The best healthy homemade granola recipe
This nut-free, healthy homemade tahini granola recipe is much better than store bought. It comes together quickly and is full of heart healthy ingredients like tahini and hemp seeds. Many store-bought granolas rely on sugar for flavor but this healthy granola has a less sweet and more nutty taste. I developed this recipe in partnership with Mighty Sesame Tahini which is my favorite brand and have received a stipend for my endorsement. The article contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting my work.
What is granola?
Granola is a crunchy, baked oats crumble that many people enjoy as a cereal with milk or as a topping for yogurt and smoothies. People have been making jokes about granola and hippies for years. But one quick look at how many granola brands and flavors are available at the average supermarket will tell you that granola is no joke. People love it! Many commercial granolas are laden with sugar and oil. But it can be a super healthy addition like my healthy homemade tahini granola.
The best nut free granola
Many granolas are full of nuts. I love a crunchy nutty granola, don't get me wrong. But I wanted to develop a nut-free granola that would be school lunch friendly. That is how I got the idea to add tahini and seeds to granola to add healthy fats and protein without allergen foods. I actually first made this one at 7am on a Monday in a sauté pan which I started on the stove and finished in the oven. It was such a hit, that I had to work on the larger recipe which could be cooked on a sheet pan.
What is Tahini?
Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It has a mild, nutty flavor and a slightly sticky and creamy texture. Tahini is most known as an ingredient in many Middle-Eastern dishes like hummus and baba ganoush. Many also associate tahini with Asian noodle dishes or even as a salad dressing or sauce for Mediterranean pita sandwiches. Tahini is such a versatile and healthy ingredient. It is full of heart healthy fats and antioxidants and is easy to add to your diet. I love adding it to not only savory dishes but also sweeter things like muffins, cookies and granola.
The best tahini
I always use Mighty Sesame Tahini and have been for years. I love that it is organic, has only one ingredient, is vegan, non-gmo, and allergen free. It is always runny and pourable straight from the convenient squeeze bottle. Many brands can separate and are not easy to use. I have tried them all, and I do not like jarred tahini where the sesame settles in the bottom creating a solid block and the oils rise to the top. This always results in waste. With Mighty Sesame, you just shake the bottle to keep it mixed well and when the bottle gets low you can store it upside down to use the last drops!
Ingredients for granola
There are only 7 ingredients in this healthy homemade tahini granola. If you wanted to also add flax seeds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds this would still be a nut-free and school friendly granola.
- quick oats
- olive oil
- maple syrup
- sesame tahini
- sesame seeds
- hemp seeds
- salt
- cinnamon
- vanilla
How do you make granola?
You will be so shocked at how easy it is to make granola.
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Then, in a large mixing bowl or on the same sheet pan you will be cooking the granola add the oats, olive oil, maple syrup, sesame tahini, sesame seeds, hemp seeds and salt.
- Mix thoroughly with your clean hands. It will be sticky not wet.
- Add the oat mixture to a large sheet pan and spread in a thin layer, pressing down gently. Bake for 7 minutes.
- Using the back of a spatula, stir the granola so that the underside is on top. Essentially flipping it but it won't stay in one piece, it will crumble. Then spread again in a thin layer and gently press again.
- Bake for another 5-7 minutes. Once you can really smell the granola, it is finished. There is a fine line, if you are not paying attention, it will burn very easily if you don't take it out on time.
- Let the granola cool before moving it to a storage container.
Tips for making the best granola
- If you like a bigger cluster type granola, add 1 tbsp more of each olive oil, maple syrup and tahini to make it stickier and wetter. I kept this one crumbly so that my kids would not notice the seeds so much. Just note that the sugar and calorie count will be higher when adding additional ingredients.
- Add dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, apricots! They really up a granola's flavor. Just make sure to add them after cooking.
- Cool the granola before putting in a storage container. If sealed tightly, this will last for 7 days at room temp.
Other delicious recipes using tahini
Healthy Homemade Tahini Granola
Equipment
- 1 sheet pan
Ingredients
- 4 cups quick oats
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- 4 tbsp sesame tahini
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Then, in a large mixing bowl or on the same sheet pan you will be cooking the granola add the oats, olive oil, maple syrup, sesame tahini, sesame seeds, hemp seeds and salt.
- Mix thoroughly with your clean hands. It will be sticky not wet.
- Add the oat mixture to a large sheet pan and spread in a thin layer, pressing down gently. Bake for 7 minutes.
- Using the back of a spatula, stir the granola so that the underside is on top. Essentially flipping it but it won't stay in one piece, it will crumble. Then spread again in a thin layer and gently press again.
- Bake for another 5-7 minutes. Once you can really smell the granola, it is finished. There is a fine line, if you are not paying attention, it will burn very easily if you don't take it out on time.
- Let the granola cool before moving it to a storage container.
