Tzatziki, tahini, and toum are three staple Mediterranean sauces — and the quick version is simple: tzatziki is a cool yogurt-cucumber-garlic sauce, tahini is a nutty sesame paste, and toum is a bright, whipped garlic sauce. At Shawarma House in Ocean Beach, all three come out of the same made-to-order kitchen that spit-roasts our halal chicken, beef, and gyro.

Tzatziki contains dairy, so it isn’t vegan. Tahini and toum are both plant-based.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a cool, creamy sauce made from yogurt, cucumber, and garlic. It’s tangy and refreshing — the classic thing you reach for to balance out hot, savory meat. Because it’s yogurt-based, tzatziki contains dairy and is not vegan.

It’s the go-to on a gyro or a warm plate over yellow basmati rice, where its coolness plays against the spit-roasted meat.

Tahini

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. On its own it’s rich, nutty, and slightly bitter; as a sauce it gets loosened with lemon and garlic into something smooth and savory. It’s plant-based, so it works for vegan orders.

Tahini is a natural match for falafel and hummus, and it’s great drizzled over a shawarma wrap or plate.

Toum

Toum is a whipped garlic sauce — light, fluffy, and intensely garlicky, emulsified so it’s almost like a garlic mousse rather than a heavy aioli. It’s plant-based and packs the biggest garlic punch of the three.

A little goes a long way. Toum is fantastic on chicken shawarma and anywhere you want that bold garlic hit.

Which sauce to get with what

Here’s the easy way to pick:

  • Chicken shawarma — toum, for the garlic, or tzatziki if you want it cooler.
  • Beef shawarma or gyro — tzatziki to balance the richer meat.
  • Falafel and hummus — tahini, which was made for them (and keeps it vegan).
  • Fries and plates — any of the three; toum and tahini both hold up well.

You can see the full lineup — including garlic paste, lemon garlic, greek dressing, hot sauce, and more — on our Mediterranean sauces menu. Want to taste how they come together? Explore the best Mediterranean food in San Diego or just order online through Toast.

Tzatziki vs. Tahini vs. Toum

  • Tzatziki — Base: Yogurt, cucumber, garlic (contains dairy). Tastes like: Cool, tangy, refreshing. Great on: Gyro, beef shawarma, rice plates
  • Tahini — Base: Sesame seed paste (plant-based). Tastes like: Nutty, rich, savory. Great on: Falafel, hummus, wraps
  • Toum — Base: Whipped garlic (plant-based). Tastes like: Bright, bold, garlicky. Great on: Chicken shawarma, fries

Frequently asked questions

Is tzatziki vegan?

No. Tzatziki is made with yogurt, so it contains dairy and isn’t vegan. If you want a plant-based sauce, go with tahini or toum — both are vegan-friendly.

Is tahini gluten-free?

Tahini itself is made from sesame seeds and contains no gluten. That said, our kitchen is shared and handles gluten, so we can’t guarantee against cross-contact — if you have celiac disease, please keep that in mind.

What is toum?

Toum is a whipped garlic sauce — garlic emulsified into a light, fluffy, intensely garlicky sauce. It’s plant-based and delivers the strongest garlic flavor of our three signature Mediterranean sauces. It’s a favorite on chicken shawarma.

Keep reading: What is tahini? The deep dive · What is hummus? · What is pita bread?