25 Delicious Recipes With Tahini

Tahini is about to become your new favorite spread. Tahini is like the cousin to peanut butter. It has a similar consistency and is super nutty in flavor. Even though tahini tastes nutty, it actually isn’t made from nuts at all. The flavorful spread is made from a blend of sesame seeds and oil. If you are new to the spread or a returning fan, you will love these 25 Delicious Recipes With Tahini. 

Tahini is a super versatile ingredient. It works well in savory main courses, sweet desserts, and is even great first thing in the morning for breakfast. The spread is also a great substitute when cooking if you are looking for a vegan alternative or replacing dairy products. Its creaminess lends to a similar texture and makes for an excellent swap. 

All of the recipes below are guaranteed to make you fall in love with tahini. A simple dish like Grilled Tahini Chicken will highlight the ingredient classically, while Tahini Chocolate Chunk Cookies will show off what tahini can do when it takes a sweet turn. No matter what route you take with tahini, it will be a good one. See for yourself with the recipes below and enjoy!

1. Creamy Vegan Tahini Pasta 

We’re starting off our list with a tasty dish that couldn’t be easier to make. If you have a blender, you are already halfway to having this creamy vegan tahini pasta on your plate. The blender is the key to making this super creamy tahini sauce. Garlic, nutritional yeast, Bragg’s liquid aminos, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and some pasta water blend together with the tahini to make a perfectly smooth sauce. 

2. Grilled Tahini Chicken

A simple dish in preparation with a complex taste is the perfect way to describe this grilled tahini chicken recipe. This recipe takes boneless chicken thighs and breasts and marinates them in a tahini mixture that’s bursting with flavors. It is recommended that you let the chicken sit in the marinade for up to 4 hours, allowing for it to absorb all the possible flavors. After the flavor bath, it is grilled over high heat, turning the chicken super tender and incredibly juicy. 

3. Creamy Lemon Tahini Pasta

Have 15 minutes? Then you have just enough time to make this creamy lemon tahini pasta. Not only does the pasta come together quickly, but it only requires 15 ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry. Did I mention that this pasta dish is dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free? You can thank us later for putting this recipe on your radar. 

4. Creamy Tahini Soba Noodles 

Refreshing isn’t typically how a noodle dish is described, but that is exactly what this creamy tahini soba noodle dish is. The dish is served cold with vegetables that don’t need warm temperatures to shine. Tofu, edamame, carrots, cucumbers, and red bell peppers are tossed alongside the soba noodles and covered in the tahini sauce to make a dish that will delight your taste buds. Don’t love carrots and like yellow bell peppers instead? Feel free to customize this dish to your liking. 

5. Chili Lime Tahini Sauce 

Have you ever tried a sauce so good that you want to drink it with a straw? That is this chili lime tahini sauce in a nutshell. The sauce only has 6 ingredients and takes about 5 minutes to put together. What I love about this sauce is how versatile it is. It is great for tacos, chicken, fish, salads, and more. It has a little spice, a slightly nutty flavor, is super creamy, and is zesty from the lime. What more could you want?

6. Roasted Eggplant With Tahini Sauce

Take a trip to the Mediterranean all without leaving your kitchen, thanks to this roasted eggplant with tahini sauce. Eggplant and tahini is a classic combination that is always a good idea. The roasted eggplant has a mild flavor, making it the perfect vehicle for the tahini sauce. What I love about this recipe is that it is a whole meal in itself. However, if you need protein, it makes an excellent side dish, too. 

7. Tahini Chocolate Chunk Cookies 

Tahini isn’t just for savory dishes. In fact, tahini is a staple ingredient in many cultures when it comes to dessert. Take these tahini chocolate chunk cookies, for example. The creamy tahini turns into a nutty flavor that pairs seamlessly with the chocolate chunks. Don’t forget to add a sprinkle of sea salt when these cookies come out of the oven. It will balance out the sweetness of the cookies and create the perfect salty-sweet bite. 

8. Vegan Tahini Date Cookies 

If chocolate in the recipe above isn’t speaking to you, but the idea of tahini in cookies sounds excellent, try these vegan tahini date cookies instead. Even if you are not a big baker, you’ll be able to nail these cookies. With only three ingredients, they are pretty hard to screw up. Oats, dates, and tahini mix together in a food processor to create a thick dough. That dough is then shaped into balls of cookie dough and baked for 10 minutes. It’s seriously that simple. 

9. Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes

Sour cream, cheese, and bacon bits take a back seat when it comes to these loaded sweet potatoes. Instead of the typical potato fixings, these sweet potatoes are loaded with chickpeas and lemon-tahini sauce. Not only are the sweet potatoes topped with the tasty tahini sauce, but they are also in the sweet potatoes as well. Right after the potatoes are cooked, the soft flesh is mixed with the tahini sauce to make a combination that is out of this world. 

10. Simple Tahini Brownies 

If you are a fan of peanut butter in your brownies, chances are you will be all over tahini in your brownies. The tahini adds a bit of a nutty flavor to the brownies that elevate these treats to the next level. Do yourself a favor and make a double batch of these brownies and put the extra in the freezer. The brownies freeze up super well and make for an excellent treat right out of the freezer. 

11. Spicy Tahini Noodles With Bok Choy

The next time you need a new idea for dinner, pull out this recipe of spicy tahini noodles with bok choy. The spice level on these noodles is just right. Not too hot to make them unable to eat but spicy enough to add to the flavor. The creamy tahini sauce helps soothe the spice, making for the perfect bite. This recipe will easily turn into one of your go-to dinner ideas. 

12. Salted Caramel Tahini Cups 

You know when you are craving something sweet but don’t want to go all out with a cookie or a piece of cake? Turn to these salted caramel tahini cups. They are the perfect-sized treat to satisfy that sweet tooth. The little cups are basically like a play on classic peanut butter cups. Tahini replaces the chocolate, and dates replace the peanut butter filling. The treats are not overwhelming with sweetness and fall rather healthy on the indulgence scale, making it okay to go back for seconds. 

13. Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Tahini Sauce

Impress your guests at your next dinner party with this whole roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce. It’s a restaurant-quality dish that can easily be made in your home kitchen. To make this dish, a whole cauliflower is roasted with a flavorful spice mixed until it is super tender. It then gets charred and sprinkled with a creamy tahini sauce. The sauce is super versatile and can be used as a topping for all your favorite vegetables. 

14. Creamy Tahini Caesar Dressing

Regular Caesar dressing will be a thing of the past once you get your hands on this creamy tahini Caesar dressing. The dressing takes everything you love about the traditional salad dressing and reinvents the flavors with the addition of tahini. The dressing is great for Caesar salads but also an excellent topping for chicken, vegetables, and even makes a solid dip. You’ll want to make a big batch of this dressing and keep it in your fridge so you can use it whenever you want.   

15. Harissa Tahini Sauce

Why choose between harissa and tahini when you can have both? That is exactly what this sauce does, as it combines the two condiments into one excellent blend. The sauce is extra smooth from the tahini and slightly zesty and spicy from the harissa. Most importantly, it is a great topping for pretty much anything you can think of. Use it for tacos, drizzle it over your rice bowls, or place it all over your grilled chicken or fish. 

16. Spicy Tahini Tofu Stir Fry

Weeknight dinner never sounded so good, thanks to this spicy tahini tofu stir fry. This tahini sauce revolutionizes your boring weeknight dinner in the best way possible. Perfectly crisp tofu mixes with a blend of tahini, sriracha, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Not a fan of tofu? Not a problem. Sub out the tofu for your favorite protein for a stir-fry bowl full of goodness.  

17. Honey Tahini Cookies

Are you craving something sweet but not overly rich? Then these honey tahini cookies will hit the spot. The cookies are rich in tahini but not overwhelming in sweetness. The honey makes them just sweet enough so they hit the sweet spot, but not in an overpowering way. Save these for dessert after a heavy dinner with a soothing cup of tea. 

18. Whole Roasted Carrots With Maple Tahini 

Whole roasted carrots show off what tahini can do in this star side dish. These carrots are roasted until they are perfectly tender and then topped with a maple tahini sauce. The maple syrup mixes with the tahini to add a subtle sweetness that pairs perfectly with the carrots. Serve this dish alongside any main course. Don’t be surprised if it steals the show, though! 

19. Roasted Broccolini With Tahini Sauce

Ditch the boring greens of spinach or steamed brussel sprouts and replace them with this roasted broccolini with tahini sauce. This side dish takes a leafy green vegetable and turns it into a star dish that everyone will want seconds of. The roasted broccolini gets topped with creamy tahini sauce sweetened with a subtle hint of honey. Sliced almonds (or the nut of your choice) top the dish to make this side dish anything but boring.  

20. Easy Baked Salmon With Lemon Tahini Sauce

There is something about an easy dinner that makes dinner taste even better. Case in point: this easy baked salmon dish topped with lemon tahini sauce. All you have to do is place your salmon on a sheet pan and top it with the tahini sauce. All of the vegetables go on the same sheet pan too, making cooking even easier. Eat this fish on its own, toss it in a salad, or serve it on top of soba noodles. It’s super simple in the best way possible. 

21. Creamy Tahini Banana Shake 

There is no limit on the number of ways tahini can be used. This creamy tahini banana shake adds another method of using tahini to the list. This shake is the definition of creamy all-in-one sip. The tahini blends with unsweetened almond milk, a dash of cinnamon, dates, and bananas. It’s decadent in a healthy way. Think of it like a dessert smoothie that is even appropriate for breakfast. 

22. Kale & Cranberry Salad With Tahini Cider Dressing

Salad as a main course can often leave you unsatisfied and wanting a little more. However, that is quite the opposite when it comes to this salad. You’ll want more, but that is because it is so good. The salad is vegan, but if you are not a vegan, feel free to add chicken breast, fish, or even some sliced steak into the mix. Tofu will also be a great addition. 

23. Chickpeas In Lemon-Tahini Broth 

I know what you are thinking, tahini in soup? It is actually a great ingredient to thicken the soup without using heavy cream or other dairy-based thickeners. The tahini not only makes the soup creamy but it adds a nuttiness that complements the chickpeas in the broth. Bookmark this recipe the next time you want to warm up with a big bowl of soothing soup. It will be the best kind of pick-me-up on a super chilly day. 

24. Mayo-Free Vegan Coleslaw With Spicy Tahini Sauce

Did you know that tahini can be used as a substitute for mayonnaise? It has a similar creaminess that makes it the perfect replacement for the spread. Here it subs out mayo in creamy coleslaw, but still keeps that silky texture. Two types of crunchy cabbage are mixed with the creamy tahini, along with carrots, scallions, sunflower seeds, cashews, and cilantro. After one bite, you’ll never want to make plain coleslaw again. 

25. Tahini Pad Thai 

Next time you are craving take-out Thai food, put down the delivery app and make this tahini pad Thai instead. This play on pad thai combines rice noodles, tofu, and crunchy veggies with a creamy tahini lime sauce. The creamy sauce is what makes this dish stand out from the crowd. The tahini mixes with lime juice, coconut sugar, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce to make a sauce that you will want to put on just about everything. Plus, the dish will be ready in under 30 minutes, which is what you would have probably had to wait for your takeout anyway.