It’s getting closer to that time of year – falling leaves, trick-or-treaters, early nights…and pumpkin seed butter!
This spread is a unique alternative to nut butters, with a delicious taste and some awesome nutritional qualities, which might make it a better choice than the Halloween candy that’s coming out…
Now, we’re going to compare pumpkin seed butter to another great spread: tahini!
Tahini is quite unique, and is often only thought of as an ingredient in the delicious hummus – but not today! We’re going to look at why tahini actually makes a great spread as well, and why you should definitely consider clearing some space in your fridge for it!
We’ll also compare these two wonderful spreads, taking a close look at both side-by-side to see which one is ultimately the better choice!
Let’s jump in!
Comparing pumpkin seed butter vs tahini
Pumpkin seed butter and tahini are both nut-free, with pumpkin seed butter having no allergens while tahini has sesame as an allergen. They sometimes share slightly similar textures – pumpkin seed butter is sometimes thin like tahini, but we’ll dive into that a little later.
Both spreads are great for vegan, paleo, and keto diets while having low glycemic indexes – that makes them great if you’re wanting to keep your blood sugar levels from spiking, but talk to your physician if you have any concerns with that!
| Pumpkin seed butter | Tahini (sesame seed butter) | |
| Taste | Nutty, earthy, slightly sweet | Mildly nutty, toasty, slightly bitter |
| Texture | Thick or thin, slightly grainy | Thin, creamy |
| Allergens | None | Sesame |
| Vegan? | Yes | Yes |
| Paleo? | Yes | Yes |
| Keto? | Yes | Yes |
| Glycemic index (GI) | Pumpkin seeds=25 | 40 |
What is pumpkin seed butter?
Pumpkin seed butter is that delicious spread made by grinding down raw or roasted pumpkin seeds. I always prefer the ones that roast the seeds before the grinding process happens, as that enhances the flavor – but you can use roasted or raw ones when making pumpkin seed butter at home!
The spread is really simple with very few ingredients, only requiring some sea salt, your choice of natural oil, and your favorite pumpkin seeds!
The texture can be thin or thick depending on how it’s processed, giving it a wide range of consistencies that you can enjoy! It’s also slightly grainy, with a nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor profile.
What is tahini?
Tahini is a Middle Eastern spread that’s completely nut-free! It’s often used to make hummus, and boasts a mild, slightly nutty, toasty, and slightly bitter flavor profile.
It’s made by grinding sesame seeds into a thin and creamy paste, and it’s really easy to make tahini at home!
Differences between pumpkin seed butter and tahini
The biggest differences between pumpkin seed butter and tahini are the flavor and texture.
Pumpkin seed butter boasts a nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor while tahini has a mild, slightly nutty, toasty, and slightly bitter flavor.
Their textures can be similar in that pumpkin seed butter may be thin depending on how it’s processed, while tahini is always thin (although always thinner than pumpkin seed butter). This makes both spreads great for drizzling, unless the process in pumpkin seed butter makes it thick. You’ll also find that tahini is creamy while pumpkin seed butter is slightly grainy.
How to use pumpkin seed butter vs tahini
You can use both pumpkin seed butter and tahini as spreads on your toast, waffles, pancakes and bakes, or add them as an ingredient for your baked creations! That’ll give your bakes some great flavor profiles, which you can also do for your smoothies and oatmeal!
However, their different tastes and different textures can affect whatever you combine them with in ways that you don’t expect – while you can use them interchangeably, adding one spread to something doesn’t mean that the results will be just as good or bad when using the other spread instead, so let yourself get creative and try new things out!
Nutrition: Pumpkin seed butter vs tahini
Pumpkin seed butter is an amazing source of iron, giving you about 15% of your entire daily iron value in just one serving! That’s amazing, and you also get 9 grams of protein per serving! This is all complimented by its low carb content, making it a powerhouse in the keto world.
Tahini is also low in carbs, with 3 grams of net carbs per serving. It has a decent protein content of 5 grams per serving, with a great source of healthy fats! Both spreads have similar calorie counts as well.
| Serving size: 2 tbsp | Pumpkin seed butter | Tahini (sesame seed butter) |
| Calories | 180 | 176 |
| Total fat (saturated) | 14 g (4 g) | 16 g (2 g) |
| Total carbs | 4 g | 6 g |
| Net carbs (fiber) | 1 g (3 g) | 3 g (3 g) |
| Total sugars (incl. added) | 0 g | 0 g |
| Protein | 9 g | 5 g |
How to store pumpkin seed butter and tahini
Pumpkin seed butter and tahini should both ideally be stored in the fridge, as that’ll keep them from going rancid too soon. It’ll also help prevent oil separation in pumpkin seed butter especially, and thicken tahini up to make it easier to handle!
Make sure you check their labels for any specific storage instructions and best-before dates!
Pumpkin seed butter vs tahini: The ultimate verdict
Now, which one of these unique spreads takes the win!
Pumpkin seed butter boasts a delicious flavor with an awesome nutritional profile containing iron, protein, and fiber while being nut-free!
Tahini is also great, with a unique texture that’s perfect for drizzling while being a great source of healthy fats.
Looking at everything we’ve covered, the win goes to pumpkin seed butter for having a superior nutritional profile, more similar taste to nut butters, and being completely allergy-free!
FAQs
You sure can! Pumpkin seed butter has no nuts in, which makes it a great substitute for many nut butters and a wonderful option if you have a nut allergy.
Both are great, with tahini offering some awesome healthy fats, but pumpkin seed butter has a much greater protein content along with a lot of iron, making it better for the main goal of protein smoothies.
Yes! Tahini has no nuts in it because it is made from sesame seeds, so feel free to eat if if you have nut allergies!
