In Turkey, tarator refers to a walnut sauce while in Lebanon and Syria the name refers to a sauce that contains sesame tahini. You can add tahini (4 tablespoons) to this sauce; if you do, you’ll also need to add a bit more lemon juice (1 teaspoon).
Turkish Tarator (Walnut and Garlic Sauce)

Recipe courtesy of Joyce Goldstein
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted
- 1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs, fresh, soaked in water
- 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt
Preparation:
- Combine all ingredients in the container of a blender or food processor. If too thick, thin with water.
- Salt to taste.