The creamy texture of tahini makes many people wonder if it contains dairy. If you are one of those people, you have come to the right place to learn about the dairy in tahini, if any. Here is what is in tahini…
Is There Dairy In Tahini?
The table below reflects 21 popular tahini brands with their ingredients and whether they have dairy ingredient.
Generally, tahini does not have dairy. Of the 21 tahini ingredients that we reviewed, none contained dairy ingredients.
As Amy Zitelman, CEO of Soom Foods, states in her book titled The Tahini Table, tahini is created from just pressed roasted sesame seeds which makes it dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free.
| Tahini Brand | Dairy Ingredients (Yes or No)? | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Haddar By Baracke | No | Roasted Peeled Sesame Seeds. |
| Krinos | No | Ground Sesame Seeds. |
| Ziyad | No | Mechanically Hulled Sesame Seeds. |
| Baron | No | 100% Organic Ground Sesame Seeds. |
| Sadaf | No | 100% Ground Hulled Sesame Seeds. |
| LiOR | No | Ground Sesame Seeds. |
| Pepperwood Organics | No | 100% Organic Whole Ethiopian Sesame Seeds. |
| Joyva | No | Creamy Puree Of Sesame Seeds. |
| Dastony | No | Organic Raw Hulled Sesame Seeds. |
| Roland Organic | No | Organic Sesame Seeds. |
| Eden Foods | No | Organic Hulled Sesame Seeds. |
| Once Again | No | Organically Grown, Dry Roasted Mechanically Hulled Sesame Seeds. |
| Mighty Sesame Co. | No | Roasted Peeled Organic Sesame Seeds. |
| Artisana Organics | No | Raw Organic Sesame Seeds. |
| Soom Premium | No | Sesame Seeds. |
| NuttZo Organic Five Seed | No | Sesame Seed, Flax Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Chia Seeds. |
| Mayver’s | No | Natural Hulled Sesame Seeds. |
| Rani | No | Ground Hulled Sesame seeds. |
| O Organics | No | Organic Sesame Seeds. |
| 365 By Whole Foods Organic | No | Organic Ground Toasted Sesame Seed Salt. |
| Simple Truth Organic | No | Organic Sesame Seeds, Salt. |
Is Tahini Vegan?
Sesame seeds come from a plant called Sesamum indicum which is indigenous to Indonesia. The seeds are found in a long pod on the plant which splits open when ripe to reveal and release the seeds. The phrase “open sesame” came from this process.
Since tahini is made from plant seeds, it is vegan. However, if a tahini brand happens to contain other ingredients, you should verify that those ingredients are also vegan. Of course, look for indication that the product is vegan on the label.
Tahini can actually be used as a vegan dairy alternative to add a bit of creaminess to foods such as dressings and dips. Keep this in mind if you desire to live dairy-free but still wish to enjoy textures similar to what milk helps create.
Final Thoughts
You should be fairly confident that just about any tahini you find at the store has no dairy. However, be sure to read the product label for the most accurate ingredient and allergen information. Do not rely on the above information as the final say as to whether any tahini product has dairy.
Keep in mind that while tahini is not commonly made with dairy ingredients, it is not free of all allergens. Sesame is the primary ingredient of tahini and it is one of the nine major food allergens recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As of January 1, 2023, the FDA requires that freshly manufactured products with tahini/sesame contain a statement on the label indicating sesame as an allergen.
Furthermore, some of the above products may be made in a facility that uses shared equipment where cross-contamination is possibility with ingredients like nuts, soy, or other allergens. See the label for details or contact the manufacturer if this is a concern for you.
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Image Credit – jules/flickr