aminos or gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce. (Most soy sauce contains gluten.) If you don’t have maple syrup, you can use honey instead.
How to Make Tahini Stir Fry Sauce
This recipe couldn’t be easier! All you have to do is combine the tahini, soy sauce, maple syrup, and red pepper flakes. You can make this in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Ways to Use Tahini Stir Fry Sauce
If you’re looking for ways to use this tahini stir fry sauce, try it with mixed vegetables and tempeh! Or you can substitute your favorite protein for the tempeh. This is delicious with any combination of vegetables but broccoli, carrots, and red pepper is my favorite mix!
PrintTahini Stir Fry Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1/4 cup sauce 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
This 4 ingredient tahini stir fry sauce is creamy and spicy with plenty of savory flavors. It’s delicious on top of your favorite vegetables and protein!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce (or liquid aminos)
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Dash of black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together the tahini, soy sauce, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
- Add to your favorite combination of vegetables and protein!
More Sauce Recipes
- 5 Ingredient Peanut Sauce – For a different twist on a stir fry sauce, try this delicious peanut sauce!
- Romesco Sauce – This sauce is made with roasted red peppers and almonds and it’s incredible drizzled on top of vegetables!
- Easy Cilantro Sauce – This creamy sauce is perfect for drizzling on vegetables, tacos, and just about anything!
Walking is so underrated.
This looks FABULOUS! I was just looking at my massive quantity of tahini–I totally overbought the last time I was at a Whole Foods because I was scared I wouldn’t be able to buy it in Tuscaloosa–thinking I needed to do something with it. This is similar to the Whole Foods’ Tahini Dressing from the kale salad, which is my favorite dressing EVER…although this looks even easier. 🙂
Also, how much do you love tempeh? I need to go pull some out of the freezer to thaw…
Yumm!! This sounds delicious! We have a whole container of tahini in our pantry, and I’ve been trying to figure out new, creative things to do with it. I definitely might have to try this out, as stir-frys are usually my go-to weeknight, throw-it-together-last-second kind of meal!
I love tahini, but have never stir-fried with it; bookmarked!
I usually use it in a garlic dressing for kale salad so I figured it would work well in a garlicky stir fry!
I have never thought of adding tahini to stir fry’s before. I love making them because of how easy they are. My favorite sauces are usually peanut based or spicy thai.
I may try this sauce. Lately for stir frys I use a combo of Trader Joe’s sauces and have been loving their sweet chili sauce….I am also trying to get more protein in these days!
Mmm I need to look for that chili sauce!
Ooo yum! I’ve never tried tahini before, except in hummus, but this looks so good! I love ginger or peanut stir fry sauce too.
Mmmm ginger and peanut are both delicious! It’s amazing how many things work well in a stir fry!
I add tahini to my stir fry sauce too! With some tamari and miso as well. I need to add tempeh to my stir fry next time. Looks delish!
I need to get some tamari!
Tamari is wheat-free and generally of better quality than most (but not all) soy sauce. I also make a tahini sauce with miso but don’t add tamari to it. I don’t cook it so that the miso has the most probiotic benefit. I like to add lemon juice and garlic to it sometimes. Anything with tahini is tops in my book. Recipe looks very yummy.
Vishnu and I love going on post-dinner walks too! It’s a fun way to decompress from the day!
And this sauce sounds delicious. I have a tub of tahini that I need to use up. Will definitely be trying this soon!
Walking is such a perfect way to get a little exercise but also relax and unwind!
I’ve never really made stir fry… but I do like to eat it! I typically like curry or coconut sauces, but not sure those count as stir fry 🙂
I love tahini on top of my stir fries!! One of my favorite vegetarian restaurants makes the best stir fry topped with tahini 🙂