Hulled Tahini Substitutes

Out of hulled tahini? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.

Need to convert hulled tahini between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the hulled tahini converter.

What to use instead of hulled tahini

  • Unhulled Tahini

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup hulled tahini = 1 cup unhulled tahini

    Unhulled tahini is the wholegrain version, equal in weight (240 g per cup) but darker, coarser, and more bitter since it keeps the sesame husk. It swaps 1:1 in hummus, dressings, and halva, adding a stronger, earthier flavour and more fibre and calcium than the smooth hulled style.

    See unhulled tahini substitutes →

  • Peanut Butter

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup hulled tahini = 1 cup peanut butter

    Peanut butter swaps 1:1 for hulled tahini in sauces, satay, and bars, and is thicker and heavier (268 g vs 240 g per cup). It tastes sweeter and richer with a roasted note, where tahini is looser and more bitter, so add a little honey if you want to match tahini's role in sweets.

    See peanut butter substitutes →

  • Almond Butter

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup hulled tahini = 1 cup almond butter

    Almond butter swaps 1:1 for hulled tahini and is smoother, milder, and a touch sweeter, heavier per cup (256 g vs 240 g). It suits the same dressings and bars; expect a milder, nuttier taste without tahini's savoury, bitter edge. Note it contains tree nuts where tahini does not.

    See almond butter substitutes →

  • Sunflower Seed Butter

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup hulled tahini = 1 cup sunflower seed butter

    Sunflower seed butter keeps the swap nut-free, slightly heavier per cup (250 g vs 240 g) with a milder, earthier taste and less bitterness. It works 1:1 in dressings, sauces, and bars, though it lacks tahini's strong sesame note, so the flavour shifts toward mellow and seedy.

    See sunflower seed butter substitutes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for hulled tahini?
There are 4 workable substitutes for hulled tahini, depending on what you have on hand and which property of hulled tahini matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually 1 cup hulled tahini = 1 cup unhulled tahini. Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
Will substituting hulled tahini change how my recipe turns out?
Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the hulled tahini converter
How do I measure hulled tahini accurately?
Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The hulled tahini converter on this site converts between cups, grams, ounces, tablespoons, and teaspoons, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the hulled tahini converter

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