Tahini is my Secret Sauce

The dressing is the crowning glory of any salad, grain bowl or platter of roasted veggies. A great dressing adds moisture, enhances mouth feel, balances acidity and sneakily adds additional nutrients. Tahini is hands-down my favorite ingredient for a quick homemade dressing.

Made by grinding toasted sesame seeds, tahini has a subtle earthy nuttiness. I start with two tablespoons, add fresh-squeezed lemon juice and a sprinkle of spices depending on my mood, then stir well. Once the mixture seizes up, I drizzle in a small amount of icy water until a rich, creamy consistency emerges. In the dish pictured above, I also stirred in dijon mustard before blending with urad gota (hulled black lentils), roasted veggies and baked tofu.

Nutrients in Tahini

From a macronutrient perspective, tahini is devoid of sugar; the small percentage of carbs is from fiber and starch. The 200 calories in a 2 tablespoon serving of tahini are mostly from fat. As we discovered last week, our body relies on dietary fat to build cell membranes, produce hormones, absorb fat-soluble vitamins and generate energy. Since fat is energy-rich with more than double the calories per gram of protein and carbs, restricting our fat intake can lead to overeating as our body seeks to compensate for the caloric deficit.?

While saturated fat has been linked to cardiovascular concerns, over 80% of the fat in tahini is heart-healthy unsaturated fat. It also provides the essential fatty acids—alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid—that we can only get from our diet.

From a micronutrient perspective, tahini contains vitamins B and E, selenium, iron, calcium and folate, which helps metabolize protein. As an antioxidant, selenium protects against cell damage and infection, as well as supports thyroid function. Sesamin, another of the antioxidants in tahini, helps regulate blood glucose levels.

Health Benefits of Tahini

A serving of tahini provides over 25% of the daily recommendation for copper, which—according to the National Institutes of Health—supports the production of blood vessels and connective tissue, as well as the functioning of the nervous and immune systems. Studies have indicated that copper may provide protection from Alzheimer’s disease but more research is needed.

In a small study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension in 2022, participants experienced a statistically significant decrease in blood pressure after consuming tahini. While not studied directly, the balance of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats present in tahini is widely accepted as beneficial for lowering LDL (low-density lipoproteins) and overall cholesterol.

While I don’t usually recommend specific brands, in this case I’m going to make an exception and share that I love the creaminess of Soom brand. Some other brands separate leaving inches of oil on top and rock-hard paste at the bottom of the jar. Look for tahini on grocery store shelves near the nut butters or condiments.

Tahini Pasta Sauce Recipe

There are scads of free tahini recipes available online. This pasta sauce recipe is from one of my favorite recipe creators, Nisha Vora.

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