20 Recipes with Tahini

1. Tahini sauce

We start this list with one of our favorite ways of using tahini; creamy tahini sauce.

It's a versatile dressing to drizzle over salads, falafel, and grain bowls with a luscious texture and nutty undertones. You can also serve it as a dip with potatoes and pita chips for an easy appetizer.

2. Yogurt tahini dressing

This velvety, creamy tahini yogurt sauce adds a nutty dimension to stuffed veggies, salads, and stews.

With a blend of tangy yogurt and rich tahini, it's a 5-minute sauce that perfectly complements a variety of Mediterranean recipes.

3. Easy tahini salad

Wondering how to use tahini with salads? Try this quick tahini salad with crispy chickpeas and fresh veggies.

Eat it as a side or main dish with warm pita bread, falafel, and hummus.

4. Creamy sesame noodles

Tahini is the secret ingredient that makes the peanut sesame sauce velvety creamy.

We love this Asian-inspired dish for its chewy noodles, slightly sweet peanut sauce, and refreshing cucumber and mango on the side.

5. Hummus

Making hummus is as simple as blending chickpeas, tahini, a splash of lemon juice, and a clove of garlic.

The right type of tahini will elevate your hummus, giving it a creamy-dreamy texture with a subtle nutty taste and silky mouth feel.

6. Mediterranean bowl

A velvety tahini drizzle perfectly complements colorful vegetables, protein-rich chickpeas, and crispy pita.

We eat this Mediterranean bowl for dinner with dips of all kinds, dressings with tahini, and garnish with lemon and fresh herbs.

7. Fatteh

This loaded hummus recipe is elevated by a double dose of tahini, creating a Middle-Eastern mix of flavors and textures.

The luscious tahini in the hummus and the yogurt sauce adds a rich depth to this appetizer that's both indulgent and satisfying.

8. Buddha bowl

Tahini makes a creamy addition to this Buddha bowl with fresh vegetables, grains, and lean protein.

The tahini peanut butter dressing adds nutty richness and healthy fats to this grain bowl.

9. Baba Ganoush

Eggplant dip, or baba ganoush, is a creamy and smooth dip infused with lemon and tahini.

The combination of rich tahini and zesty lemon creates an indulgent dip, perfect for dipping pita and veggies.

10. Whole roasted cauliflower

Whole roasted cauliflower is a tasty centerpiece covered in harissa marinade and a refreshing lemon tahini sauce.

Enjoy this Mediterranean dish with couscous, hummus, shirazi salad, and pita bread.

11. Mutabal

This yogurt dip with charred eggplant is packed with creamy tahini.

Also known as Mutabal, this dish combines tender eggplant with nutty tahini into a perfect starter and mezze idea.

12. Roasted cauliflower salad

Tender cauliflower florets are perfectly complemented by crispy chickpeas and drizzled with a lusciously healthy tahini sauce.

This vibrant salad is excellent for meal prep and lunchbox meals as it stores well in the fridge.

13. Avocado spread

We blend avocado with lemon and tahini to achieve a creamy-dreamy texture and a rich nutty flavor.

If you haven't tried the combination of avocado and tahini yet, you are in for a treat. It's perfect in sandwiches, wraps, and as a dip served with fresh veggies.

14. Couscous salad

What is good to eat with tahini? This easy couscous salad is an excellent pairing with tahini sauce and tahini yogurt dressing.

To make the couscous tastier, we drizzle it with tahini sauce made with tahini, lemon juice, water, and garlic. It adds umami, creaminess, and a wonderful nutty flavor to your grains.

15. Tofu cream cheese

Blending tofu and tahini creates a lusciously smooth and rich vegan cream "cheese".

Make this 5-minute spread and eat it in bagels, sandwiches, and on bruschetta.

16. White bean dip

White bean dip with tahini is a velvety smooth and delicious appetizer idea.

It's an easy recipe you can make in 5 minutes with seven ingredients and a food processor, perfect with focaccia and pasta sauce.

17. Lentil carrot salad

Smooth tahini pairs with (almost) any vegetable and legume. Try it with earthy lentils and vibrant carrots.

The tahini sauce adds a luxurious creaminess that complements the cumin dressing and fresh herbs.

18. Easy lentil hummus

The tender texture of lentils pairs well with nutty tahini in this earthy lentil hummus.

Make it with canned lentils for a 5-minute dip idea, and serve it with toasted bread and your favorite fresh veggies.

19. Oil-free granola

Tahini is a natural and wholesome ingredient that allows us to replace oil in this healthy granola recipe.

It adds a ton of flavor and nutty, earthy notes that hugs the nuts and oats and makes the granola extra crunchy.

20. Stuffed eggplant

We end this list with a glorious stuffed eggplant variation.

Try these tender eggplant boats with a layer of yogurt tahini sauce, a generous amount of couscous salad, and a tahini drizzle. It's a Mediterranean feast that is wholesome, delicious, and excellent for guests.

How to pick the right tahini

Tahini or tahina (طحينة in Arabic) is a sesame seed paste that has a rich and nutty flavor.

It's used as a condiment, usually mixed or diluted with other ingredients, in most countries in the Levant and Easter-Mediterranean regions and some North African countries.

When you look for tahini, go for:

• Light beige color, not dark.
• Smooth and creamy texture, but quite runny.
• Imported from Lebanon or Palestine, with Arabic text on the package.
• No other ingredients apart from sesame seeds should appear on the label.

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