30 Recipes That Show Just How Versatile Tahini Can Be

Looking for recipes with tahini? These 30 recipes use tahini in all sorts of ways, from desserts to dinners. You're sure to find something!

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Tahini was never a trendy ingredient to me. It was just something we always used, especially for hummus, and I still always have a jar somewhere in my kitchen. I use it often enough that I’m usually scraping the bottom of one jar while reminding myself to buy another. These recipes with tahini are all the places it has ended up over the years, way beyond hummus.

Bowl of chickpea fatteh made with mashed chickpeas, yogurt sauce, toasted pita, and pine nutes.
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35 Best Tahini Recipes

I use tahini in savory recipes the most, especially dressings, dips, and sauces, but I’ve gotten really into baking with it too. It has that slightly bitter, nutty flavor that I really like with chocolate and anything sweet. So the recipes with tahini here are a little all over the place, in a good way: salads, sauces, cookies, brownies, and plenty in between.

Hummus Recipes with Tahini

Overhead shot of recipe topped with oil, chickpeas, and parsley in a bowl served with pita chips on large plate.
Appetizer, Snack

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Two large heads of roasted garlic come together with chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and EVOO for the most amazing roasted garlic hummus you've ever tried!
 
1 hour
5 from 157 votes
Roasted red pepper hummus recipe.
Appetizer, Dips

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

This Roasted Red Pepper Hummus recipe is an easy and healthy snack to make with a few ingredients. It's rich and creamy with the best flavor!
 
15 minutes
5 from 47 votes
Beet hummus in a bowl garnished with fresh parsley that is set on a plate and surrounded with pita chips.
Appetizer, Dips, Snack

Beet Hummus Recipe

This beet hummus recipe uses a fresh, roasted beet and is made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, fresh garlic, and salt. Just blend everything together and serve.
 
55 minutes
5 from 13 votes
Blue plate with hummus, ground beef, pine nuts, parsley and tomatoes, with side of fried pita chips
Appetizer

Hummus with Ground Beef

This Hummus with Ground Beef recipe is a simple, authentic and popular Middle Eastern meal – easy to make with your favorite hummus, beef and pine nuts!
 
20 minutes
5 from 164 votes
Avocado Hummus.
Appetizer

Avocado Hummus

This avocado hummus is a modern twist on classic hummus and guacamole. It's an easy vegan snack or appetizer that tastes great with pita or veggie chips!
 
15 minutes
5 from 77 votes
Best chickpea fatteh recipe.
Entree

Fattet Hummus Recipe

Authentic Fattet Hummus with spiced chickpeas, tahini, warm yogurt sauce, and toasted pita bread layered together.
 
30 minutes
5 from 1 vote

Quick & Easy Recipes with Tahini

Oven Roasted Cauliflower.
Appetizer, Side Dish

Oven Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

This oven roasted cauliflower uses fresh cauliflower florets, lightly tossed in oil and seasoning, and then roasted in the oven for about 35 minutes until caramelized.
 
40 minutes
5 from 90 votes
Chicken Shawarma Salad.
Main Course

Chicken Shawarma Salad Recipe

Chicken Shawarma Salad bowl with skillet-cooked shawarma chicken, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and creamy tahini sauce.
 
30 minutes
5 from 182 votes
Appetizer

Greek Dip Recipe

This Greek dip is a 7-layer Mediterranean-style dip that is made with hummus, labneh, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, kalamata olives, and is served with pita chips.
 
20 minutes
5 from 93 votes
Chickpea ‘Tuna’ Salad.
Lunch, Salad

Chickpea ‘Tuna’ Salad Recipe

This easy chickpea 'tuna' salad recipe is made with canned chickpeas, Greek yogurt, fresh vegetables, and fresh herbs. It's ready in just 10 minutes!
 
10 minutes
5 from 313 votes
Hummus toast made with avocados, radishes and cilantro
Snack

Hummus Toast

This Hummus Toast recipe is an easy protein-packed healthy snack. You can make it using homemade or store-bought hummus and customize it with any toppings!
 
10 minutes
4.5 from 8 votes

Recipes with Tahini Salad Dressing

Chicken Shawarma Salad.
Main Course

Chicken Shawarma Salad Recipe

Chicken Shawarma Salad bowl with skillet-cooked shawarma chicken, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and creamy tahini sauce.
 
30 minutes
5 from 182 votes
Roasted vegetable quinoa bowl recipe.
Entree

Quinoa Bowl Recipe with Roasted Vegetables

This Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl is loaded with roasted vegetables and quinoa and topped with a tahini sauce.
 
1 hour
5 from 99 votes
Mediterranean hummus bowl recipe.
Main Course

Mediterranean Hummus Bowl

Easy and quick to make, a Mediterranean hummus bowl is a great healthy and filling meal. Made with quinoa, fresh vegetables and homemade hummus.
 
15 minutes
5 from 676 votes
Cauliflower salad.
Salad

Cauliflower Salad Recipe

Simple cauliflower salad with chickpeas, tahini lemon dressing, and fresh mint. Raw cauliflower holds up well and tastes even better after it sits. Great for meal prep.
 
20 minutes
5 from 18 votes
Quinoa buddha bowl made with chickpeas and sweet potatoes and topped with avocado
Entree

Quinoa Buddha Bowl

This vegan Quinoa Buddha Bowl is filled with nourishing roasted sweet potatoes, kale, crispy chickpeas, avocado and a tangy tahini dressing!
 
40 minutes
5 from 213 votes
Fall harvest salad recipe.
Salads, Side Dish

Fall Harvest Salad Recipe

Fall Harvest Salad with roasted sweet potatoes, kale, apples, candied pecans, feta, and a homemade maple tahini dressing.
 
55 minutes
5 from 36 votes

Vegetarian Recipes with Tahini

Three cauliflower pitas on a dish resting on top of one another with a small dish of tahini nearby.
Main Course

Vegan Pita Sandwich Recipe

This vegan pita sandwich is made with roasted spiced cauliflower, lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini sauce tucked into warm pita bread.
 
45 minutes
5 from 38 votes
Homemade fried falafel on a plate with a small dish of tahini sauce.
Entree

Falafel Recipe

Authentic falafel recipe made with dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight and blended with fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, onion, and Middle Eastern spices, which is then fried until extra crispy.
 
30 minutes
4.9 from 356 votes
Smash falafel pita open-faced sandwich on a plate with tomatoes, red onions, parsley, pickles and tahini sauce drizzled on top
Sandwich

Smash Falafel Pita

Smash Falafel Pita is a new way to enjoy falafel by smashing the batter on pita and frying it on a skillet – it's an easy quick trend to try!
 
12 hours 20 minutes
4.9 from 14 votes
Closeup of a small bowl of tahini pasta salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, bell pepper, parsley, and olives.
Salads

Tahini Pasta Salad

Packed with fresh veggies, chickpeas, and healthy fats, this tahini pasta salad is delicious, filling, and easy to make!
 
1 hour 20 minutes
4.9 from 32 votes
Chickpea fritters on a plate with a bowl of dipping sauce.
Appetizer

Chickpea Fritters Recipe

Crispy chickpea fritters served with tahini sauce and made with pantry ingredients like canned chickpeas, flour, Parmesan, and parsley.
 
18 minutes
5 from 846 votes
Oven roasted chickpea shawarma in a bowl.
Main Course

Vegan Shawarma Recipe

Homemade vegan chickpea shawarma with chickpeas, vegetables, shawarma spices, and tahini sauce. A weeknight-friendly recipe for bowls or wraps.
 
45 minutes
5 from 33 votes

Dinner Recipes with Tahini

Chicken Fatteh.
Entree

Lebanese Chicken Fatteh

This authentic Lebanese Chicken Fatteh is an amazing combo of flavors made with yogurt, spiced shredded chicken, chickpeas, toasted pine nuts & pita bread!
 
25 minutes
5 from 237 votes
Easy chicken shawarma recipe.
Main Course

Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Easy homemade chicken shawarma recipe made with chicken thighs and a shawarma marinade that has been passed down through my Middle Eastern family for generations.
 
25 minutes
4.9 from 105 votes
Ground beef arayes recipe.
Appetizer, Main Course, Sandwich

Arayes

Quick and easy to make, arayes is a popular Lebanese recipe which is basically meat stuffed pitas made with onions, tomatoes, parsley and spices
 
20 minutes
5 from 267 votes
Sayadiah on a platter with rice.
Entree

Sayadieh Recipe

Sayadieh made with spiced basmati rice, caramelized onions, and pan-fried cod topped with toasted almonds and parsley.
 
40 minutes
5 from 357 votes
Beef shawarma wrap rolled up in a pita bread, alongside french fries
Sandwich

Beef Shawarma Wrap

Beef Shawarma Wrap is a popular street food especially in the Middle East. Its made with flank steak, wrapped in pita bread with vegetables & tahini sauce
 
20 minutes
5 from 570 votes
Closeup of samke harra on a small plate over Lebanese rice with pine nuts and parsley on top.
Entree

Samke Harra (Spicy Fish)

Samke Harra made with baked cod, tahini lemon sauce, toasted pine nuts, and parsley. A classic Lebanese spicy fish recipe.
 
30 minutes
5 from 8 votes

Dessert Recipes with Tahini

Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Dessert, Snack

Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies have a Middle Eastern twist by swapping half the butter in traditional chocolate chip cookies with tahini (sesame paste).
 
25 minutes
5 from 92 votes
Easy turmeric cake recipe, or Lebanese sfouf recipe, on a plate.
Dessert

Sfouf (Turmeric Cake)

Sfouf is a Middle Eastern semolina turmeric cake, made with simple ingredients, no eggs and no butter. It's vegan-friendly, and quick to make
 
40 minutes
5 from 329 votes
Halva recipe.
Dessert

Halva Recipe

This traditional halva is made with tahini, sugar, pistachios and rose water for an authentic Middle Eastern dessert that’s rich but simple!
 
2 hours 55 minutes
5 from 1 vote
Namoura.
Dessert

Namoura

This Namoura recipe, also known as Basbousa or Semolina cake is a classic Lebanese dessert made with semolina flour and soaked in simple syrup
 
1 hour 55 minutes
5 from 55 votes
Stack of 3 brownies with a small square of parchment between each piece.
Dessert

Tahini Brownies

Made with tahini, almond flour, and dark chocolate, these Tahini Brownies are full of delicious flavor with the best fudgy texture. Easy to make in one bowl and bakes into a delicious dessert!
 
1 hour 22 minutes
5 from 13 votes
Dubai chocolate bar recipe.
Dessert

Dubai Chocolate Bar

This homemade version of the viral Dubai Chocolate Bar is an easy-to-make recipe with 3 main ingredients and chocolate molds. The result is a crunchy sweet and unique chocolate bar!
 
1 hour 17 minutes
4.9 from 26 votes

Tips for Making Recipes with Tahini

  1. Stir well. Tahini can sometimes separate in the jar, so be sure to stir it well before using it to ensure that the oil and sesame paste is fully mixed.
  2. Adjust consistency. Depending on the recipe, you may need to adjust the consistency of the tahini by adding more water or oil to thin it out.
  3. Use it as a condiment. Tahini can be used as a condiment to add a nutty sesame seed flavor to dishes, such as a drizzle on roasted vegetables, or mixed with lemon and garlic as a sauce for grilled meats.
  4. Store properly. Tahini should be stored in a cool, dry place and can last up to six months when stored properly. It can also be refrigerated for longer shelf life.

How To Store Leftovers

  • Cool it down. Make sure to cool any hot recipes to room temperature before storing.
  • Label everything with the name and date. Keep track of all your leftovers so you know how long you have to enjoy them or toss them if needed.
  • Use plastic containers or freezer bags. Keep your food fresh by storing food in airtight containers.
  • Save or trash? If you have any perishable items (like meat or dairy), make sure to store them in the fridge. If they have sat out longer than 4 hours, it’s probably best to throw it out.

FAQs

Can I use tahini as a substitute for other ingredients?

Tahini can be used as a substitute for ingredients such as mayonnaise, sour cream, or even peanut butter in some recipes, but keep in mind that it has a distinct flavor that may not work well in all recipes.

What is tahini made from?

Tahini is made from ground roasted sesame seeds blended with oil to create a smooth paste. The traditional method involves using hulled sesame seeds, but unhulled sesame seeds can also be used for a slightly bitter and nuttier taste. For more information about tahini, head over to my comprehensive post on what it is.

What is the best way to store tahini?

Tahini should be stored in a cool, dry place and can last up to six months when stored properly. It can also be refrigerated for longer shelf life. Like other seed and nut butters, it will become thicker when chilled, so I recommend letting it come to room temperature first before using it in recipes.

What should I look for when buying tahini at the store?

Look for tahini made from either hulled sesame seeds for a milder flavor or unhulled sesame seeds for a more robust taste, which may impart a slightly bitter flavor. Check the ingredient label to make sure the tahini contains sesame seeds only and no additives, sweeteners, or thickeners.

Check out the picture cards for all the recipes listed above. You can click on any of the recipes cards to take you directly to those recipes.

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