This past February I attended a presentation about tahini by Dana Harary, a founder of SoCo Artisanal Tahini, and Doug Katz, a local celebrity chef. We learned about Dana’s longstanding search for the most flavorful tahini on the planet, about the nutritional profile of tahini, and about SoCo’s commitment to positive change and collaboration. SoCo, short for Seeds of Collaboration, is a supporter of Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow (MEET), a nonprofit that connects young Israeli and Palestinian students. 

Tahini is a satisfying and nutritious food made entirely and solely of sesame seeds. It is vegan and gluten-free. I learned that its fatty acid profile is similar to that of peanut butter. And, like most other nourishing high-fat foods (e.g., nut butters, olive oil), it is quite filling. Doug prepared a number of recipes for us to try, and they were all delicious. We learned that tahini is best kept at room temperature, and that once opened it may be kept at room temperature for up to 6 months. So I won’t be refrigerating mine anymore.

Finally, we went home with samples — tahini with dates, tahini with pesto, pure tahini — that I shared with my family, all of whom enjoyed them as much as I did. And I was sold. 

You may enjoy checking out eatsoco.com, where you can find literally dozens and dozens of recipes, including this simple, genius one: mix tahini with an equal amount of pickle juice and stir until smooth to make a sublime salad dressing or veggie dip. To make it thicker, use less pickle juice. To make it thinner, use more. That’s all.

Tahini has traditionally been used much less extensively in the U.S. than throughout the Middle East, where it is eaten with abandon and drizzled over or mixed with absolutely everything you can think of, including toast, crackers, roasted veggies, hummus, tofu, pasta, apples, muffins, rice, salads, grain bowls, ice cream, and yogurt; or used as a dip for breads, spring rolls, fresh veggies, and more.

I like drizzling it over sweet potato.