Tahini Granola with Sesame, Honey & Orange

I’m not the biggest sweet breakfast fan, nor am I a fan of the shop-bought cereal we enjoyed as children. But my first taste of homemade granola was a complete game-changer. It was the “Fruit and yoghurt with sesame crumble and tahini date syrup” recipe in Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley. I was instantly hooked. And over time, their crumble evolved into this delicious tahini granola with honey and orange.

This tahini granola is chunky and crunchy, it is not overly sweet, it is slightly salty, and it is packed with nuts and seeds. I am definitely a fan.

I adore all things citrus. So, it’s only natural for my favourite homemade granola to have orange – both the juice and zest. Subliminally the idea of tahini granola must have taken form as I paged through Falastin – shamelessly snacking on sesame crumble as I go. The pages overflow with beautiful tahini recipes – only one of many reasons why Falastin will forever remain a firm favourite on the cookbook shelf.

Tahini Granola Ingredients

• Oats: Use traditional rolled oats (jumbo oats in some countries) and not quick-cooking oats. Be sure to look for gluten-free rolled oats if you need things to stay sans gluten.
• Buckwheat: Despite the name, buckwheat is not related to wheat. It’s a grain-like seed that crisps up beautifully when toasted.
• Seeds: Sesame seeds double the nutty tahini flavour, but you can also add sunflower seeds.
• Nuts: Flaked almonds fit this Persian flavour profile, but you can use any other nuts you happen to have already.
• Salt: I use ground dessert salt to add a yummy savouriness to the tahini granola. Sea salt has a similar saltiness. And Diamond Crystal Kosher salt can also be used in equal quantities. Though, if you use a very salty salt – like Morton’s – rather use half the quantity and sprinkle the finished granola with flaked Maldon salt if it needs a savoury boost.
• Egg whites: The protein in the egg white makes everything clump together in crispy clusters. But you can omit it (or use aquafaba for a vegan version).
• Orange juice: You only need 2 tablespoons of orange juice. Stir any remaining orange juice into yoghurt to enjoy with the tahini granola.
• Orange zest: This really drives home that citrus flavour. You need about half a tablespoon of zest.
• Tahini: The star of the tahini granola show. Tahini – made from crushed sesame seeds – has a nutty flavour. If you have a food processor, it is easy to make your own tahini from roasted sesame seeds. See how to make tahini at home.
• Honey: I love the honey and orange flavour combination with the tahini, but you can replace the honey with maple or brown rice syrup if you want.
• Olive oil: Any mild flavoured oil will also work here. Just avoid toasted sesame oil as the flavour is overpowering.

Related Post: How to make tahini at home

How to make chunky tahini granola

This tahini granola recipe is super simple. Make sure to mix wet ingredients until well combined – no oil drops or egg white strands should be visible. Then it is as simple as mixing wet and dry ingredients, spreading it out on a prepared baking tray and baking long and slow for the ultimate crunchy clusters.

Oven temperature

A slower cook at a low heat works best for crunchy granola that is evenly cooked and not burnt. I put my oven on the conventional (non-fan) setting and preheat it to 160 °C (325 °F). If you have a fan oven, you need to reduce the temperature to 150 °C (300 °F). Keep an eye on your granola and reduce the temperature more if it is browning too fast – especially in the second half of the cook.

Ovens differ in more ways than just fan or non-fan. So keep an eye on your granola and turn the heat down if it is browning too quickly.

Equipment

I use a 38 x 25 cm (15 x 10 inches) rimmed baking tray (sheet pan) lined with parchment paper. The larger your baking tray, the quicker your granola will cook, so keep an eye on the granola towards the end.

Your tahini granola questions answered

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, you sure can! Just also roughly double the surface area of your baking tray. So, either use two trays or one larger tray. If two trays don’t fit next to each other on the middle rack, place them on two different oven racks – changing the positions whenever you take them out to stir.

How should homemade granola be stored?

Wait for the granola to cool down completely in the baking tray. Then transfer it to a sealable jar and store it at room temperature for up to a month. If you want to keep it for longer, you can also freeze homemade granola for a few months. Freezing granola also works well if you live in a very humid area.

Substitutions

Swap the buckwheat for more oats. I love the crunchy buckwheat kernels, but you can replace the buckwheat with more oats.

No oranges? Replace the orange juice and zest with rose water or orange blossom water for lovely Persian-inspired granola.

Try other nuts and seeds. I use flaked almonds, but you can use whole almonds, cashew nuts or even peanuts. Try replacing the sesame seeds with sunflower seeds if that is what you have.

Want to make the recipe vegan? Omit the egg white completely or replace it with aquafaba. Substitute the one egg white with 3 tablespoons of aquafaba – whipped it until foamy. And replace the honey with the same amount of maple syrup or brown rice syrup.

No tahini? It is super easy to make tahini from hulled sesame seeds if you have a food processor or high-powered blender. But you can also substitute an equal amount of peanut or almond butter.

Related Post: How to make tahini at home

Serving suggestions

I eat my granola with yoghurt. Stir any leftover orange juice into yoghurt, top with your homemade tahini granola and drizzle with honey. Some extra orange zest is also welcome.

You can also eat it with oat milk. Why not double up on the oaty goodness?

Let me know how you plan to eat your tahini granola in the comments below!