Did you buy a jar of tahini for one recipe, but now you’re not sure what to do with the rest of it? Get ready to fall in love with tahini! I’m here with some incredibly tasty Vegan Recipes with Tahini that go way beyond hummus.
Tahini is one of my favorite ingredients to use as part of a whole foods diet, it’s a delicious and healthy way to get in some healthy fats and it’s so easy to incorporate into savory and sweet recipes. You’ll be so dazzled with these tahini recipes that this middle eastern sesame paste will become a MUST BUY on your weekly grocery list….love will do that for you.
Jump to:
What is Tahini?
- Tahini is made from hulled sesame seeds that have been ground into a paste, similar in texture to a creamy nut butter.
- Using toasted sesame seeds to make tahini from scratch will bring out a more nutty tahini flavor.
- Tahini is a key ingredient in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern recipes and is a valuable condiment in a vegan kitchen.
- Tahini has a subtle earthy flavor making it the perfect vehicle to work with. A little salt, some fresh herbs, a little lime juice, lots of lemon juice or a splash of orange juice will liven up a spoonful of tahini and turn it into a delicious sauce.
- The fats in tahini are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, the type of healthy fats that lower the harmful cholesterol levels.
Tahini Tips
- Grocery stores carry many brands of tahini….make sure to read the labels carefully to look for unwanted ingredients. Look for brands that contain just sesame seeds.
- Home cooks can use tahini in all sorts of ways, as a basic ingredient, so stock up for convenience.
- Make your own tahini to save money. It’s easy to grind toasted sesame seeds into a paste in a good quality food processor.
- The sesame oil separates from the ground sesame seeds while the tahini is sitting on shelves. You’ll need to give it a really good stir, scraping up any solid parts from the bottom of the jar to create a uniform, smooth paste to use in recipes.
- Store unused jars of tahini upside down in your pantry to help with the initial stir.
- Tahini is not naturally sweet. Use a small amount of maple syrup to balance the earthy, slightly bitter taste of tahini.
- If your tahini seizes up and gets super thick or curdled as you’re stirring in the liquid, don’t worry. Add a couple tablespoons of water and whisk tahini until is loosens up.
- The best tahini sauce is tangy with bold flavors like lemon zest, fresh parsley and plenty of fresh garlic.
- I store my tahini at room temperature in the pantry. IF your brand says to refrigerate after opening, I would go with their instructions….and always stir well before using.
What kind of Tahini to use?
- I stock up on Trader Joe’s Organic Tahini when I can….it’s thick and creamy, stored in glass and they sell it at a great price. They are often out of stock, so buy a few extra jars if you can. Tahini is shelf stable at room temperature.
- Baron’s Organic Tahini is smooth and creamy, contains no salt or other additives and is easy to stir and use. Comes in plastic, not glass, but it’s really good.
- Kevala Organic Tahini comes in glass and is reasonably priced. This brand had more oil separation than some of the others….so be sure to store it upside down in your pantry before opening to help the stirring process along.
- 365 by Whole Foods has a good Organic Tahini...it’s in plastic, not a glass jar, and it does contain a bit of salt though.
- Soom Tahini is made with roasted sesame seeds and has a fabulous, rich, nutty flavor. It’s reasonably priced, but it comes in plastic tubs.
- Find a brand that has just one ingredient: sesame seeds. And if you’re not on a low-sodium diet, maybe a bit of salt. Do not buy tahini that has oil as one of the ingredients…often brands will use inferior quality highly processed vegetable oils. Thrive Market has some excellent options!
Some Delicious Ways to Use Tahini
- It’s so versatile, you can use it in Sweet or Savory Recipes
- Use creamy tahini as a substitute for butter for dairy-free chocolate chip cookies.
- Sesame seed paste is awesome for Salad Dressings or a Creamy Sauce.
- Tahini has a nutty flavor that makes it a perfect sub for your favorite nut butters or peanut butter.
- The creamy texture makes it a great addition to Baba Ganoush or hummus.
- Tahini paste is awesome to use in desserts like brownies, tahini cookies, cakes and cobblers.
Savory Vegan Tahini Recipes
Vegan Recipes that use Tahini for sauces and salads, main dishes and sides, dips and dressings….you name it, adding tahini to the mix is a delicious idea!
Sesame Noodles with Veggies and Tahini
Sesame Noodles with crunchy vegetables and creamy Tahini Sauce can be enjoyed hot or cold. Serve it as a quick and easy weeknight dinner, a picnic side dish or take it to your neighborhood pot-luck. Everyone will adore this and beg for the recipe.
Sesame Noodles with Veggies and Tahini Sauce
Baked Falafel
You'll love this easy baked falafel recipe. They taste great inside a pita with some hummus and cabbage, or serve them as part of a mezze platter with an assortment of middle east vegan dips.
Baked Falafel Recipe
Whole Roasted Carrots with Spiced Tahini
Whole Roasted Carrots are seasoned with delicious spices and drizzled with an incredible lemon tahini dipping sauce. What all your side dish dreams are made of.
Roasted Carrots with Tahini Sauce
Roasted Eggplant with Tahini Sauce
Eggplant is sliced and roasted with fresh herbs and garlic, then topped with an herby lemon tahini sauce. One of the best Mediterranean Side Dishes out there!
Roasted Eggplant with Tahini Recipe
Pasta Salad
No mayo in this beauty….tahini sauce is the best dressing for a pasta salad if you're looking for great taste, nutritious, yet simple ingredients and a creamy, satisfying vegan pasta salad. I love the chickpeas, green peas and spinach in this easy pasta recipe.
Creamy Tahini Pasta Salad Recipe
Tahini Salad Dressings and Sauces
Tahini Salad Dressing Recipes, dips and Tahini Sauces that are easy to make and taste incredible. You’ll find classics like hummus and baba ghanoush, as well as fresh new ideas for tahini.
Creamy Vegan Caesar Dressing Recipe
Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing made with tahini, capers, lemon juice and garlic for a classic Caesar flavor. You'll adore this Tahini Caesar Dressing so much, it will become part of your weekly meal prep….not only is it great for a kale salad, but it's the best spread for a wrap or sammie and incredible on roasted veggies or baked sweet potatoes.
Tahini Caesar Dressing Recipe
Green Tahini Sauce
Ooh, this tahini sauce with lemon and herbs….so incredibly delish. Perfect for a vegan snack board, dressing on a pasta salad or drizzled onto your favorite veggie side dish.
Green Tahini Sauce Recipe
Low-Carb Hummus
This Cauliflower Hummus is big on flavor and low in carbs and calories. Cauliflower is roasted with garlic and then blended with tahini and lemon for perfect hummus flavor and texture. You'll love this lightened up version of a classic hummus.
Cauliflower Hummus Recipe
Lemon Tahini Dressing
This vegan dressing is creamy and tangy, easy to make and incredibly easy to make. Just a few simple ingredients, a whisk and 3 minutes will produce an amazingly delicious dressing to use on all the things!
Lemon Tahini Dressing
Baba Ganoush Recipe
You'll love this Recipe for Baba Ganoush…a Roasted Eggplant Dip that's mixed with garlic, lemon juice and sauteed veggies for a creamy, dairy-free dip that's super tasty and so delicious.
Baba Ganoush Recipe
Tahini Tartar Sauce
No may needed…..This Vegan Tartar Sauce is made with tahini and pickle juice! It's delicious and satisfying, perfectly spicy and tangy…and you're going to want to put it on ALL THE THINGS.
Vegan Tahini Tartar Sauce
Oil-free Hummus
Classic Hummus….with a few healthy twists. Tahini, lemon juice, garlic, spices and water are added to chickpeas for a creamy, delicious hummus.
Classic Hummus Recipe
Dessert Recipes that use Tahini
Tahini can be used for sweet recipes too. I love to use tahini to replace butter in sweet treats that are dairy-free and delicious. Check out these ideas for tahini brownies, blondies, cookies and more!
Vegan Tahini Brownies
Incredibly chocolate flavor and fudgy brownie texture make these Tahini Brownies a crowd favorite. They're easy to make with simple ingredients and no refined sugar or processed oil makes them perfect for a foodie with health goals.
Tahini Brownie Recipe
Vegan Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
This vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe is made with tahini and almond flour for perfectly moist and chewy centers with crisp edges and flavorful, melty chocolate chunks. It's an easy cookie recipe that's incredibly delicious and made with simple, wholesome ingredients.
Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie Reipe
Vegan Biscotti
Tahini keeps these biscotti rich and flavorful…I love the texture and they're perfectly sweetened with dates and dried cherries. These Vegan Biscotti are grain-free, easy to make and dunkably crunchy.
Vegan Biscotti Recipe
White Bean Blondies
An easy Blondie Recipe that's made with white beans and tahini….nobody will know these delicious blondies have secret ingredients that make them highly nutritious. They've got a fudgy texture, are perfectly moist and super tasty! Make a batch today and you'll see what all the buzz is about.
Vegan Blondie Recipe
Sesame Seed Cookies
These Sesame Seed Cookies are easy to make, incredibly delicious, use just one-bowl and ready in under 30 minutes. This cookie is mildly sweetened with maple syrup for the perfect compliment to a cup of tea. They're beautiful, delicious
Sesame Seed Cookies
Homemade Peach Cobbler
It's jammy, saucy, sweet and scrumptious…Oh hello peach cobbler…lovely to meet you! Tahini takes this simple grain-free cobbler topping to new heights. I make this cobbler with frozen fruit in the winter and fresh produce all summer long….a family favorite easy vegan dessert recipe.
Peach Cobbler Recipe
Vegan Ginger Cookies
Molasses, tahini and maple syrup make the perfect backdrop to ginger, cinnamon and allspice. These Chewy Ginger Cookies can be used just like gingerbread cookies….they're soft and chewy, super satisfying and incredibly delish!
Easy Vegan Ginger Cookie Recipe
Vegan Breakfast Recipes with Tahini
Vegan Tahini Recipes for Breakfast? You bet! Tahini is easy to incorporate into recipes, it contains plant-based protein and minerals and the healthy fats can help slow down the digestion of sugar to help avoid spikes.
Tahini Banana Bread
The only banana bread recipe you'll ever need…it's moist and delicious, easy to make and uses tahini and applesauce…so no added oil is needed! If you've been searching for a healthier banana bread recipe, look no further. This Tahini Banana Bread is ah-mazing….period. End of story.
Tahini Banana Bread Recipe
No Bake Grain-free Energy Bars
These soft and chewy breakfast bars are super easy to make, grain-free and so delicious! Perfect for breakfast, a grab and go snack or even dessert.
Energy Bar Recipe
Norma Salamanca
That tahini sauce made it lemon, lime and orange juice is pure genius! Can’t wait to try it!!!
DK Park
Wow ! These are amazingly looking dishes with Tahini! Every recipe looks incredibly delicious and very appealing too! We’ll definitely make this one at a time for taste these all! Loved them all!
Leslie
This is an incredible roundup and I love that you have SO many recipe variations for the use of tahini! There is something for everyone here!
Debra Klein
Tahini is so versatile…many don’t even realize how many delicious recipes with tahini there are!
Nicole
Love learning new ways to try spices. Thanks for the ideas.