If you aren’t familiar with tahini, it’s a paste made from ground sesame seeds. This Middle Eastern staple is most commonly found in hummus, but if you ask me it’s pretty great on its own too. Tahini tastes nutty and a little bitter, but it’s the perfect component to both sweet and savory dishes. If you’re still not completely on board with incorporating more tahini into your diet, these different tahini uses will convince you otherwise.
1. Tahini Cookies
If you’re looking for a sweet treat that’s not too sweet, these tahini cookies will certainly do the trick. The sesame seeds on the outside add just the perfect amount of crunch. Plus, these cookies are gluten-free and vegan.
2. BLT Sandwich with Tahini
There are so many different tahini uses, but they don’t all need to be elaborate recipes. Spread it on a sandwich, like this BLT, for an extra pop of flavor.
3. Tahini Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The nutty flavor of the tahini beautifully complements the earthy flavor of the Brussels sprouts. While this recipe calls for chicken sausage, feel free to leave it out for a (still delicious) meat-free meal.
4. Chocolate Babka Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich
When you think of babka, you likely think of that super flakey dessert with layers of chocolate. While this rendition of babka is in the form of a cookie, it’s nothing short of delicious and still embodies the nutty tahini flavor of traditional babka.
5. Tahini Salad Dressing
If you’re a tahini newbie, putting plain tahini on your salad may be somewhat daunting. This tahini salad dressing takes less than two minutes to make and is a bit less intimidating than eating tahini straight.
6. Tahini Maple Toast with Pan-Fried Bananas
If you find yourself constantly enjoying peanut butter on your toast, this is the perfect way to mix things up. While peanut butter is great, tahini has more nutrients and is more versatile. Once you try this sweet and nutty tahini maple spread, you’ll never go back to peanut butter.
7. Tahini Muffins
The healthy fats in tahini make these muffins incredibly rich and moist. These muffins are perfect to make on a Sunday as breakfast meal prep. You can store then in an air-tight container and enjoy all week, or you can freeze them for even longer enjoyment.
8. Tahini Farro Salad
As warm weather approaches, salads with citrus are ideal. The roasted lemon in this tahini farro salad lightens up the rich flavor from the tahini, making it the perfect summer salad.
9. Orange Salad with Spiced Tahini Dressing
Tahini isn’t only good as a dressing on savory salads. One of the sweeter ways to eat tahini is to mix it with honey and a bit of orange juice and drizzle it over some fresh fruit. This is great for a healthy breakfast or dessert.
10. Banana, Tahini, Cinnamon, and Ricotta Toast
If you’re looking for ways to upgrade your toast game, look no further. One of the greatest tahini uses is as a substitute for nut butter. Since it is filled with tons of healthy fats, this tahini toast will keep you full all morning.
11. Baked Falafel
Falafel is full of tahini and a great plant-based source of protein. You can add falafel to your salad or eat them alone. Bonus points if you dip them in more tahini.
12. Tahini Carrot Spice Cake with Walnuts
The flavorful spices of cinnamon and cardamom work with the mildness of the tahini to make a not-too-sweet cake. Plus, the spices make this cake so wildly fragrant you’ll be extra eager for it to come out of the oven (as if you weren’t eager already).
13. Smoked Paprika Carrot Soup with Green Tahini
While tahini is not ordinarily green, this green tahini sauce is made with parsley and cilantro. When drizzled over a smoky carrot soup, this recipe is perfect for those still chilly spring days.
14. Avocado and Tahini-Stuffed Sweet Potato with Arugula
This recipe is a simple way to elevate your ordinary roasted sweet potato. By loading the potato with avocado and arugula and dressing the potato with lemon garlic tahini sauce, you’ll have a much more satisfying meal.
15. Eggplant with Roasted Garlic Tahini and Pomegranate
This tahini sauce, mixed with white wine vinegar and Greek yogurt, makes a perfectly creamy, yet tangy sauce for roasted eggplant. Adding pomegranate not only makes your plate #InstaWorthy but also adds a bit of lightness to the dish.
16. Tahini Brownies with Chocolate Drizzle
The nutty flavor of the tahini is the star of these brownies. The tahini creates an incredibly decadent and flavorful dessert. If you want to really take it to the next level, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of the chocolate drizzle.
17. Shakshuka with Tahini and Olives
Shakshuka is a brunch staple on its own, but adding tahini on top adds a whole new dynamic. This dish typically consists of eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce, but the tahini mellows out a bit of that spice.
18. Roasted Garlic Tahini Cauliflower
Cauliflower is kind of plain on its own. However, when coupled with this tahini garlic sauce the cauliflower is elevated into a much more interesting dish.
While some may be unfamiliar with tahini, it’s a great addition to so many different meals. It’s such a versatile condiment, and there are plenty of tahini uses beyond your average hummus. It pairs well with both sweet and savory plates, making it easy to eat tahini all the time.