Tahini substitutes
Out of tahini? Here are the best substitutes — what to reach for, why it works, and how much to use. Sunflower seed butter is the top pick.
- 01Sunflower seed butterbest pick
Smooth, nutty seed paste with the same texture; nut-free.
1:1
- 02Smooth peanut butter
Similar oily nut paste; more peanut-forward.
1:1
- 03Toasted sesame oil + cashew butter
Rebuilds the roasted-sesame note in a smooth base.
to taste
- 04Greek yogurt (in dressings)
For creamy dressings where richness matters more than sesame.
1:1
Cooking with tahini?
Paste your recipe into Mise — we'll find every ingredient as a real product you can buy, and swap the ones you can't, like tahini, for the closest match in stock.
Turn a recipe into a basket →How we choose these
These are tested kitchen substitutes, chosen for matching flavor, texture, and role — with ratios so the swap actually works. Taste as you go; substitutes shift intensity, not just flavor.
Flavor data: Epicure (Radzikowski & Chen, 2026), arXiv:2605.22391, CC-BY-4.0.