tahini

American  

[tuh-hee-nee, tah-] / təˈhi ni, tɑ- /

noun

Middle Eastern Cooking.

1. a paste made of ground sesame seeds.

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tahini British  

/ təˈhiːnɪ, təˈhiːnə /

noun

1. a paste made from sesame seeds originating in the Middle East, often used as an ingredient of hummus and other dips

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Etymology

Origin of tahini

First recorded in 1895–1900; Levantine Arabic ṭaḥīni (standard Arabic ṭaḥīna ), derivative of ṭaḥana “to crush, grind”; compare Hebrew tākhan “to crush, grind”

Example Sentences

Or take a bright yuzu marmalade: pair it with black sesame seeds, flaked coconut, a drizzle of coconut cream, a swirl of tahini, and a scatter of lime zest.

From Salon • Nov. 13, 2025

“They take flour, sugar, oil, tahini, and then they go and sell them to the starving people at astronomical prices!” he later wrote on Facebook.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 18, 2025

Also included is cooking oil, salt and tahini, or sesame paste.

From BBC • Jul. 25, 2025

But the version that got me thinking differently — that nudged me toward the edges of what ranch could be — was Chris Morocco’s tahini ranch, published in Bon Appétit in 2017.

From Salon • Jun. 1, 2025

If you're on TikTok, you will have seen the bar, which combines the flavours of chocolate, pistachio and tahini with filo pastry, and is inspired by the Arab dessert Knafeh.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2025