Top 6 Tahini Substitutes

by John Staughton (BASc, BFA) last updated -

If you ever need a tahini substitute in the kitchen, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of great options for a replacement. Sometimes, people need to find a good tahini substitute if they happen to be allergic to sesame seeds, if they don’t enjoy the bitter taste, or if they simply don’t have access to it! While different kinds of nut butter make the best substitutes, there are other options too.

Tahini

Tahini is a popular Middle Eastern and Mediterranean condiment that is prepared from ground sesame seeds. This delicious, toasted spread can be eaten by itself, but it is also included in other preparations, such as baba ganoush and hummus. For more than 4,000 years, this spreadable condiment has been used in various forms, but it has only recently become known around the world. [1]

Tahini Substitutes

The best substitutes for tahini include peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, sesame oil, almond butter, soy butter, cashew butter, and hempseed butter, among others.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is less bitter than tahini but has a similar consistency, so this is an easy and effective replacement. [2]

Tahini in a bowl and wooden forks on a wooden table

Tahini enhances the flavor of hummus. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Almond Butter

The smooth consistency of almond butter can resemble tahini, but the taste will be slightly sweeter.

Sunflower Seed Butter

This seed butter is more savory than sweet, and while it is more textured than tahini, its flavor is quite similar.

Cashew Butter

Mixing a few cashew nuts with sugar and salt can create a cashew butter that is very close in flavor to tahini.

Chickpea Flour

After roasting the chickpeas, they can be blended into a very tahini-like spread. [3]

Soy Butter

If you are looking for an alternative to nuts and dairy, soy butter could work well as an option. Blend soy milk and oil till you get a thick consistency, to which you can add a few drops of lemon juice for flavor. The mixture needs to be refrigerated to get a butter-like consistency.

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About the Author

John Staughton is a traveling writer, editor, publisher and photographer with English and Integrative Biology degrees from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana (USA). He co-founded the literary journal, Sheriff Nottingham, and now serves as the Content Director for Stain’d Arts, a non-profit based in Denver, Colorado. On a perpetual journey towards the idea of home, he uses words to educate, inspire, uplift and evolve.

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