Substitutions / tahini
What to use instead of tahini
Use sunflower seed butter in equal amounts. Slightly sweeter and less bitter, but gives a similar creamy, nutty texture in most applications.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Sunflower seed butter | 1:1 | Slightly sweeter and less bitter, but gives a similar creamy, nutty texture in most applications. |
| Almond butter | 1:1 | Richer and less bitter than tahini; works well in sauces and dressings but shifts the flavor profile noticeably. |
| Cashew butter | 1:1 | Milder and creamier than tahini, with less of the characteristic sesame flavor. |
How much is a cup of tahini?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh tahini in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.