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

You cannot go wrong with an old-school tahini dressing: tahini, maple syrup, garlic, lemon juice and enough water to thin it into something pourable and generous.

From Salon • Jan. 13, 2026

“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

The GHF has said these boxes also contain some ready-to-eat food, like halva bars - a popular snack made from blending tahini or sesame paste and sugar.

From BBC • Jul. 25, 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

Each bar includes toasted kataifi — thin strands of shredded phyllo dough pastry — pistachio and tahini paste that’s all mixed together and encased in milk chocolate.

From Salon • Oct. 1, 2024