5 Best Tahini Substitutes Because Oops, I’m Out Again

At home, I fly through tahini at an alarming rate, adding it to almost everything I make. I have a gift (though some may say it’s a curse) for making the creamy, toasty Middle Eastern staple disappear, spreading it on toast with honey and cinnamon, swi…

At home, I fly through tahini at an alarming rate, adding it to almost everything I make. I have a gift (though some may say it’s a curse) for making the creamy, toasty Middle Eastern staple disappear, spreading it on toast with honey and cinnamon, swirling it into brownie batter, or blending it with garlic and lemon to make a sauce. With this gift comes a major consequence: I’m often out of tahini (cue dramatic music). Lucky for all of us, we’ve done our research and found the best tahini substitutes. Before you give up on making a tahini-forward recipe like hummus, keep reading—for all you know, a substitute might be stocked in your kitchen, ready to save the day.


Our Best Tahini Substitutes

Cashew Butter

Of all the nut butters, cashew butter is your best bet for replacing tahini, (FWIW: we do love almond butter, too). The smooth consistency and subtly bitter nuttiness of cashew butter are reminiscent of tahini, which make it a seamless substitute; try it out in these no-butter chocolate chip cookies for a nutty twist. Keep in mind that nut butters can get expensive and obviously aren’t a safe substitute if you’re allergic. Avoid peanut butter when searching for a tahini substitute; as much as we love peanut butter, its thick texture and distinctive flavor aren’t the best at mimicking the flavor and consistency of tahini.

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How to Freeze Bananas So They Don’t Totally & Completely Rot

It’s a tale as old as time: you buy a bunch of bananas at the grocery store with every intention to eat them with breakfast or lunch daily for the next five days, but they inevitably go bad before you get the chance. Banana bread is a great way to use …

It’s a tale as old as time: you buy a bunch of bananas at the grocery store with every intention to eat them with breakfast or lunch daily for the next five days, but they inevitably go bad before you get the chance. Banana bread is a great way to use up overripe bananas (as we all know from our quarantine days), but sometimes you can’t find the time to bake a loaf before they turn rotten. Like avocados, it’s tricky to track the ripeness of bananas, which leads to food waste. Enter: freezing bananas. Here’s the thing: freezing and thawing bananas leads to somewhat mushy fruit, so you won’t want to eat them as-is, which means they’re perfect for baking and blending. With this brilliant kitchen tip, you’ll never waste a bunch of bananas and will you’ll them on deck when a banana bread craving strikes. (Sounds like a win-win to us!)

How to Freeze Whole Bananas

Technically, you can freeze unpeeled bananas, but we don’t recommend it; they’ll stick together more than their peeled counterparts. To freeze whole bananas, peel them completely, line them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and put them in the freezer for at least 1-2 hours. Once frozen, transfer the bananas to an airtight, freezer-safe plastic bag or container, and place them back in the freezer.

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How to Grill the Juiciest-Ever Chicken

We’ve reached the time of year when we’re making every excuse to spend time outside and away from hot kitchens. In my family, summer dinners often revolve around grilled chicken thighs marinated in a combination of herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil. Gr…

We’ve reached the time of year when we’re making every excuse to spend time outside and away from hot kitchens. In my family, summer dinners often revolve around grilled chicken thighs marinated in a combination of herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil. Grilled chicken is a great way to feed family and friends something nourishing (and delicious!) without spending too much time hovering over a hot stove, which we’re all about.

Out with the bland chicken of your nightmares, and in with juicy, flavorful breasts and thighs. From the best cuts to buy for summer grilling to marinade recommendations to how to make sure your chicken is actually done, here are your best tips for grilling chicken.

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Do I Really Need to Bake With Cake Flour?

There’s something soothing about following directions for baked goods, knowing that the final product will turn out just right if you abide by the precise measurements. I love to bake everything from elaborate birthday cakes to buttery biscuits to fudg…

There’s something soothing about following directions for baked goods, knowing that the final product will turn out just right if you abide by the precise measurements. I love to bake everything from elaborate birthday cakes to buttery biscuits to fudgy brownies, but sometimes I get a little lazy when it comes to using the appropriate ingredients (who doesn’t?). For example, when I see that a recipe calls for cake flour instead of all-purpose flour, I tend to turn my cheek and proceed with all-purpose, not wanting to make a last-minute run to the store. While the swap turns out okay, the final product is never quite as fluffy and light as it should be.

I did some digging to find out: is it really worth buying cake flour in addition to AP flour? What makes cake flour necessary for certain baked goods? And what’s the difference between all-purpose flour and cake flour, anyway?

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6 Best Red Wine Vinegar Substitutes When You’re Totally Out

Red wine vinegar is a pantry staple that’s used to deglaze pans, marinate meat or lentil soup, but it’s also delightful in lighter applications like dressing a green salad. Red wine vinegar is one of our go-to ingredients for transforming recipes from …

Red wine vinegar is a pantry staple that’s used to deglaze pans, marinate meat or lentil soup, but it’s also delightful in lighter applications like dressing a green salad. Red wine vinegar is one of our go-to ingredients for transforming recipes from good to great, but what really is it, anyway? And what can you use as a substitute for red wine vinegar?

What Is Red Wine Vinegar?

Dating back to ancient times, red wine vinegar is simply produced by fermenting red wine. During the fermentation process, the alcohol in the wine turns into acetic acid, which makes it sour and gives it the potent scent and flavor of vinegar. There’s a wide range of red wine vinegars available on the market, and not all are created equal. Just like red wines, red wine vinegars taste different from each other depending on all sorts of factors, from the grape variety to the length of fermentation. It can take some experimentation to find a brand that you love. Think of choosing a red wine vinegar as a similar experience to choosing a red wine; you want something with a full flavor and a pleasant balance of fruitiness and acidity. We’re partial to the specialty brand Valpolicella, as well as the grocery store favorite Pompeian.

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