40+ Tasty Tahini Recipes to Try

April 06, 2015
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Hector Manuel Sanchez
Tahini, a paste made from toasted and ground sesame seeds, is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern, Mediterannean, and North African cuisines (Think Greek, Egyptian, Iraqi, Palestinian, and Israeli dishes) that gives a warm, nutty taste to everything it touches. Dips, dressings, meats, vegetables, desserts, and even drinks take on a deeper flavor when tahini is introduced, and it's one of those ingredients that can improve just about any dish. Whether you're cooking a traditional tahini dish such as kofta kebabs and hummus or want to use tahini to upgrade your cinnamon rolls or banana bread, these tahini recipes are all enhanced by sesame's distinct, beloved flavor.
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Roasted Cauliflower with Green Tahini Sauce and Caramelized Dates

Sara Tane
Roasted Cauliflower with Green Tahini Sauce and Caramelized Dates Recipe

Roasted veggies have never tasted so indulgent. Topped with an herbaceous tahini sauce and salty-sweet, caramelized dates and walnuts, these crispy cauliflower steaks are just the veggie side that you've been looking for. Use any leftover tahini sauce on salads, chicken, or fish for an added burst of vibrant, nutty flavor.

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Tahini-Oat Energy Balls

Sara Tane
Tahini-Oat Energy Balls Recipe

For a quick, pick-me-up snack when you're on the go, these easy tahini-oat bites are the perfect solution. Full of hearty nuts and creamy tahini, they offer just the right amount of sweet satisfaction. A pinch of salt balances the flavor and brings it all together. Make a big batch at the beginning of the week and keept them on hand for emergency snack situations.

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Tahini-Blueberry Sheet Cake With Strawberry Buttercream

Photo: Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Pam Lolley
Tahini-Blueberry Sheet Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe

Perfect for a graduation party or summer cookout, this impressive dessert offers the ease and crowd-friendly factor that we associate with a sheet cake, as well as a delightful twist of creativity and surprising vibrancy with the incorporation of tahini and fresh berries. If you have a jar of the trendy sesame seed paste hanging out in your pantry, trust us—it’s high time to go beyond hummus and welcome it into your dessert life. Tahini lends a delicious toasty quality to the tender cake while fresh blueberries dotted throughout the batter balance this nutty depth with their bright, juicy sweetness. A simple strawberry buttercream ties everything together and makes for a low-effort, eye-catching presentation. 

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Middle Eastern Kofta Kebabs with Lemon-Tahini Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower, Claire Spollen
Middle Eastern Kofta Kebabs with Lemon-Tahini Sauce Recipe

Cooked quinoa acts as a binder for these kebabs, packing them with extra protein and some whole-grain goodness.

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Tahini-Date Shake

Photo by Jennifer Causey
Tahini-Date Shake Recipe
Banana optional but recommended

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Spinach Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Charlotte March
Spinach Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette Recipe

The salad's flavors tilt toward the Middle East, with a nutty, slightly spicy dressing and pita chips in lieu of croutons. Prep the components in advance so the salad can be thrown together at the last minute, as it wilts quickly.

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Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Tahini Glaze

Sara Tane
Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Tahini Glaze Recipe

What better fall-inspired dessert to make than this tahini-glazed pumpkin bundt cake. A medley of fragrant, ground spices enhance the rich sweetness of this incredibly moist bundt cake. Topped with a toasty, perfectly bittersweet tahini glaze, this  easy to make and comforting fall dessert is the perfect centerpiece for your next dinner party, Halloween gathering, or special occasion.

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Tahini Chicken Salad Sandwich

Sara Tane
Tahini Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe

Nutty, creamy, and of course, topped with greens, tomatoes, and onions, this hearty, easy-to-prep chicken salad sandwich is the perfect, packable lunch. Eat it immediately, or wrap it up and allow the rich, deep flavors of the tahini run into your hearty, toasted bread.

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Charred Eggplant Dip with Tahini

Sara Tane
Charred Eggplant Dip with Tahini Recipe

Perfect for entertaining or a hearty spread to snack off of all week, this nutritious charred eggplant dip is as easy as to make it is delicious. Roasting the eggplant at a super high temperature leads to a creamy flesh that's the perfect backbone for a your dip. Don't worry if the skin is extra charred and looks burnt—this makes for a more flavorful end product. Mixed with Greek yogurt and tahini, this Meditteranean-inspired spread is ultra rich. Serve it with fresh veggies, warm pita, or smear it across a piece of toast. You could even use it as your sauce for a flatbread or pizza; simply top with roasted or fresh veggies and a sprinkle of crumbled feta or goat cheese.

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Gyro Burgers

Victor Protasio
Gyro Burgers Recipe

Up your grilling game this summer with a burger that’s sure to impress—i.e. a Gyro Burger. Inspired by the classic Greek sandwich, we’ve upgraded ground beef with bold seasoning and a new home inside of a pita pocket, rather than typical sesame bun, with lettuce, tomato, red onion, feta cheese, and generous drizzle of toasty tahini sauce.

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Creamy Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

Time Inc. Video Studio
Creamy Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate Recipe

This incredibly rich beverage is anything but your nana’s hot cocoa. Incorporating tahini into this dairy-free hot chocolate adds a decadent layer of warming nuttiness that’s a perfect partner to the robust flavors of cocoa and vanilla. 

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Cucumber Salad with Spicy Tahini Dressing

Sara Tane
Cucumber Salad with Spicy Tahini Dressing Recipe

This simple veggie side salad incorporates the rich nutty flavor of tahini with toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, and fresh herbs for a flavor-packed dish. Serve it at a summer picnic or cookout, toss it into a bowl of greens for a heartier bite, or top it with a cooling dollop of Greek yogurt for added tang. Make a double (or triple) batch of the spicy tahini dressing and use it to amp up other dishes throughout the week.

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Semi-Savory Iced Tahini Mocha

photo by abby hocking
Semi-Savory Iced Tahini Mocha Recipe
Courtesy of The Daily in Charleston, South Carolina

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Cider Doughnuts with Maple-Tahini Glaze

photo by jennifer causey
Cider Doughnuts with Maple-Tahini Glaze Recipe
Tahini will never get old 

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The Ultimate Summer Tomato Salad

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Styling: Rishon Hanners
The Ultimate Summer Tomato Salad Recipe

Everything about this stunner of a salad screams summer. Visit your local farmers’ market, favorite roadside produce stand, or get your hands on a CSA to bring this seasonal salad to life with the freshest flavors possible. With a variety of vibrant flavors and textures—all tied together with an addictive Herbed Avocado-Tahini Dressing—this dish puts a standard salad to shame. You’ll be sure to turn heads with this beauty at your next family cook out or weekend block party; of course, it’s totally worth making all for yourself, too… because it’s just that good, and you deserve it. 

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Chocolate-Tahini Banana Bread

Photo by Jennifer Causey
Chocolate-Tahini Banana Bread Recipe
Bananas and peanut butter are a likely duo, but bananas and tahini? Mind-blowing. For those with nut allergies, tahini is a great, though slightly more complex, sub. The deep nuttiness of the tahini is amplified in the banana bread and matched by the nutty white whole-wheat flour. Pockets of bittersweet chocolate give the bread a nice twist (dark chocolate and tahini are also a heavenly pair). If you want a “more cowbell” moment, spread a little well-stirred tahini over each slice (or try a schmear of Soom’s incredible chocolate-tahini spread). You can use all white sesame seeds if you can’t find black ones.

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Fattet Djaj

Photo by Liz Clayman
Fattet Djaj Recipe
Save last night’s pita, you’re going to need it

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Turkey Burger Pitas with Tahini Sauce

Turkey Burger Pitas with Tahini Sauce Recipe
Although many cooks consider sauce a condiment or an afterthought, Lisa Richardson developed this recipe around her homemade sauce based on store-bought tahini. Richardson enjoys creating recipes and encourages her 8-year-old daughter to get involved in cooking. "She has her own recipe cards on which she jots down her new dishes," she says.
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Tahini Swirl Brownies

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Tahini Swirl Brownies Recipe
Here's a recipe inspired by an idea from my good friend and baking colleague Dawn Woodward of Evelyn's Crackers. You start with brownies and then top them with a swirl of sweetened tahini that gives a delightful nutty depth of flavor and richness. Be sure to use untoasted sesame oil in the batter; the dark, toasted kind would be too strong.

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Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Yogurt-Tahini Sauce Recipe
Serve this flavorful sauce with Spiced Beef Kabobs.

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Grilled Vegetables with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley
Grilled Vegetables with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce Recipe
Serve with grilled flatbread or pita for a complete vegetarian meal.
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Tahini and Lemon Broccoli

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Tahini and Lemon Broccoli Recipe
We like Tahini and Lemon Broccoli for its rich flavor.

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White Chocolate-Tahini Cookies

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower
White Chocolate-Tahini Cookies Recipe
These fluffy cookies feature just ten ingredients including white chocolate chips and tahini.

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Almond-Tahini Shake

Oxmoor House
Almond-Tahini Shake Recipe
This shake tastes like sesame candy because of the tahini--a thin, ground-up sesame seed paste that can be used in the same manner as peanut butter. Look for tahini made of hulled toasted sesame seeds for the best flavor.
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Turkey Pitas with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Claire Spollen
Turkey Pitas with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce Recipe
Combine tahini and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Serve the finished tahini mixture with each sandwich.

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Falafel-Stuffed Eggplant with Tahini Sauce and Tomato Relish

Photo: Johnny Autry
Falafel-Stuffed Eggplant with Tahini Sauce and Tomato Relish Recipe
Traditional falafel is made from seasoned, mashed chickpeas that are shaped into patties and deep-fried. Here we use the same components to make a tasty filling for eggplants, baked and topped with a deliciously nutty sauce.

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Roasted Sweet Potato Hummus

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Roasted Sweet Potato Hummus Recipe

This colorful and ultra smooth hummus has added sweetness from roasted sweet potatoes. Serve with your favorite pita chips and crudités for a fun and tasty snack you can feel good about eating.

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Crispy Cauliflower with Chili-Tahini Sauce and Farro Pilaf

Jennifer Causey
Crispy Cauliflower with Chili-Tahini Sauce and Farro Pilaf Recipe

We like to think of cauliflower as a blank-canvas brassica; diverse enough to be blended into a creamy sauce or soup, or blitzed into “rice” as a lower-carb alternative to grains. Roasting brings out its sweeter side, though it takes on just about any flavor profile you throw its way. 

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Spicy Dark Chocolate and Tahini Bark

Jennifer Causey
Spicy Dark Chocolate and Tahini Bark Recipe

This treat will keep you from raiding your kids’ stash of Halloween candy.

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Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Batons With Tahini Dip

Jennifer Causey
Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Batons With Tahini Dip Recipe

Deep caramelization from roasting brings out the natural sweetness in carrots and parsnips. Try to cut the vegetables into the size we call for in step 2. If the pieces are too large or too long, they may cook unevenly or end up limp; if they’re too small, they will likely burn. You can make the dip a day or two ahead, but bring it to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.

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Creamy Tahini Hummus

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Food Styling: Paige Grandjean; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson
Creamy Tahini Hummus Recipe

The key to achieving this rich hummus’s creamy texture is an unexpected pantry staple: baking soda. Simmering dried chickpeas in a baking soda solution helps the legumes break down faster and more efficiently, resulting in an impossibly smooth spread. While 1/2 cup may seem like a generous measure of tahini, this is what will give your hummus its signature deeply toasty flavor—so don’t cut yourself short. We especially love Soom brand tahini, as this is a high-quality product made from single origin sesame seeds. Better than anything you’ll buy in your grocery store deli, this velvety and delicious homemade hummus is perfect served with warm, fluffy pita and crudite, or spread onto sandwiches. 

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Black Tahini Tart with Black Cocoa Crust  

Stacey Ballis
Black Tahini Tart with Black Cocoa Crust   Recipe

When I found out about black cocoa, it was an instantaneous love affair. Same goes for black tahini. So naturally, it didn’t take long for me to come up with a way to make a dark dessert that combined these two beautiful flavors. Chocolate and nutty flavors are always best pals (looking at you, Reese’s), so while it sounds a bit exotic, this tart will land on your palate with a bit of nostalgic comfort, just amped up a little bit.

 

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Pistachio Tahini Cinnamon Rolls 

Meredith Food Studios 
Pistachio Tahini Cinnamon Rolls  Recipe

Delicious and not too sweet, the flavors of tahini, pistachios, and cardamom combine beautifully in a fluffy, light roll. These cinnamon rolls take a little extra time, but they’re so worth the effort—especially since most of the work is hands-off. Working with yeast is nothing to be afraid of. If you’re worried about your water being too warm or cool, use a thermometer to keep the temperature in check. These rolls would be fantastic at breakfast or brunch, but they’re also perfect for a snack or treat with a cup of coffee or hot tea. 

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Fall Farro Bowl with Green Tahini Sauce