For Pasta Sauce With 10x The Flavor, Try This Addition

Tahini, a sesame butter/paste often found in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking, isn't just used in staple dishes like hummus. It's a great alternative ingredient in vegan or dairy-free cooking, and there are a variety of unexpected uses for tahini, including sweet baked goods, salad dressing and soups, and even drinks. And good news for the pasta connoisseurs, because the sesame paste is also a great addition to cream-based pasta sauces.

Tahini is defined by its nuttiness, but unlike your typical nut butters, it's thinner and savory. The paste is also fairly earthy and rich. So really, all things that work fabulously in a cream-pasta sauce (though it's also a great addition to another beloved pasta topping). It's not going to make your pasta taste like a bag of nuts or have a dominating sesame flavor. Rather, the sesame paste will add a slight toasted flavor, as well as depth and richness to cream-based sauces, which are often fairly mild. Plus, it complements certain cheeses. For example, if you're using parmesan to make a white sauce, tahini's nuttiness brings out Parmesan's umami flavor.

You should know that there are multiple kinds of tahini, and they do affect flavor. If you grab raw tahini, it won't have as strong a flavor as roasted tahini will have. A well-roasted variety of tahini can be fairly powerful, which will work well for people seeking a more intense flavor. There's also hulled (made from sesame seeds that have been peeled) vs. unhulled tahini. You'll get more creaminess with hulled tahini, while unhulled tahini provides a more bitter flavor.

Tahini is just as much a texture enhancer as it is a flavor enhancer. Adding some to your sauce will boost the creamy texture and taste. This is also why it works as a great replacement for dairy in pasta sauce. By combining pasta water, oil, and tahini (plus other seasonings and additives like lemon and garlic), you can make a simple copycat cream sauce. This helps those with dairy allergies, intolerances, and restrictions enjoy the creaminess of a traditional white pasta sauce.

If you're looking for tahini, you can pretty easily grab some from grocery stores. But if you want, it's really not hard to make at home either (plus, it'll taste much fresher). All you need to make homemade tahini paste are sesame seeds, olive oil, and a food processor. You can then add some of your paste to your pasta, or use it to make a Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing for your side salad.