Think that jar of tahini is only good for homemade hummus? Think again. From the sweet to the savory, there are so many ways to use tahini and so many great things to slather it on. It's the magical ingredient hiding in your cupboard just waiting for you to bust it out.
I know it can be hard to branch out sometimes, but seriously you have got to try adding tahini to your recipes. Or better yet, get started with these super yummy tahini recipes. Prepare yourself, you're about to go crazy over tahini.
1. Potato Leek Tahini Soup
Haven't had tahini in a soup? This recipe is a good one to break you in. The nutty flavor from the ground sesame seeds in the tahini gives a complementary boost to the traditional flavors of potato leek soup, really letting this soup shine.
2. Roasted Carrot and Tahini Soup with Chickpeas
Love what tahini did in the potato leek soup? Give your roasted carrot soup a boost with it too. Sweet, nutty, and creamy, you'll be excited about your carrot soup makeover.
3. Maple Tahini Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges
Forget ketchup. Your sweet potato fries are just waiting to be smothered in a creamy, sweet tahini-maple sauce.
4. Grilled Chicken Shawarma Salad with Tahini Dressing
When you deconstruct the Middle Eastern dish that is the shawarma and turn it into a salad, it needs a dressing that can hold up to all the flavors going on. Enter tahini. Whipped into a citrusy dressing, drizzle it all over the spiced marinated chicken and veggie fixings for a flavorful yet healthy meal.
5. Veggie BLT with Tahini Chipotle Mayo
Let's get this straight. There is technically no bacon on this sandwich. Wait, don't go running yet! Instead, it's load with sweet, smokey, amazing coconut bacon flakes. Now we're talking. That is piled onto two slices of sourdough bread with ripe heirloom tomatoes, crisp lettuce, an oozing egg, and a homemade spicy chipotle tahini mayo.
6. Fresh Greek Nachos with Herbed Tahini Sauce
So technically like the BLT, this isn't a traditional dish. But that doesn't matter. What does matter is how refreshingly good it is and how simple it is to make. First, toast some fresh pita. Then pile it high with chopped cucumbers, fresh tomatoes, green onion, kalamata olives, parsley, garlic, and a homemade herbed tahini sauce. If you still find you need cheese, sprinkle on some fresh feta.
7. Turmeric Falafel + Harissa Tahini
Harissa tahini is the new hummus you'll want to smother on everything. Including these scrumptious falafels. While the recipe does sub out carbs for Romaine lettuce, you could easily sandwich this between some fresh pita.
8. Simple Baba Ganoush
Meet baba ganoush, hummus' smoky savory cousin. Baba ganoush is a Mediterranean dish often served with warm pita bread or as a spread. The main difference between it and hummus is it uses eggplant instead of chickpeas. For anyone trying to make it at home for the first time, this is a great recipe to start. Keeping things simple all you'll need is an eggplant, fresh lemon juice, garlic sea salt, and tahini.
9. Green Tahini Sauce
This versatile tahini sauce will be your new love. Its got fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and fresh lemon juice. And it tastes good smeared on everything. Use it as a sandwich spread, drizzle it on chicken kabobs, turn it into a salad dressing, dip your fries in it, or use it any delicious way you see fit. It's like your favorite hummus recipe, except more versatile.
10. Tahini and Raspberry Stuffed Dates
We love our chip and dip pairings as much as the next person, but sometimes it's fun to trade in the classic appetizers for a fresh new take. That is where these tahini stuffed dates come in hand. Your guests will never see these coming.
11. Tahini Fig Smoothie
For those finding themselves in a morning smoothie rut, mix up the usual ingredients and give this gluten-free, vegan recipe a try. It has a touch of sweetness, a hint of nuttiness, and the energy boost you need to start your day right. And to make it even healthier, use organic tahini.
12. Tahini Espresso Bowls
Now, this is how you should be powering up in the morning. It's full of protein thanks to the tahini, comes loaded with caffeine from the espresso powder, and has a sweet hint from banana and maple syrup. Grab a spoon and dig in.
13. Tahini Cookies
Sweet and savory, these gluten-free and Paleo cookies are all about the tahini. This unassuming ingredient turns this chewy treat into a salty, nutty cookie you'll be gobbling up right off the baking sheet. Pair it with a raspberry black tea latte and you've got yourself a stellar tea time.
14. Grain-Free Tahini Brownies
If you thought avocados were a tremendous secret brownie ingredient, you need to try tahini. And we've got the best tahini brownies recipe for you. Chewy, fudgy, and a little nutty give in to your sweet tooth with this paleo friendly and gluten-free recipe. If you're feeling a little too wholesome, you could always add a scoop of ice cream.
15. Homemade Tahini
Want to take things to an expert level? Ditch the store-bought tahini and make your own instead. The whole process to make this seed butter is easier than you may think.
This homemade recipe calls for raw hulled sesame seeds, salt, and sunflower oil. Olive oil and sesame oil works too if you don't have sunflower oil on hand. You'll want to puree the white sesame seeds with the oil and salt in a food processor until you get a nice and smooth paste consistency. See that gorgeous sesame paste? That's tahini. Use at your leisure, but be forewarned, you may start trading in all the peanut butter or other nut butters for tahini instead.
