Creamy tahini white beans in 30 minutes
This rich and creamy dish is packed full of nutrition while still feeling deeply comforting and indulgent, making it the perfect balance of wholesome and luxurious. It delivers a satisfying, restaurant-style eating experience without the heaviness or high levels of saturated fat you’d normally associate with dishes made using double cream. Instead, the creaminess comes from tahini, which creates a beautifully smooth, velvety texture while allowing the warm, earthy flavours of oregano and cumin to come through clearly and confidently.
Tahini paste is a naturally protein- and calcium-rich ingredient, making this dish both nourishing and filling, while still feeling light and balanced. It acts as the backbone of the sauce, carrying the herbs and spices effortlessly and binding everything together into a cohesive, savoury whole. Because tahini plays such a central role, it’s worth using the best quality you can afford (see recipe tips), as a good tahini will be creamy, nutty, and smooth, with none of the bitterness that can sometimes be found in cheaper varieties. This small choice can make a noticeable difference to both flavour and texture.
Butter beans are particularly well suited to this dish thanks to their soft, creamy interior, which complements the tahini beautifully and helps create an almost spoonable consistency. However, the recipe is highly adaptable and works just as well with haricot beans, chickpeas, or cannellini beans, making it an excellent option for using up store-cupboard staples. This flexibility means the dish is not only comforting and nutritious, but also practical and economical—perfect for regular weeknight cooking as well as relaxed weekend meals.
Despite its rich flavour and comforting texture, this dish is surprisingly quick to make. Preparation takes less than 30 minutes, from measuring the spices to draining and rinsing the beans, while the cooking time ranges from 10 to 30 minutes depending on how gently you simmer the sauce and how thick you like the final result. This makes it ideal for a nourishing weeknight meal that feels special without requiring hours in the kitchen.
Nutritionally, it’s a well-balanced option that’s both filling and wholesome. Each serving provides 542 kcal, 19.6g protein, 40.7g carbohydrate (of which 5.8g sugars), 29.9g fat (of which just 4.4g saturates), 15.3g fibre, and 0.43g salt. Comforting, versatile, and packed with goodness, it’s a recipe you’ll want to return to whenever you’re craving something creamy yet nourishing.
Creamy tahini white beans- ingredient list!
Two tablespoons of olive oil
100g/3½oz finely chopped onion
Two cloves of finely chopped garlic
Two teaspoons of dried oregano
Two teaspoons of cumin seeds
Three tablespoons of light tahini
400g of drained white beans, such as haricot or butter beans
Fresh parsley, 50g/1½oz, freshly chopped, leaves and stems separated
One teaspoon of fresh black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
To serve, two large slices of toasted sourdough bread
Creamy tahini white beans- step by step instruction guide!
Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over a medium heat, allowing it to warm gently until it shimmers. Add the sliced onions to the pan and stir to coat them evenly in the oil. Cook for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and become lightly browned. As they cook, they will release their natural sweetness and develop a deeper, more rounded flavour, forming a rich and aromatic base for the dish.
Step 2
Add the minced or finely chopped garlic to the pan along with the spices, making sure to stir everything together so the garlic is evenly coated in the aromatic oils. Cook over a gentle medium heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent any burning, while allowing the garlic to soften and release its sweet, mellow flavour. During this time, the spices will lightly toast, intensifying their aroma and flavour, and infusing the olive oil and onions with a rich, warm fragrance that forms the perfect base for the rest of the dish. Be careful not to let the garlic brown too much, as this can create a bitter taste, but do allow enough time for the aromas to develop fully, giving the dish a deep, layered flavour right from the start.
Step 3
Stir the tahini into the pan, mixing it well with the onions and spices so it coats everything evenly. Pour in 50ml (2fl oz) of hot water and stir continuously as the tahini loosens and turns smooth and creamy. If the mixture seems too thick, add a small splash more hot water, a little at a time, until you reach a silky, pourable consistency.
Step 4
Add the drained beans to the pan along with most of the parsley stems and leaves, setting a few leaves aside for garnish. Stir gently to coat the beans in the creamy tahini sauce, taking care not to break them up too much. Cook for a few minutes over a gentle heat until the beans are thoroughly warmed through and have absorbed some of the flavours, allowing the sauce to come together beautifully.
Step 5
Finish the dish with a generous grind of freshly ground black pepper to add warmth and depth, then drizzle over a little extra olive oil for richness and shine. Serve immediately with slices of toasted sourdough bread on the side, perfect for scooping up the creamy beans and soaking up every last bit of the flavourful sauce.
Creamy tahini white beans- recipe tips!
If you’d like to make this dish more substantial, it pairs beautifully with fish. Try serving it alongside simply poached fish or pan-fried fillets, such as cod, haddock, or sea bass. The mild flavour of the fish complements the creamy tahini sauce perfectly, turning the dish into a more filling and well-rounded meal.
Tahini comes in two main types: light (also known as white or hulled) and brown. Brown tahini is darker in colour and has a stronger, more bitter flavour, which can overpower the delicate balance of this dish. For the best results, light tahini is recommended, and it is now widely available in most supermarkets. That said, there can be a noticeable difference in quality between brands. Some cheaper varieties can taste quite bitter or gritty, whereas good-quality tahini should be smooth, creamy, and pleasantly nutty. Choosing the best tahini you can afford will make a real difference to the final flavour and texture of the dish.