Use Tahini Instead of Mayo for Creamier, Delicious Pasta Salad (2024)

FAQs

Can you substitute tahini for mayonnaise? ›

Mix an equal amount of tahini with lemon juice and water and it'll taste more akin to mayo, but it will be a bit thinner so keep that in mind. It wouldn't work on the outside of that bread like butter will, but some salads, vegetable sandwiches, or baked fish will work well.

Although both are creamy and commonly used as condiments, the two have very different flavors and textures. Tahini is rich, nutty, and can be slightly bitter tasting. Mayonnaise is very smooth, light, and creamy. If you're interested in a mayonnaise recipe, try my healthy mayo recipe.

Macaroni salad typically consists of cooked elbow macaroni pasta mixed with a creamy dressing, which may include ingredients like mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, and various seasonings.

Once you get your jar of tahini home, you want to open it up and give it a stir to make sure it's incorporated. (If the oil has fully separated, such as in the photo above, Food editor Joe Yonan uses an immersion blender to reincorporate it, after which he says it stays emulsified.)

Tahini is basically sesame butter. Most high-quality brands contain just one ingredient: roasted sesame seeds. It's not as sweet as most nut butters and can be used like peanut butter (or eaten straight off a spoon).

Canola oil, avocado oil and olive oil mayonnaise are available as “healthier” options. Both are higher in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, but the calories are the same. Additionally, olive oil-based versions tend to combine olive oil with other vegetable oils so that the flavor isn't too overpowering.

With its nutritional value and delicious flavor, hummus acts as a healthy mayonnaise substitute in both classic and modern ways. You might have guessed that sandwiches and wraps have benefitted from this flavor boost, but what about tuna, or pasta, or eggs?

Which one is healthier? Although Miracle Whip is lower in fat and calories, mayonnaise is less highly refined and may be the healthier choice. However, you should seek out mayo that's made with healthy oils, such as olive or avocado oil, instead of inflammatory seed oils like soybean, canola, or corn oil.

Tahini is a paste made with ground sesame seeds (which you get after blending them). It's not low in calories, but as the taste is strong, you won't use a lot of it. However, while it's not low in calories, it's definitely healthier than mayonnaise. It's delicious, nutty, slightly bitter, and creamy.

Bitterness is generally part and parcel of tahini - it's how ground sesame seeds taste. What you will find, however, is that some tahini can taste more bitter than others. This is down to a few things; like how that particular tahini is processed, or the levels of something called oxalic acid in the hulls of the seeds.

Why use tahini? ›

It's often the consistency of peanut butter or a little thinner, and can be used in similar ways. It's decidedly savory, with hints of bitterness that can help balance out other flavors in a dish. Tahini is high in fiber and protein, as well as essential nutrients such as copper, selenium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.

Try a combination of Dijon mustard and sherry vinegar to create a velvety mayo alternative for your potato or pasta salad.

To the bowl with the pasta, add the tomatoes, bell pepper, shallot, artichoke hearts, olives, pepperoncini, salami, mozzarella, and fresh herbs. Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the pasta and toss to coat. Serve immediately, or better yet let it sit for 30 minutes to soak up all the flavor.

Replace eggs with tahini in cookie dough

Did you accidentally use all your eggs at breakfast and now you're craving cookies? No problem! For every egg, use 2 tablespoons of tahini mixed with 4 tablespoons of water.

I've used homemade versions of these “bacons” as well as store-bought. I've made BLTs with several brands of store-bought mayo. On occasion, I've taken gone rogue and replaced mayo with avocado, hummus, or homemade cashew cheese. This is my favorite version so far.

Hummus. In many recipes where tahini is being used as a sauce, hummus can be substituted successfully.