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White bowl of tahini with wooden spoon overflowing with sesame seeds showing what is tahini, how it's made, tahini benefits, and how to use it.

What is Tahini?

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These days tahini is found in a lot of recipes from sauces, dressings, and marinades to cookies and fudge. So you might be wondering, what exactly is it? And does tahini have dairy?

Let’s find out.

White bowl of tahini with wooden spoon overflowing with sesame seeds on vintage blue showing what is tahini, how it's made, tahini benefits, and how to use it.

What is Tahini

Tahini is sesame seed butter. You can make tahini by roasting and grinding sesame seeds.

This is similar to how you can make almond or peanut butter from roasting the nuts and then griding them into a paste.

Tahini is found in Mediterranean and middle eastern cuisine, most famously as a key ingredient in hummus.

Does Tahini have Dairy or Gluten?

No. Dairy comes from the milk glands of mammals. You know dairy products like milk, cheese, kefir, and cream. Gluten is the proteins in certain grains including barley, rye, and wheat.

Tahini is just ground sesame seeds and is therefore dairy free and gluten free.

The Benefits of Tahini

Tahini is the blended butter or paste made from grinding roasted sesame seeds, so it has all of the benefits of sesame seeds. They provide many micro-nutrients and minerals such as copper, manganese, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and more.

Sesame seeds, and therefore tahini, also have lignans which are linked to lower cholesterol and preventing high blood pressure. Learn more here.

White bowl of tahini with wooden spoon overflowing with sesame seeds showing what is tahini, how it's made, tahini benefits, and how to use it.

Tahini for specific diets and allergies

Tahini makes a great addition to vegan dishes as a faux cream sauce. It adds protein and creamy texture without any animal byproducts.

Those allergic to nuts or peanuts can use seed butter like tahini as a substitute in recipes calling for nut butter. Another popular seed butter is sunbutter or butter made out of sunflower seeds.

How to use Tahini

Tahini can be used in most ways that you use nut butter, like on toast or in chocolate cups. Here are several uses for your jar of tahini.

  • drizzled on top of a salad or buddha bowl
  • on toast
  • in chocolate cups
  • tahini fudge
  • hummus
  • simple tahini lime salad dressing
  • plain with chocolate
  • in smoothies for a nutty flavor
  • whipped tahini dip
  • as a marinade for roasted vegetables

White bowl of tahini with sesame seeds and tahini jar on vintage blue showing what is tahini, how it's made, tahini benefits, and how to use it.

Looking for other Dairy Free Recipes?

Almost all recipes on Eat your Way Clean are Dairy Free! See the Recipe Index for a full list of dairy-free recipes or just click here.

What is Tahini? Is it Dairy Free? And how can I use Tahini in my cooking? Tahini and sesame seeds with wooden spoon on white background.


About Alicia

I love cooking almost as much as I love eating so I try to make sure I feel good about what I'm eating. I believe it's always a good occasion for some bubbly and I also love feeling healthy and being outdoors. I try to buy, cook and eat whole nutritious foods that promote a fun active lifestyle.

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