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Here are the best falafel sauce recipes, from creamy cucumber yogurt to bright lemon tahini! Find the perfect sauce for your falafel sandwich, salad, or bowl that’s ready in minutes.

Falafel sauce

Making falafel and need sauce ideas? This Mediterranean fried chickpea fritter is one of my favorite foods all time. You can serve it as an appetizer with a dipping sauce, or stuffed into a flatbread as a falafel sandwich. Or serve it as a falafel salad, on crunchy lettuce drizzled with sauce.

After years of testing these recipes, I’ve landed on a handful of go-to falafel sauces that I use in each of these cases! Here are my top ideas.

What Sauce Goes with Falafel?

Falafel has roots in Egypt, and it then spread across the Middle East and Mediterranean, so it’s picked up various regional sauces along the way. Traditional falafel sauce falls into three main categories:

  • Tahini-based sauces: Nutty, creamy, tangy from lemon: this is the most authentic pairing across much of the Middle East.
  • Yogurt-based sauces: Cool and tangy, these sauces often also contain cucumber, dill, or herbs. This type of sauce is common in Turkish and Greek traditions.
  • Herb-forward sauces: Herby and green, sometimes with yogurt or olive oil (like zhoug, used in Israel)

With this in mind, here are a few of the best recipes to use as a falafel sauce: whether you’re making a sandwich, burger, salad, or serving them as an appetizer.

The 5 Best Falafel Sauce Recipes

Tzatziki Sauce (Yogurt Cucumber Sauce)

This cool and refreshing falafel sauce you’ll want to slather on just about everything: tzatziki! Stir together shredded cucumber with Greek yogurt, lemon, garlic, and dill for a creamy, zingy sauce. It's perfect for authentic falafel sandwiches and salads. The secret to keeping it from getting watery is squeezing the cucumber thoroughly in a clean dish towel — don't skip that step.

Tahini Sauce

Another authentic falafel sauce is tahini sauce! It's made with the Mediterranean sesame seed paste and lemon, which gives it a bright zingy flavor. This sauce is perfect for drizzling on salad bowls and roasted veggies, but it's best on a tasty falafel sandwich or falafel salad. Another plus: it's plant based and vegan! The key is using tahini that's fresh and pourable; if it has separated in the jar, give it a good stir before mixing.

Creamy Cilantro Sauce

This bright green cilantro sauce is perfect for falafel! It’s plant-based and vegan, so it works for all sorts of eaters! The creamy body comes from soaked cashews blended with a bit of water. It becomes so intensely creamy that it makes the perfect sauce for dolloping. It’s even pretty mild on the cilantro flavor: so it’s not even offensive to avowed cilantro haters! Make the recipe below with lemon instead of lime when you use it for falafel.

Lemon Dill Sauce

Consider this the richer cousin of the tzatziki sauce above. The base blends both Greek yogurt and a touch of mayonnaise, which gives it a creamier texture that clings beautifully to a falafel sandwich or falafel burger. It comes together in a single bowl with no cooking required!

Tahini Yogurt Sauce

You can make this tahini yogurt sauce with 3 ingredients in 2 minutes! Sometimes it can feel like it takes forever to whip up a sauce and you end up dirtying blenders, cutting boards, and so forth. This one is so simple it’s become my go-to for everything, especially for dipping falafel!

Ways to Serve Falafel with Sauce

Falafel can be served in so many ways! This tasty Mediterranean plant-based dish has lots of different spins. Here are a few of our favorite falafel recipes:

  • Classic Falafel: Serve with the falafel sauce as a dipping sauce.
  • Ultimate Falafel Sandwich: Slather cucumber yogurt or dill sauce on a flatbread and load it up.
  • Baked Falafel: Make shortcut falafel: it’s baked and made with canned chickpeas!
  • Falafel Salad: Drizzle tahini sauce over greens and roasted veggies for a full Mediterranean bowl.
  • Falafel Bowl: Mix and match sauces; I love tahini as the base with a cilantro sauce drizzle on top.
  • Falafel Burger: The lemon dill sauce is spectacular here. Treat it like a special burger sauce.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

All five of these sauces keep well in the refrigerator. The tzatziki sauce, cilantro sauce, and dill sauce are best within 3 to 4 days. The tahini sauce keeps well for up to 1 to 2 weeks in a sealed container in the fridge.

If you’re meal prepping for the week, I’d recommend making the tahini sauce in a double batch!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most traditional falafel sauce?

Lemon tahini sauce is the most traditional pairing across the Middle East. It’s made simply with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and water, and it’s been served alongside falafel for generations.

Can I use hummus as a falafel sauce?

Yes, a classic hummus makes a nice thick spread for falafel sandwiches and wraps. It’s especially good thinned slightly with lemon juice and olive oil so it’s more saucy — or you can try this hummus dressing.

Can I make these sauces ahead for a party?

I’d recommend it: all of these are great for making a few hours ahead and refrigerating until ready to serve!

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Best Falafel Sauces

Falafel sandwich
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Here are the best falafel sauce recipes: cucumber yogurt and lemon tahini sauce! They’re perfect on falafel sandwiches, falafel burgers, or falafel salad. 

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 ¾ cups 1x
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Stirred
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

  • 1 cup grated cucumber (1 medium or 2/3 large)
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup full fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill*
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Water

Tahini Sauce

  • ⅓ cup tahini
  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (2 small or 1 ½ large lemons)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

  1. Cucumber yogurt sauce: Peel the cucumber and coarsely grate it. Place it in a clean tea towel or dish towel and squeeze tightly over a sink to remove excess liquid. In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients, then stir in about 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, until the sauce is smooth and creamy (the water amount will vary based on the yogurt brand). 
  2. Tahini sauce: In a small bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, and kosher salt and whisk to combine. Add the water and whisk until a light and creamy dressing forms; add a little more water as necessary depending on the consistency of your tahini. Serve immediately or refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving. Extra dressing keeps for about 1 month in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

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More great sauce recipes

Want more sauces? Here are some more recipes to try:

  • Cilantro Lime Crema Perfect for dolloping on tacos and roasted veggies.
  • Special Burger Sauce Great for burgers and fries! It’s full of flavor: creamy, tangy, and reminiscent of a Big Mac.
  • Creamy Cilantro Dressing It takes just 5 minutes and you’ll want to use it on everything: salads, tacos, fries, and more.
  • Vegan Alfredo Sauce Easy to make, starring nutrient-rich cauliflower and protein-packed cashews.


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Learn how to make an Americano with this simple step-by-step guide! This classic espresso drink takes just minutes to make at home.

How to make an Americano

When it comes to espresso drinks, the one I reach for most often is the classic Americano. A shot of bitter and dark espresso tastes incredible, but smooth it out with water as a Caffe Americano and it smooths the bitter flavor into something altogether new!

I’ve made hundreds of coffee drinks at home, and after months of testing I’ve perfected the perfect Americano. If you’ve ever ordered one at a coffee shop and thought “I could make this myself,” you’re absolutely right. Here’s everything you need to know for how to make an Americano at home!

What’s an Americano?

An Americano is an espresso drink made with hot water and espresso, also called a Caffe Americano. The drink can be made with either one or two shots of espresso, and varying ratios of water.

Diluting the strong dark espresso roast brings the flavor closer to a drip coffee, which might be where the name originated! “Americano” means American in Italian or Spanish, referring to the coffee’s strength being closer to an American-style drip coffee.

Does an Americano have milk? Never. A true Americano does not include milk like a latte, cappuccino, or macchiato. You can add milk if you like, but then it’s not the true form of this drink.

The Water-to-Espresso Ratio

How much water is an Americano? Great question, and one that has more than one answer. There are various ratios that are considered acceptable:

  • The typical Caffe Americano ratio is 2:1. That’s 2 parts hot water to 1 part espresso. This ratio makes the drink still taste dark and bitter, like a lightened form of espresso.
  • Use 3:1 for a smoother, milder coffee with more volume. This ratio makes the Americano taste like a bitter drip coffee. (If you order an Americano at Starbucks, it will taste like this ratio. I personally prefer 2:1.)
  • You can customize the water to taste. Every barista and coffee shop makes an Americano differently.
Espresso

What You Need to Make an Americano

How to make an Americano? You’ll need the following:

  • Espresso roast coffee: This is important to get the right dark, bitter flavor. Look for espresso roast or dark roast coffee for the most bold, classic flavor. Buy whole beans and grind them right before brewing.
  • Espresso machine or espresso maker: There are several ways to make an espresso! We use an espresso machine, which sits on a countertop. You can use a small manual espresso maker too: it’s cheaper and portable. You can also make French Press espresso (which has great flavor). For more details, go to my guide on How to Make Espresso (5 Ways).

How to Make an Americano: Step by Step

Once you know about the water ratio and espresso technique: there’s not much to know about this coffee drink! Here are the basic steps for how to make an Americano:

  • Decide on your drink size. A 1-shot Americano can mostly fit in an espresso mug. A 2-shot drink is best suited in a latte mug.
  • Make the espresso. Use espresso roast coffee to make espresso using your favorite method: with an automated espresso machine, manual espresso maker, or French press. Go to How to Make Espresso (5 Ways) for details. (The linked espresso machine is the one I use every day and it works wonderfully.)
  • Boil the water. Use a regular or electric teapot to boil the water, or use the hot water spout or steam wand on your espresso maker. The standard ratio is 2:1 water to espresso, but you can go up to as much as 3:1.
  • Mix the two and enjoy. Pour the boiling water into the espresso. Instant Caffe Americano!
How to make espresso

Americano Variations to Try

Once you’ve mastered the classic, here’s where it gets fun:

  • Iced Americano: Pull your espresso, let it cool briefly, then pour over a glass of ice. Add cold water. Go to my Iced Americano recipe.
  • Long Black: This is an Australian/New Zealand spin where the water goes in the cup first, then the espresso is poured over. It preserves the crema topping .
  • Americano with a splash of milk: It’s technically not a “true” Americano, but adding about 1 tablespoon cold milk softens the bitterness.
  • Red Eye: A red eye is brewed drip coffee with a shot of espresso poured in. See my Red Eye Coffee recipe. (Personally, I like an Americano much better.)

If you’re wondering, the Americano Cocktail is not related to the coffee drink at all: it’s a bitter and bubbly Campari drink!

How to make an Americano

Serving Suggestions

An Americano pairs well with any type of breakfast food, but here are a few of my favorites:

  • A slice of toasted sourdough bread with butter
  • A simple breakfast pastry or blueberry muffin
  • As a mid-afternoon pick-me-up before something sweet
  • In place of a pour over coffee when you want something quicker but equally satisfying
  • After dinner with a chocolate dessert like flourless chocolate cake

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between an Americano and drip coffee?

They can taste similar, but they’re made completely differently. Drip coffee is brewed by slowly passing hot water through ground coffee. An Americano is espresso diluted with hot water. The Americano typically has a slightly darker, more bitter concentrated flavor.

Is an Americano stronger than regular coffee?

A standard 2:1 Americano made with a double shot is similar in caffeine to an 8-ounce cup of drip coffee.

Can I make an Americano without an espresso machine?

Yes! A Moka pot, French press, or manual espresso maker all work. The flavor won’t be identical to machine espresso, but the drink is still delicious. I cover all four methods in my How to Make Espresso guide.

What’s the difference between an Americano and a lungo?

A lungo is a type of espresso shot pulled with more water. An Americano adds the water after pulling the espresso shot. The flavor is slightly different: a lungo can taste more bitter, and an Americano tends to be smoother.

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How to Make an Americano

How to make an Americano
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Here’s how to make an Americano, aka Caffe Americano! This popular coffee drink smooths the bitterness of espresso with hot water. 

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 drink 1x
  • Category: Coffee
  • Method: Espresso
  • Cuisine: Coffee
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces (2 shots) espresso*
  • 4 ounces hot water

Instructions

  1. Make the espresso: Make the espresso using an espresso machine, manual espresso maker, French press, or Moka Pot. Go to How to Make Espresso for instructions.
  2. Add hot water: Heat water using your espresso machine or in a tea pot to about 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour it into the espresso. Enjoy!

Notes

*If desired, you can adjust the level of boiling water to your tastes. Go up to 6 ounces boiling water for a flavor that’s closer to drip coffee than espresso.

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More Espresso Drinks to Master

This is another post in my Barista Series: how to make all your favorite coffee drinks at home! Here are a few espresso drinks and tea lattes to master:

  • Latte
  • Mocha
  • Macchiato
  • Flat White or Cappuccino 
  • Cortado or Gibraltar
  • Coffee Soda


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Here are the top most popular grenadine cocktails, from classic drinks to modern spins starring this bright red syrup! Plus, try my tips for making your own homemade grenadine from scratch.

Grenadine syrup

Got a bottle of grenadine on hand? Before I became a home cocktails expert, I thought grenadine was cherry syrup: but it’s actually made from pomegranate juice! Its name is derived from the French word for pomegranate, grenade. It tastes fruity and sweet, and adds a bright red color to every drink it touches.

After making dozens of recipes with this syrup, here is a list of my top grenadine cocktails using this sweet syrup! There are classics like the vibrant Tequila Sunrise and sophisticated Cuban El Presidente. And of course no list would be complete without the most famous mocktail of them all, the Shirley Temple,

12 Popular Grenadine Cocktails

Tequila Sunrise

One of my favorite grenadine cocktails of all time is the vibrant Tequila Sunrise! It’s beautiful and vibrant, with layered colors of a summer sunset. All you need is 3 ingredients and no special techniques or equipment. The flavor is refreshingly sweet, with just a hint of tequila.

Shirley Temple

Arguably the most popular of all grenadine drinks is the famous mocktail, the Shirley Temple! This isn’t the overly sweet, syrupy version of this drink. The classic way is actually made with ginger beer and makes a mocktail that for anyone looking for a bubbly, refreshing non-alcoholic drink. Or, turn it into a cocktail by adding vodka for a Dirty Shirley.

Singapore Sling

A Singapore Sling is for the adventurous drinker: it calls for a whopping 8 ingredients. It’s the longest ingredient list of any of my  cocktail recipes and has a few specialty ingredients. But if you want to experience a classic cocktail and don’t mind the challenge: it’s a must try! The combination of fruity, sweet tart and bubbly is intriguingly complex and just plain fun.

Clover Club Cocktail

Here’s a sophisticated classic grenadine cocktail that steals the show: the Clover Club! This bright pink drink stems back before Prohibition, but it’s just as en vogue today. It's often made with raspberry syrup, but grenadine syrup is also traditional. Combine them with zingy lemon and gin to make a perfectly balanced sweet tart drink, with a classic egg white foam that gives a creamy body and frothy texture to each sip.

Hurricane

It’s fruity and extra boozy: the Hurricane is a classic New Orleans cocktail made with light and dark rum, passion fruit syrup, lime, and grenadine. The passion fruit gives it a tropical nuance, and a hint of grenadine gives it extra sweetness and a rosy-golden color. It’s a unique grenadine drink that’s festive and fun!

Rum Swizzle

The Rum Swizzle is the national drink of Bermuda, a delightfully fruity and tropical grenadine cocktail. It's the type of drink you can build right in the glass, making it very simple to whip up! You’ll use a “swizzle stick” to quickly chill the drink, which is just as fun as the name is charming. 

Mary Pickford Cocktail

Here’s a 1920's grenadine cocktail that’s all about charm: the Mary Pickford! Take one sip and it’s intriguing: pleasantly sweet and sour from the pineapple juice with a slightly funky finish from the Maraschino. This one looks like it’s straightforward in flavor, but there’s more intrigue that you'd expect in each pink sip.

Zombie Cocktail

Here’s a grenadine cocktail that’s a little over the top, but worth it if you’re an adventurous home bartender. The Zombie packs a potent punch, with four types of rum, three fruit juices, and two fruit syrups. It’s got a 1970’s vibe, but this cocktail actually was born in the 1930’s. Here’s how to whip up this special mixed drink!

El Presidente Cocktail

Here’s a 1920’s slow sipper that’s begging to be part of your cocktail repertoire: the El Presidente cocktail! This Cuban classic never soared quite as high as the daiquiri or the mojito, but it’s something special in its own right. It’s sleek and sophisticated, like a Cuban spin on a Manhattan using rum instead. This grenadine cocktail has some special ingredients and comes out boozy, subtly bitter with a sweet and citrus nuance. 

Malibu Sunset

Here’s a brilliant beachy drink that’s stunning with a deliciously tropical flavor: the Malibu Sunset! This layered cocktail brings the party with coconut rum, pineapple juice, and orange juice. Add grenadine and it layers into the gradient of the colors of a sunset!

Ward 8

Here’s a surprising grenadine cocktail starring rye whiskey! The Ward 8 was invented in 1898 and is a riff on the popular whiskey sour. Where the whiskey sour can be on the sweet side, the Ward 8 is perfectly balanced and tart. It features rye whiskey, orange juice and grenadine for sweetness and color.

Pineapple Vodka Cocktail

Last up in my favorite grenadine cocktails is a pineapple vodka cocktail with grenadine. This stunning two-toned drink couldn’t be easier: simply mix pineapple, vodka and lime right up in the serving glass and it tastes sublime. A brilliant red layer of grenadine makes the bottom of the drink glow.

Tips for Homemade Grenadine

When you shop for the main ingredient for these grenadine drinks, look for all natural grenadine if you can. Grenadine is often made with artificial colors and flavors: many times it’s not even made of pomegranate!

Another option is to make grenadine at home. How to do it? Use fresh pomegranate juice! This results in a brilliant hot pink color that’s naturally made from scratch. Here are the basic steps for how to make grenadine syrup:

  • Mash fresh pomegranate seeds in a cocktail shaker to extract the juice. Then use a fine-mesh strainer to strain out the juice. Easy as that!
  • Heat pomegranate juice and sugar in a saucepan. Heat 2/3 cup juice with ½ cup sugar until the sugar just dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool, then add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to add tart flavor.

For more, go to How to Make Grenadine and Best Grenadine Substitute.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does grenadine taste like?

Grenadine has a fruity, sweet-tart flavor derived from pomegranate juice. It’s brighter and more complex than cherry syrup, and works in everything from tropical tiki drinks to spirit-forward classics like the El Presidente.

Is grenadine alcoholic?

No, grenadine is a non-alcoholic syrup made from pomegranate juice and sugar. This means it’s a great flavor and color additive in mocktails too, like the classic Shirley Temple.

What’s the best grenadine to buy?

I look for brands made with real pomegranate juice, like Liber & Co. and Small Hand Foods. Avoid anything with “high fructose corn syrup” or “artificial flavors” listed prominently; those versions tend to taste one-dimensional and overly sweet. Or better yet, make your own: see How to Make Grenadine.

Can I substitute something for grenadine?

Yes! I have a few different options: see my guide on Best Grenadine Substitutes.

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Tequila Sunrise (& More Grenadine Drinks!)

Tequila sunrise
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Here’s how to make a tequila sunrise! This vibrant grenadine cocktail layers the colors of a summer sunrise using tequila, orange and grenadine.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 drink 1x
  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Stirred
  • Cuisine: Cocktails
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) tequila
  • 4 ounces (½ cup) orange juice
  • ¾ ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) grenadine syrup (purchased or homemade)
  • Ice (try our clear ice!)
  • For the garnish: Cocktail cherry, orange juice

Instructions

  1. Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in the tequila and orange juice and stir.
  2. Pour the grenadine into center of the drink and it will sink to the bottom. Stir gently for sunrise gradient effect.
  3. Garnish with an orange slice and cocktail cherry.

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