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Tahini

Paste made from ground sesame seeds.

Tahini — illustrative ingredient image

About Tahini

Sesame paste is a thick preparation made primarily by grinding sesame seeds. It is used in sauces, dressings, dips, fillings, noodle dishes, desserts, and spreads, and it can be loosened with water, lemon juice, or another liquid. Tahini commonly means a smooth sesame paste, though recipes and products vary.

It has a pronounced nutty sesame flavour and may be smooth, creamy, or slightly coarse. Raw-seed paste is lighter and milder, while toasted-seed paste is darker and more assertive. Hulled seeds usually give a smoother, less bitter paste; unhulled seeds contribute a darker colour and more pronounced bitterness.

The paste is usually beige, tan, or greyish beige. Oil may separate naturally and collect at the surface, so thorough stirring restores a more even consistency. Added water can first thicken the paste before loosening it, while other liquids, spices, or sweeteners create distinct sauces and spreads.

Ingredient type
paste
Form
paste

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Where tahini appears

44 linked foods

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Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for tahini

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Tahini

English

ORGANIC ROASTED TAHINI

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Tahini nutrition & diet

Tahini nutritional value

Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, type of kernels unspecified

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
592kcal
Protein
17.4g
Carbs
21.5g
Fat
53.0g

Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.

Portions & preparation

Use a reference for sesame-seed paste rather than a finished tahini sauce. Stir separated oil and solids before measuring, and distinguish plain tahini from versions containing salt, sweeteners, garlic, lemon, or other additions. Record the spooned portion and how it is incorporated into a dish.

Compare the right form: Match plain, stirred sesame-seed tahini with the edible paste portion; seasoned tahini sauces require their own formulation and serving reference.

Diet considerations

Tahini is plant-derived sesame seed paste. Compatibility changes when it is blended with yogurt, dairy, honey, garlic, lemon, or prepared sauces, and when served with cereal-based breads or animal foods. Its carbohydrate pattern is portion-dependent, while the accompanying dish may introduce additional grains or animal ingredients.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, type of kernels unspecified ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .