[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;”] L[/dropcap]ooking for simple ways to use tahini? Then look no further :)
It’s one of my favourite ingredients!
What is tahini?
It’s is a paste or spread made from grinding sesame seeds. It’s like a sesame version of peanut butter.
It’s use extensively in Middle Eastern cooking. Most famously as the nutty ingredient in hummus and babaganoush.
8 Healthy Ways to Use Tahini
1. Salad dressings.
One of my all-time favourite salad dressings uses this sesame paste instead of oil. I just mix it with lime juice and soy sauce directly on raw kale leaves and massage the leaves to mix the dressing and make the leaves more tender. See the recipe for Kale Salad.
2. On a Spoon.
It has a slightly bitter flavour, but I love it as a quick snack straight from the jar.
3. Soup topper.
My new favourite thing! Mix equal parts tahini and Greek yoghurt to make an amazing nutty cream. Then dollop it on your favourite soup. Thinking it would be gorgeous on this Spicy Roast Eggplant & Harissa Soup
4. In hummus.
The classic way to use it. Try it in a traditional hummus or my low carb Almond Hummus or this vegetable rich Broccoli Hummus.
5. As a Dairy-free / Plant Based Sour Cream Substitute.
Just mix equal parts tahini and lemon juice then add enough water to give the consistency you’re looking for.
Adds delicious nutty freshness any where you’d normally reach for a pot of sour cream.
6. As a Nut-free Nut Butter Substitute.
The flavour is more bitter so this may not suit every situation (like school lunches).
But I’m happy using tahini as a nut-free substitute for peanut butter, almond butter or any nut butter really.
7. As a Sauce
Wonderful with vegetables, fish or meat. I love making a simple sauce by mixing equal parts tahini, lemon juice and water.
Or for a more fancy version try this Tahini Miso Turmeric flavour explosion.
8. As a Pie Crust
As in this Middle Eastern Shepherds Pie – beats mashed potato any day. Actually that’s given me an idea to try sausages with a ‘mash’ of tahini and yoghurt or water.
Which brand should I buy?
I prefer hulled because it has a cleaner, less bitter flavour than the unhulled version.
It’s worth buying organic given it contains a lot of oil and pesticides tend to be fat soluble.
The team at Minimalist Baker have an excellent review of different brands over here.
Tahini Recipes
- Roast Cauli with Meatballs
- Lime & Tahini Kale Salad
- Salted Kale with Green Tahini
- Japanese Sesame Dressing
- Broccoli Hummus
- Stuffed Sweet Potato
- Tahini, Olives and Avo on Toast
- Babaganoush
- Classic Hummus
- Feta & Meatballs
- TMT Sauce
- The Archives
If you can’t find tahini or you’ve run out, see my favourite Substitutes.
Have fun in the kitchen!
With love,
Jules x
outrageously expensive where I live. But, 3 different sesame seeds all inexpensive (OK the black is not cheap, but growing my own) I know how to make my own tahini, 1lb of seeds at a time.
That’s great you can make your own Karen!
I have recently discovered Tahini cookies! I don’t bake very often (being gluten free and health-conscious) but Green Kitchen Stories had such a beautiful recipe, I had to try it (with a few modifications). They are soooo good! I’ve grown to love tahini over the last few years, more and more, and will definitely try out some of your recipes.
Oh I have a tahini cookie recipe in my baking book Catherine – I haven’t made it in ages. Thanks for the reminder!