prep sauce sunday

PREP SAUCE SUNDAY: VEGAN TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

sunday greetings, and happy august!

we’re coming in hot with my forever go-to sauce, vegan tahini yogurt! it is literally the “mother sauce” in our house. over the years of making this in conjunction with a variety of recipes on my blog, i have gotten the most questions on this one. mostly about how to create a flavor and texture similar to a traditional, dairy-based tahini yogurt, what brands to use, how to store tahini, and what to use tahini yogurt for. sit tight, we’re going to talk all about it.

because there are so few ingredients in this sauce, we want to make sure each one is the very best for the ultimate flavor and texture. here are a few suggestions for making a vegan tahini yogurt sauce that’s a total knock out.

yogurt -

traditional tahini yogurt is made with thick greek (or greek-style) yogurt. plant-based yogurt tends to be inherently thinner in consistency. but we use an almond-based, greek-style yogurt that achieves a traditional thickness and texture to dairy-based greek yogurt. i’ve tried countless plant-based yogurts over the years, and this one (by far) provides the best base for this sauce.

tahini -

the other deal breaker is good tahini. when looking for tahini, we look for one that hasn’t separated (with the oil on top, and the paste on the bottom). a few of my favorites include: soom, seed and mill, al wadi, roland, and whole foods’ 365 tahini. with a little shake and stir, your tahini should be smooth and good to go. i prefer to store my tahini in the pantry, but if you live in a moist climate, then i would suggest storing it in the refrigerator.

up the ratio -

even with a plant-based yogurt that’s thicker than most, we still need to fill it out a bit more. while typically there’s a smaller ratio of tahini to yogurt, we use a 1:4 ratio of tahini to yogurt. this gives the sauce a bit more flavor and sturdier consistency.

mellow that garlic -

we mellow the garlic in the lemon juice first. this softens the garlic a bit, and takes away that punchy, spiciness that can overpower a sauce like this.

what to use tahini yogurt for -

we love this in and on everything, truly. layer it on flatbread (or pita) with fresh sliced tomatoes, olive oil drizzle, salt & pepper. you could add a good plop to a bowl, or thick toast, and shower it with roasted or fresh vegetables. serve it alongside skewered poultry or fish for a cooling drizzle. serve it in a bowl garnished with spices and olive oil as a dip for sliced vegetables and grilled bread. the options are limitless.

big hugs, and i hope you find some inspiration with this recipe! ❤️

tahini yogurt sauce | v

| makes 1 heaping cup |

print the recipe

method

  1. in a mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice and garlic. let it sit for roughly 1 minute. this makes the garlic a little less spicy and punchy.

  2. whisk in the yogurt, 3 tablespoons tahini, and salt. give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary, adding an additional tablespoon of tahini, or more salt and/or lemon juice.

  3. pour the sauce into lidded jar, and store in the fridge for up to 5-6 days.

ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 clove garlic, grated over a microplane or very finely minced

  • 1 cup unsweetened greek-style kite hill yogurt (this one)

  • 3-4 tablespoons tahini paste

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

PESTO CASHEW CREAM SAUCE | V /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

today’s prep sauce is a good one. a bit indulgent, insanely tasty, and like all our prep sauce sunday sauces, it’s easily used for multiple meals. it’s what i like to call a do-it-all sauce. this creamy pesto is put together by essentially making 2 separate sauces, and combining them to make one phenomenal sauce. we start by blending a simple savory cashew cream - raw cashews, water, vinegar, garlic, salt & pepper. it’s luscious and creamy, and lends the perfect velvety texture to this pesto. next, we blend up our pesto. you can use whatever combination of greens and herbs you like, but i went with a basil/arugula combo just because i love these 2 flavors together. then we add the usual suspects: toasted pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, s & p , and evoo. then, then best part, we stir in a good bit of cashew cream. we generally eat in pasta, but you could drizzle it over grilled poultry, fish, or vegetable kebabs. it could definitely be used for dipping - cut up veg, or even grilled (or toasted) bread would be a dream. and this creamy pesto could easily be thinned out a bit and used as dressing for salads, roasted vegetables, a leaf-less salad like this one, or even used for potato salad.

and before i sign off, i wanted to link to a recipe on my instagram feed that you won’t find here on the blog. it’s for yet another indulgent recipe for chocolate chip peanut butter blondies. they are chewy and dense, just like a good blondie is. plus, there’s peanut butter and chocolate - can’t really go wrong with either one!

lastly, i wanted to share the Always Pan, by Our Place. full disclosure, it was gifted to me. but it’s an 8-in-one ceramic skillet that i absolutely love cooking with. if you’re on the market for a new fry pan/steamer/saucier head over to my post here for a code for $10 off.

sunday hugs ❤️

pesto cashew cream sauce | v

| makes 1 heaping cup |

print the recipe!

notes: the cashew cream makes plenty extra for other uses. some of my favorite include: use leftover cashew sauce as sour cream, blend it with 1/2 chipotle pepper to make vegan chipotle crema, add it to tomato sauce to make an even more delicious creamy tomato sauce, add it to dressings for a creamier consistency, add to soups, or blend in some herbs and make a dip!

method

  1. in a container of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade, add the basil, arugula, pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, a few pinches salt, and a few grinds of pepper. with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. stop and scrape down the sides of the food processor and blend. taste and adjust, adding more salt, or lemon juice if need be.

  2. transfer the pesto to a mixing bowl. stir in 3 tablespoons of cashew cream until fully combined. add another tablespoon if you want it creamier. use right away, or store in a tightly fitted jar in your refrigerator for up to 1 week.

make cashew cream

  1. place the cashews in the container of high-speed upright blender. add the water, vinegar, garlic, salt, and a few cracks of pepper. blend everything on high for a couple of minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container, as needed. blend until the cashew sauce is silky smooth. store in a lidded container for up to 1 week.

ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves

  • 1 cup baby arugula

  • 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

  • salt & cracked pepper, to taste

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons - 1/4 cup cashew cream (recipe below)

cashew cream (makes extra)

  • 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight (or at least 4 hours), drained and rinsed

  • 1/2 cup filtered water

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

  • 1 clove garlic

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • cracked pepper, to taste

PREP SAUCE SUNDAY: CHILI OIL, GARLIC & LIME TAHINI SAUCE /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

sunday greetings! we're here with another sauce to get you through the week.  i'm still cooking everyday here at home for my boys (hence my absence from this space).  i made this sauce weeks ago when i got a CSA from a local farm. it had a bunch of cabbage, which is generally not my go-to vegetable - especially this time of year. however, whenever i do prepare cabbage, i always go the route of a slaw. this particular one i made had green and purple cabbage, slivered kale, chopped cilantro, segmented cara cara oranges, a ton of toasty sesame seeds; and this chili oil, garlic & lime tahini sauce. i kind of just threw it together based on a spicy almond butter sauce i make, and it turned out so much better than i had anticipated (which is always a victory). i’ve been making it now for a few months to have on hand for dressing salads, chops, slaws; but also for dipping and thinning out for hearty leafy dishes as well. it’s become a reliable staple here, and i wanted to share in hopes that it becomes one of your favorites too :)

like our last sauce/dressing, it relies heavily on a handful of pantry goods: chili oil, rice vinegar, tahini, etc.  along with a few counter-friendly items: ginger, garlic, and a good amount of lime juice.  they come together to make a fiery, and super punchy and flavorful sauce. a lot like most of the sauces/dressings/dips in this prep sauce series, it can be used for a number of dishes: pour it over a slaw, or for a salad with dark leafy greens (kale, chard, spinach, etc.). drizzle it over roasted vegetables such as: broccoli, brussels sprouts, roasted carrots, etc. i could see this being a delicious satay-style dip for chicken satay, or even sweet potato wedges. the list goes on. hoping this sauce provides you a little breather in your cooking hustle this week.

xo

Chili Oil, Garlic & Lime Tahini Sauce | gf & plant-based

| makes roughly 1 1/2 cups |

print the recipe

notes: this sauce is pretty flexible in terms of substitutions. if you don’t have tahini, use almond or cashew butter in its place (you can use peanut butter, but it’s going to change the flavor substantially). you may not stock your pantry with chili oil, i get it. you could certainly use sriracha in its place. coconut aminos can also be substituted with gluten-free tamari, or a gluten-free soy sauce. if you don’t have fresh ginger, start with about 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger and go from there. if you don’t like or have honey, simply replace it with maple syrup or another sweetener of choice.

ingredients

  • 1/2 cup tahini

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • juice from 2 limes

  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos

  • 1-inch knob of ginger, grated over a microplane

  • 1 clove garlic, grated over a microplane

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons raw honey

  • 1-3 teaspoons chili oil, depending on how spicy you want it

  • fine salt & fresh ground pepper

method

  1. in a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients, and season with salt & pepper. taste and adjust, adding more seasoning to your liking.

  2. pour sauce into a tightly fitted lidded jar and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.