Creamy Tahini Pasta Recipe
This creamy tahini pasta is nutty, earthy, and genuinely slurpable. It’s the version I come back to because the sauce turns silky and luscious when you loosen the tahini with a splash of hot pasta water, then build in flavor with garlic, lemon, and a pinch of salt. Jammy burst cherry tomatoes add that sweet acidity and texture that keeps the tahini tasting rich (not heavy). Quick, naturally vegan,protein-rich, and easy to customize.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 369kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound rotini, rigatoni, or fusilli pasta
- ½ cup tahini
- 1 cup pasta water
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until tomatoes have burst, shrunk down a bit, and start to look jammy. Add minced garlic and ½ teaspoon of salt and cook for an additional minute.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Before draining, remove 1 cup of pasta water from the pot and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, lemon zest, black pepper, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Slowly stream in the reserved cup of pasta water and whisk until smooth.
- Add cooked pasta and tahini sauce to pan with cherry tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon or large spatula to toss and combine over medium-low heat, until sauce thickens and clings to the noodles, about 2-4 minutes. (The sauce will thicken as it cools, so the thinner the sauce, the better.)
- Serve garnished with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes (if using). Season to taste with additional salt if necessary.
Notes
- How to store: Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Save pasta water. Make sure you save 1 cup of pasta water before draining pasta. This has a lot of flavor and will help to make your sauce extra creamy. The sauce will be very thin but will thicken as it cools.
Nutrition
Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 313mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 766IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg
