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Monday, February 19, 2024

Tahini Maple Party Dip- Easy and Delicious



tahini dip, red pepper strips, vegan, gluten-free

The flavors of creamy tahini and sweet maple syrup are a match made in heaven!

I combined them both in my new favorite tahini dip which tastes delicious with roasted vegetables, especially roasted carrots, or with sliced raw vegetables. The dip is easy to make, vegan, gluten-free and absolutely delicious! 

red peppers and kohlrabi with tahini dip

With only 4 ingredients, it couldn't be easier! However, don't let the simplicity of this recipe fool you-

honey filled bottle on the table

I served it at a dinner party and it was a big hit with everyone !!

red pepper strips with tahini dip



Origins of Tahini
Tahini is a staple in many countries including the Middle East, Turkey, and Iran. What I did not know is that it has a history in other countries such as Korea, China, and Japan. 




Tahini did not make its way to the United States until the 1940's when health food stores began to slowly introduce it. 

jar of tahini paste

I first tasted tahini at age 16 (1966) on a vacation in Israel. In Israel, they put tahini on falafel which is a street food that is as popular as pizza is in the US. 

Falafel Tahini photo and picture
Falafel with tahini

Truthfully, I barely remember tasting it. However, I was re-introduced to it at age 19 when I met my husband (and his family) who was born and grew up in Cairo, Egypt.  

tahini sauce over vegetables

His mom (who was eventually to be my MIL) thinned tahini to make a simple tahini sauce that she used on a multitude of dishes which included making creamy homemade hummus, drizzling a tahini sauce over roasted cauliflower, or mixing it into a salad dressing instead of mayonnaise.

What is Tahini? 
Tahini is an Arabic word which translates to literally mean, "ground sesame seeds." It is sometimes called sesame paste and is made from grinding toasted sesame seeds. 

Where can I purchase Tahini? 
It can be purchased in a jar or can in most supermarkets, Whole Foods Markets, Trader Joe etc. It is basically a thick paste that is intended to be thinned out with water and lemon juice to make a simple sauce.

Nutritional Information: 
One tablespoon of tahini paste provides

  •  3 grams of protein
  •  2  grams of fiber 
  •  Valuable minerals (phosphorus, zinc, iron, copper, selenium,   calcium, manganese)
  •  Essential vitamins (B-vitamins) 

The Recipe for Tahini Maple Syrup Dip

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup of tahini paste 
1/4 cup of water +2 tablespoons
1/4 cup or more to taste lemon juice 
1/4 cup of real maple syrup
optional: cumin powder 

Directions: 
Whisk all the ingredients together in a medium size bowl for about 2 minutes or until completely smooth and creamy. If it is too thick, add a small amount of water at a time and keep whisking until it reaches a thinner consistency. 

a wooden table topped with a bowl of food and spoons 

My Notes: 
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegan. 






22 comments:

  1. I would drink that sauce :-) Just back from a Turkish store and bought a couple of bottles of tahini and lots of chicken legs, and liver for my cats (they are raw carnivores).

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  2. Sounds good, I love Tahini, and falafel, of course! Have a great week, hugs, Valerie

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  3. I LOVE tahini so I will be trying this. Thank you for sharing!

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  4. This sounds amazing and simple, such great flavors. Thanks!

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  5. This is such a fabulous dip recipe. I love your idea to combine tahini with maple syrup... YUM! I definitely need to pick up a jar of tahini at Trader Joe's this week!

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  6. That looks awfully good! I think I've only had tahini at restaurants -- what a fabulous dip that would be (and it doesn't sound hard, either!)

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  7. What a fabulous sauce / dip you've got here. I love the combination of tahini and honey, but I don't think I've ever combined it with maple - that's genius!

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  8. Hey, it looks like you have Portmeirion Botanic dishes too! I started my set with my wedding shower forty years ago and I love every piece I have! This dips sounds wonderful--I've had tahini in restaurants but never bought any for my pantry. Time to branch out, I think!

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  9. This sounds interesting. I make my own tahini as it's very expensive here.
    from Tandy I Lavender and Lime https://tandysinclair.com

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  10. My husband would love this, as he's a huge fan of maple syrup. I think he even once had that same leaf-shaped maple syrup bottle! 🍁

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  11. We don’t eat tahini but we should…there is always maple syrup in this house for sure.

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  12. i have never had/tasted tahini, but what could ever be wrong with toasted sesame seeds. this sounds delious...and very different than anything i have ever made for dipping vegetables!!

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  13. Brilliantly simple; I always have these ingredients on hand! It sounds like it would go well with everything and anything, too.

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  14. Love tahini, so will give this a try for sure
    Thanks so much for participating and sharing at SSPS 298. See you again next week!

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  15. I love tahini, and I love your little plate for the dip. I think I was introduced to tahini back in my student days when I lived with lots of vegetarians:) It's a fabulous thing!

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  16. I love tahini dip. This will be lovely with my roasted carrots and chickpeas.

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  17. It looks like a delicious dip........Abrazotes, Marcela

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  18. This sauce would be wonderful on so many things, vegetables and even some meats!

    ~Sheri

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  19. It was delicious and took micro-minutes to prep. I don’t have a sweet tooth so was a bit leery about all that syrup, but the cumin seed cuts it properly. Properly enough LOL that after the carrots, I dipped my baked potato in the sauce.

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  20. I need to try tahini and use this recipe that you created, Judee. The sweetness of maple with the sour of lemon sounds so delicious! I love the colored carrots that you used in the next post too!

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  21. Amazing! I don't think I had ever heard of this before. You are so smart! xoxo

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  22. I always have tahini in the refrigerator, but I will have to pick up some maple syrup to try this one!

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