Yogurt Tahini Sauce (Salsat Laban)

Yogurt tahini sauce is a creamy, garlicky, tangy sauce. Five minutes, one bowl, no cooking. My family has always adjusted this sauce to suit whatever's on the table, more or less garlic/yogurt for grilled or fried food, thinner for salads, less tahini when paired with heavier dishes and so on. It's the same instinct behind... Read More The post Yogurt Tahini Sauce (Salsat Laban) appeared first on Plant Based Folk.

Yogurt tahini sauce is a creamy, garlicky, tangy sauce. Five minutes, one bowl, no cooking.

My family has always adjusted this sauce to suit whatever's on the table, more or less garlic/yogurt for grilled or fried food, thinner for salads, less tahini when paired with heavier dishes and so on.

It's the same instinct behind its cousin, tarator, which I use for falafel and fries. Salsat laban is the thicker (still pourable), yogurt-forward side of that same family.

What Is Salsat Laban?

Salsat laban (Arabic, also written sulsa laban) translates simply to "yogurt sauce" in English (laban meaning yogurt). It's a thick condiment made from yogurt and tahini, brightened with lemon, and a touch of vinegar. Flavored with garlic and sometimes herbs and spices.

A Sauce Shared Across the Region

Tahini and yogurt both run deep through Eastern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African cooking, and versions of this sauce show up across that whole region under different names.

Traditionally it goes wherever grilled food goes, meats, kebabs, roasted or fried vegetables such as batenjen mekli (fried eggplant) or fried cauli , alongside rice and salads.

Ingredients

yogurt, tahini, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and salt laid out in bowls

The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

Plain yogurt is the main ingredient. Traditionally this is a live cultured, pot-set plain yogurt, dairy. Use that where you can get it, or any plain yogurt at minimum. Going plant-based, I recommend a kefir-based plain dairy-free yogurt as the closest match to traditional plain yogurt without any single flavor taking over.

Tahini for the hint of nuttiness behind the sauce.

Fresh lemon juice and white vinegar together give a sharper tang than lemon alone.

Garlic, traditional and almost always included, easy to skip if you're serving a crowd sensitive to raw garlic.

Water, added a tablespoon at a time to thin the sauce to whatever consistency you want. It stays thicker than a dressing, so go easy.

Consistency

There's no right or wrong consistency with this sauce, however I have taken a photo of what this sauce looks like without any water added to it, it's thicker. Making it ideal as a dip at this stage with crudites, pita bread or even smeared in sandwiches.

Generally though, water is used to thin it out. I note my preferred consistency in the recipe card below.

yogurt tahini dip in a bowl with a whisk

Janelle's Tips

I always make this fresh since it takes five minutes, but it keeps in the fridge for a few days if you want to get ahead. It thickens once chilled, so whisk in a splash of water before serving.

I sometimes add fresh herbs in it, mainly parsley as seen below.

a bowl of yogurt tahini sauce with parsley flecks through it

What I Use to Make This Recipe

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a â˜…â˜…â˜…â˜…â˜… star rating or tagÂ @plantbasedfolkÂ on social media.

Recipe

Yogurt Tahini Sauce (Salsat Laban)

A tangy yogurt tahini sauce, ready in 5 minutes with no cooking. Serve with grilled food, fatteh, roasted and fried vegetables, or grain bowls and more.

Course Condiment

Cuisine Lebanese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 28kcal

Author Janelle Hama

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt live cultured and pot-set if possible (see ingredients section above for dairy-free recommendation)
2 tablespoons tahini or to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
Â½-1 tablespoon white vinegar see notes below
1 clove garlic crushed (optional)
Â½ teaspoon salt
Water as needed, added 1 tablespoon at a time, see notes below

Instructions

In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic (if using), and salt until smooth.
1 cup plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice , Â½-1 tablespoon white vinegar , 1 clove garlic, Â½ teaspoon salt
Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until the sauce reaches the thickness you want.
Water

Notes

The vinegar amount in the sauce is strong, but usually mellows out when paired with foods, I recommend adding Â½ a tablespoon first, trying with food and adjusting with additional Â½ tablespoon. I will normally add in 1 tablespoon.

Without adding any water this sauce is great for dipping. To use as a sauce, I find adding 3 tablespoons of water the perfect consistency.Â

Swaps: Pot-set dairy yogurt gives the closest result to how this is made regionally. For dairy-free, use a dairy free kefir-based yogurt it's the nearest match.

Storage: Best made fresh, but keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Whisk in a splash of water to loosen before serving.

Sourcing: Use a smooth, pourable tahini rather than a stiff or separated jar.

Herbs and spices: Optional. Most commonly added are sumac, cumin, or parsley, to taste.