Tahini-Parmesan Pasta Salad Recipe (2024)

It appears that this recipe may benefit from the addition of some acidity. Some lemon juice will brighten up the tahini.

Added lemon juice and zest from one lemon to brighten it up. Used almost a whole cup of reserved pasta water, which smoothed it out and kept it from becoming too sticky. Came out great! The tomatoes were tasty but next time I might use sun-dried tomato halves from a jar, and have one less pan to clean.

Might you be able to provide an approximate weight for the parmesan? I find measuring grated cheese so variable.

I added some dropped leaves from brussels sprouts I had trimmed and 1/4 cup lemon juice - This was really tasty but a little blah... might benefit from some garlic, maybe some raw shallot or some malt vinegar. Lemon zest? Red pepper flakes? A splash of Frank's Red Hot? Good starting point, needs a bit more oomph.

I thought I would love this, but it was the most disappointing recipe I've ever made from NYT Cooking. So little flavor even after all the doctoring suggested in the comments. The next day it was a dreadful pile of gluck. Good ingredients seemingly sucked into a black hole of blah.

Given that it isn’t cherry tomato season right now, I opted to use 2 cans of Mutti canned cherry tomatoes. I baked them with EVOO, salt, and pepper flakes at 325 to coax out their sweetness. Added some chopped red bell pepper to the scallions and mint. Added lemon juice to the tahini mixture per earlier comments. Delicious !

I agree. The weight of the Parmesan to be grated, please.

I added some eggplant cutlets -- fabulous!

I seasoned my charred tomatoes with salt, lemon juice and a touch of honey because they were underripe. Served it warm immediately after adding noodles and sauce. Delicious!

This was a winner, with tweaks: added juice from two lemons, reduced the pasta and increased the tomatoes and mint. Really tasty and quick.

This is very meh. I added some lemon and red pepper flakes. Didn’t do much. Suggest skipping.

Loved this recipe as is the first night, then day #2 I added canned tuna, anchovies, and some oil packed tomatoes. Even better!

With the addition some ham or cooked chicken, this would be a good one-dish dinner on a hot night. Fresh seasonal fruit for dessert.

This was quite bland... I added lemon juice and red pepper flakes (as suggested) but it just wasn't that great.I'm sure with extensive modifications this could be tasty, but the original recipe is not worth it.

Really liked this recipe! Made a few change though.To the dressing, I added a bit of honey and the juice of a small lime. In the future, I might add a bit of spice like red pepper flakes, paprika, or gouchujang sauce.I did not add the mint and was too lazy to toast sesame seeds. However, a bit of fresh dill and parsley went great with it!

I added a big spoonful of Ricotta to the tahini mixture and also added some spring onions to the tomato fry, and I think it gave the whole thing more umami.i also added cut-up spinach.

Made as written and loved it! The parmesan is a key member of this cast, so be sure to use good quality and freshly grated. I was a little hesitant about how the mint would blend with the other ingredients, but have had good success with other recipes by Ali Slagle, so went with it, and really enjoy how it played off the other flavors. Took this to a neighborhood party, and brought very little home.

Added the juice of half a lemon, used sun-dried tomato bruschetta instead of the cherry tomatoes and skipped the sesame-- was very flavorful and delicious! Took it to a dinner party and everyone loved it.

To make this vegan without sacrificing flavour, substitute powdered dried white miso for the Parmesan.

Cut the recipe in half. Better day 2-3, after flavors meld.

At first I thought the comments might be wrong but I did ended up changing a few things. I made 300 grams of casarecce and used a pint of grape tomatoes, 1/3 cup of tahini, 1/2 cup of parmesan, 3 scallions, a squeeze of tomato paste and 1 tbs of sesame seeds. It still felt something was missing so I added the juice of half lime and smoked paprika flakes. All my family loved it.

Omitted Parmesan and still turned out great with some lemon added as others suggested. Suggest adding more tomatoes if that’s your thing (it’s mine).

I added lemon zest from one lemon (thanks y’all!) and lots of lemon juice. It was delicious! Much better than a mayo-heavy pasta salad. I think the salad needed more crunch, so next time I’ll add cucumbers or bell peppers. Possibly also red pepper flakes or garlic.

Didn't use mint or sesame seeds as I had none. Added the juice of one lemon, Trader Joe's Everything Bagel seasoning (liberal), and sliced Kalamata olives; I also added chunked up Prima Donna cheese in addition to Parmesan. Very good! Would also work with sun-dried tomatoes and could add a protein like shrimp. We all enjoyed it.

Very tasty. Loved the creaminess of the tahini. Roasted the tomatoes, and added fresh lemon juice on top. Would not add mint next time.

In addition to lemon juice and sundried tomatoes, I included sliced mild peppadew and gochugaru (Korean red pepper). Very tasty!

Modifications:To the sauce, I added zest and juice of two lemons, mashed garlic, dried mint, and sumac. Diced shallot, celery, and thinly sliced garlic with the roasted tomatoes. Garnished with mint, thinly sliced red pearl onion, and parsley. Turned out pretty nicely.

This recipe is perfect as written. I notice a lot of commenters are suggesting to add lemon to balance out the tahini. I would suggest giving it a try with a higher quality tahini. My favorite is Tarazi, which is sumptuous and lacks the bitterness of other brands. Here's a test: See if you like the taste straight from the jar. If not, pick another brand.

Made this tonight and it was delicious! The fresh herbs really added something. I listened to the recommendations and added lemon: zest and juice. I wonder if those who thought this was bland used poor quality Parmesan. I think you need the real deal Italian stuff that ages for years to get lots of umami flavor. The pre-grated parm from the store, even the stuff in the tub from the deli fridge is gonna be really bland in comparison, but reggiano with the tahini was super delicious and flavorful.

This makes a ton of food. Be prepared to have leftovers. Having peak season tomatoes helps with the taste. I added garlic and red pepper flakes which gave it a kick. I added lemon which seemed to have less of an effect. I wonder if basil might give it a better flavor than mint.