Tahini is essentially a nut butter made out of sesame seeds, but it's much more magical than peanut or almond. The health benefits are endless, and it can be transformed into anything, from salad dressings to delicious desserts. The most likely place you'll find it is mixed into hummus to add another layer of flavor.
I've been eating tahini in meals, ranging from breakfast to dinner since I was a little kid. Occasionally, I will even mix some raw tahini into yogurt in the mornings to start my day with an immediate health boost. When I found out some of my friends had never even heard of it, I was shocked. Tahini is the superfood everyone should be raving about. It's tastier and more versatile than kale, and it's just as healthy.
What Is Tahini?
Tahini is a sesame seed paste. It's super simple to make, as it consists of solely ground sesame seeds, either hulled or whole. Nothing else is added to raw tahini, but if you've ever eaten it, it probably wasn't raw. It is an integral ingredient in hummus and can also be made into a separate sauce by adding olive oil, lemon, and garlic.
Health Benefits
The complete list of raw tahini's health benefits is endless. It's full of healthy fats and omega 3's that lower cholesterol and fight inflammation. It's also a great source of protein, B vitamins, and vitamin E. Eating tahini can prevent iron deficiency, which leads to fatigue and low blood cell count. It's also full of copper, zinc, and selenium. So, it's essentially an immune system savior.
Tahini is also loaded with magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Studies show it improves skin health, heart health, and bone health, and that's only the condensed version. The more you read about it, the more it sounds like a miracle food.
How to Use it
The best part of it all is that tahini is as versatile as it is delicious. It's the superfood you'll actually want to eat (sorry quinoa). There are hundreds of tahini recipes, and you could probably eat it in a different form every day for a year, but to ease into it, here are four recipes, from breakfast to dessert, to get you acquainted.
1. Breakfast
This banana, tahini, and cinnamon ricotta toast will keep you going all day. The sweetness from the bananas complements the tahini perfectly, and the cinnamon adds the perfect kick. Starting your day with a big dose of potassium will keep you alert and energized.
2. Lunch
For lunch, keep it light and simple with a salad topped with this amazing tahini dressing. Any salad will work, but it tastes great when added to an Israeli salad. Adding the tahini will upgrade the meal and make it more filling than your average salad.
3. Dinner
There are so many easy ways to incorporate tahini into your dinner recipes. It's a great topping for roasted vegetables and a perfect companion for falafel. Try this chicken sausage and roasted Brussels sprouts recipe for starters.
4. Dessert
Tons of cake and cookie recipes involve tahini. If you're into food bloggers, then Molly Yeh is the tahini queen, but if you're looking for a dessert that is truly tahini, you must try halva. This dessert is made by combining sugar syrup and tahini, much like fudge. Unlike fudge, however, the texture is slightly fibrous and crumbly, and every bite melts in your mouth. There are several halva makers in the US, such as Seed + Mill, and nowadays, it's being upgraded and added to fancy desserts (like this chocolate halva cake).
Tahini is the perfect candidate to be the next big superfood. It's tasty, healthy and makes meals that are Instagram worthy. It's so easy to incorporate into any meal of the day, so why not start now?