Tahini Banana Bread

By: Diana Published on February 23, 2026

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Tahini Banana Bread is a wholesome twist on a classic, made with olive oil and creamy tahini, so it’s extra rich. This lightly sweetened quick bread loaf is simple to make, moist and soft, and gently spiced with cinnamon and cardamom.

sliced tahini banana bread topped with sesame seeds, on a decorative platter. In the background are ripe bananas.

Why This Recipe Works

Banana bread is a common, well-loved dessert that’s easy to make. But standard banana bread can be boring, especially if you’ve been making the same one for years!

I like to add something extra to my banana bread recipes to switch things up. In the past, I’ve made Hawaiian banana bread with pineapple and brown butter banana bread. Today, I’m playing with a traditional Middle Eastern/Levantine ingredient and making banana bread with tahini.

While you might not immediately think of adding tahini paste to banana bread, trust me when I tell you that this recipe is a winner. The sesame paste adds a nutty, savory, and sophisticated flavor that is especially delicious paired with the warm spiciness of cinnamon and ground cardamom.

Because I want the sesame flavor to come forward, I’m only using a half cup of sugar in this recipe. This isn’t your typical banana bread! It’s a grown-up recipe that’s perfect for adults who prefer their baked goods less sweet and appreciate exciting flavors.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for making banana bread with tahini, including cinnamon, cardamom, olive oil, and eggs. The ingredients are measured into small bowls.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Tahini: A smooth paste made from sesame seeds, tahini acts as a flavor and an oil in this recipe. You might be familiar with tahini if you make your own homemade hummus – it’s a very common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine, used in both sweet and savory recipes.
Bananas: This is a three-banana recipe, perfect for a week when you bought six but forgot to eat them all! Be sure that your bananas are ripe, with lots of dark spots, so that they are soft and sweet.
Eggs: Two eggs are our binder! Let the eggs sit out of the fridge for a bit to come to room temperature. This allows them to blend into the other ingredients more smoothly.
Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil (yes, the good stuff!) adds a rich flavor to this banana bread and makes it moist and soft. You could technically replace this with any type of oil that you prefer, but I highly suggest using EVOO for flavor.
Flour: I’m making this today with all-purpose flour, but I’ve also tried it with a 50/50 blend of AP flour and whole wheat flour. Adding wheat flour will give you a heartier loaf that is still moist and soft.
Baking Soda: A key ingredient in most quick bread recipes, baking soda helps the bread to rise, giving it a soft, tender crumb.
Sugar: I like my banana bread to be just slightly sweet. Sweetness comes from the bananas, as well as just ½ cup of sugar. With less sugar, the sesame flavor from the tahini really shines. If you want your banana bread sweeter, you can add up to an additional ¼ cup of granulated or brown sugar.
Spices: The warm flavors of cardamom and cinnamon pair beautifully with the nutty flavor of tahini and the sweet, creamy flavor of vanilla extract. Ground cardamom can be found in large grocery stores. If you have green cardamom pods, you can also freshly grate them right into the banana bread batter.

Tip!

For a more natural sweetener option, you can replace the sugar in this recipe with ½ cup honey or ½ cup maple syrup. If you decide to use a liquid sweetener, just reduce the olive oil by a tablespoon to maintain the same texture.

a small white plate holding three thick slices of banana bread that has a sesame seed coated crust. A hand is picking up the top slice of the pile.

Storing Tips

Keep your tahini banana bread loaf covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate it for up to 5 days.

Slices freeze wonderfully and will make a perfect snack for a later date. Wrap each slice individually and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Banana Bread Tips

Bananas: To be accurate, measure your mashed banana to be sure that you have about 1 cup or 240 grams. A little more or less won’t ruin things, but since bananas come in all different sizes, it’s helpful to take a measurement.
Tahini: Make sure to stir the jar of tahini very well before measuring it. It naturally separates in the jar just like all-natural peanut butter or almond butter, and needs to be stirred.
Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, just stir or gently fold the flour in until you can’t see it anymore. Mixing too much can cause your bread to turn out dense.
Line the Pan: To keep the loaf from sticking to the pan, grease the pan lightly with cooking spray, then line your loaf pan with parchment paper. Leave some extra paper on the long sides so that it will be simple to lift the loaf out of the pan when it’s ready.
Sesame Seeds: The seeds on the top of this loaf are beautiful, and they add a bit of crunch, but you can leave them out if you like. Try topping the loaf with chopped walnuts instead!
Mix-ins: To stay on the Middle Eastern theme, mix in toasted walnuts and chopped dates. This loaf (like almost any loaf of banana bread) will also be delicious with chocolate chips.
Test for Doneness: Check your banana bread after 55 minutes by inserting a toothpick. It should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Add additional time if needed. If the top is browning too fast, you can tent the pan with foil as you continue baking.

Tahini banana bread with sesame seed topping, baked in a rectangular loaf pan with brown parchment paper on the edges. Next to the loaf are two ripe bananas resting on a blue and white tea towel.

A large platter of Lebanese hashweh topped with toasted nuts

Lebanese Hashweh Rice

A bowl of lemon chicken orzo soup topped with a fresh lemon slice, filled with shredded chicken, orzo, carrots, celery, and dill, served with a spoon and a piece of garlic bread on the side, with a red pot in the background.