Tahini Recipe Collection

Pita topped with artichoke hummus and lamb. Photograph courtesy of Parkerman & Christie from San Diego, USA Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license via Wikipedia.

Tahini is a thick Middle Eastern paste made of sesame seeds.  The dip that many people call "hummus" is correctly called "hummus bi' tahini," that is, "chickpeas with tahini". Hummus is the Arabic word for "chickpea."

Traditional tahini sauce and dip recipes are naturally wheat-and-gluten free and safe for those with Celiac Disease or wheat-and-gluten sensitivity. We have seen some manufactured or store-prepared "hummus" that might not be wheat-and-gluten free nor made in a dedicated facility.  My feeling is that homemade is safest. We tend to buy Joyva brand tahini  since that's what we've been buying since our family arrived here. Joyva is a hometown (Brooklyn) company. 

In theory, tahini is wheat-and-gluten free since it's nothing but roasted sesame seeds that have been ground into paste. We have emailed Joyva (September 25, 2010) to find out their manufacturing plant is wheat-and-gluten free. We are researching other brands of tahini as well. We will update this page when we get an answer. Meanwhile, Joyva is kosher, is not organic, and is usually the cheapest tahini on the shelf.

These dips are tasty with veggies for healthy, low-carb snacking.

Note: A regular blender, food processor, or a hand blender work well with these recipes. You can even do them the old fashioned way with a mortar and pestle.

Here's our collection: all good Greek, Lebanese and Turkish peasant food. They are not only healthy and flavorful but budget-wise.

TAHINI AND LEMON

The recipe
Serves one or two

Thin two-or-three tablespoons of tahini with fresh lemon juice for a quick and easy dip, spread, or sauce for falafel, fish or fried vegetables.

Variation:
  • I have known people to thin tahini with white wine vinegar to go with fried fish.  Not atypical given my ancestry, I prefer lemon, but you might try this with vinegar for a change of pace or if you feel you'd like it better.
SPICED TAHINI AND LEMON

The Recipe
Makes about one cup of dip
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, best quality you can afford
  • Pinch of Aleppo Pepper
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup fresh, cilantro, minced fine
Place all ingredients except for the cilantro in a blender and process.  If it is too thick, thin with added lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings.  Place in a serving dish and top with the minced, fresh cilantro leaves. Serve with your favorite gluten-free bread or crudités or as an accompaniment to cold turkey or chicken.

TAHINI WITH YOGURT

The recipe
Makes about one cup of dip
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup creamy, Greek Yogurt, can be nonfat
  • 2 cloves of garlic, skinned
  • 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
  • Pinch of  Aleppo Pepper
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup minced, fresh cilantro
Place all ingredients except the lemon juice and cilantro in a blender.  Add the lemon juice and process again. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Place in a serving bowl and top with the cilantro. Serve as an accompaniment to fried fish or vegetables.

TAHINI WITH GROUND ALMONDS

The recipe
Makes about one cup of dip
  • 1 cloves of garlic, skinned
  • 1/2 cup finely ground almonds
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • Pinch of Alleppo Pepper
  • Salt to taste
Prepare as above and serve as an accompaniment to cold turkey, chicken, or ham or as a veggie dip.

TAHINI WITH EGGPLANT, Baba Ghanouz

The recipe
Makes a bit over one cup.  Double or triple the recipe as needed for family size or number of guests.
  • 1 large dark-purple eggplant, cut off the top
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup of tahini
  • 1/4 cup of lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Pinch of Aleppo pepper
  • 2 tablespoon fresh parsley or cilantro, minced fine
  • 1/2 Roma tomato, diced
  • 3 Kalamata olives, pitted and minced
Wash and dry the eggplant and char it over hot coals (best) or under a broiler.  The skin should blister and blacken. When done, run the eggplant under cold water while gently removing the skin.  Squeeze out the bitter juices and then mash the eggplant by processing it in a blender. Slowly add lemon juice and tahini alternately.  Then add the cumin, salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust seasoning as appropriate.  Place in a serving bowl and top with the tomatoes and olives.  Serve with gluten-free bread or crackers or crudités.

TAHINI WITH CHICKPEAS, Hummus bi Tahini

The recipe
Makes a scant two cups.  Double or triple the recipe as needed for family size or number of guests.
  • 1 small can of chickpeas, open and drain
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/2 cup of lemon juice
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil, best quality you can afford
  • Smoked Hungarian Paprika
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced fine
Place the chickpeas, tahini, and garlic in the blender and process.  Taste and add salt and lemon juice as appropriate.  If the dip seems too thick, you can thin it with some more lemon juice.  Place in a bowl and top with a spoonful of olive oil, a dusting of paprika, and the minced parsley.
Variations:


Pita Bakery in Istanbul. Photograph courtesy of איתן טל Etan Tal under the Creative CommonsAttribution 3.0 Unported license via Wikipedia. Pita ( or hubz Arabia in the Arabic) is the much-loved accompaniment to hummus bi' tahani.

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