Tahini is all the rage. Here are 7 ways to use it.
Tahini seems to be everywhere. The condiment — a peanut butter-like paste made from hulled sesame seeds that are toasted and then ground — probably best known in the West as an ingredient in hummus and as the base for a namesake sauce commonly drizzled over a falafel sandwich. It is widely used in Mediterranean and Asian cuisine for both savory and sweet dishes. Lately, the earthy, nutritious mash is lending its deep, nutty flavor to Western-style savory dishes and baked goods as well. It is particularly handy to use as a vegan substitute for both heavy cream and egg-based mayonnaise. These recipes offer different ways to use tahini.
Incorporating tahini into sweet baked goods was a game changer for me. Rich and chewy Tahini Shortbread Cookies are addictive. Just barely sweet — think mellow halva — the sesame flavor shines through the tender, crumbly shortbread making it impossible to eat just one. They are so popular that I always make a double batch.
Blended into the batter, tahini helps balance the sweetness of the chocolate in Gluten-Free Buckwheat Brownies With Tahini Whipped Cream. Almost mousse-like, the whipped cream adds an extra layer of creaminess to the fudgy brownies (though they are pretty spectacular without it, too). This is one gluten-free treat that even devotees of glutinous products will not refuse.
Turmeric lends a bright, golden hue to the tahini sauce in Tofu Bowls With Avocado, Cabbage and Turmeric Tahini, making for a flavorful dressing that complements the citrusy cabbage and creamy avocado. Good as a side dish or a vegetarian main course, Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Spicy Tahini Sauce makes a stunning presentation and the lemony tahini sauce is packed with flavor that complements the smoky cauliflower.
Tahini-Herb Pasta Salad swaps tahini for heavy cream. Completely plant-based and teeming with fresh herbs, this is a flavorful, easy dish that will please carnivores and vegans alike.
Bonus: If you’re picnicking on a sunny day, it will leave your pasta salad less susceptible to spoiling than with a mayonnaise or cream-based dressing.
A Green Tahini Sauce is a colorful change from beige-ish aioli, which was the inspiration for this vegan stand-in for the egg-yolk-based condiment. Served as a dipping sauce with crudites or roasted veggies, it makes a wonderful appetizer or main course.
Of course, we must pay homage to the classic use of tahini in hummus. It enhances the flavor and creaminess of the deservedly well-loved chickpea puree. Most often served with pita bread as an appetizer, Hummus Tehina also makes a great sandwich spread and accompaniment to grilled meats and veggies.
Simply seasoned tofu adds heft to this easy grain bowl tricked out with avocado, turmeric-spiced tahini and chile crisp.
Time30 minutes
YieldsServes 4
Soft and chewy, with a rich, nutty flavor and just the right hint of sweetness, these tahini shortbread cookies were one of the five favorites from the Los Angeles Times seventh Holiday Cookie Bake-Off.
Time40 minutes
YieldsMakes about 3 ½ dozen cookies
What makes this hummus is that it’s very tehina-rich.
Time2 hours 15 minutes
YieldsMakes a generous 3 cups hummus
For the best flavor, lightly char the outside of a whole cauliflower, then drench it in a bright lemon-tahini sauce.
Time1 hour 30 minutes, largely unattended
YieldsServes 2 to 4
Tahini forms the creamy base for a chickpea pasta teeming with fresh herbs.
Time30 minutes
YieldsServes 4
The bitterness from the tahini, cacao nibs and buckwheat flour helps balance the sweetness of the brownies so that they eat like a chewy bar of high-quality chocolate.
Time45 minutes
YieldsMakes 12 to 16 brownies
This pale green herb-and-garlic-flavored tahini sauce gives a Middle Eastern twist to this great vegan stand-in for egg-yolk-based aioli.
Time15 minutes
YieldsMakes a generous cup
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