Date and Tahini Oat Porridge
- 5 min prep
- 13 min
- Cook
- Serves 2
- 535 kcal
- 21 g protein
Porridge sweetened only with dates that melt into the milk as it cooks, then finished with a ribbon of tahini and toasted sesame. Rich, nutty, no sugar added.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (90 g) rolled oats
- 2½ cups (600 ml) milk
- 6 soft dates (48 g), pitted and thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp (45 g) tahini, well stirred
- ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tsp (3 g) sesame seeds, toasted
Method
- 1Put the oats, milk, cinnamon, salt and two-thirds of the sliced dates in a saucepan and stir well.
- 2Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until it comes to a gentle bubble. Lower the heat and keep stirring for 4 to 5 minutes more, until the oats are soft and the dates have broken down into the porridge, turning it light caramel in colour.
- 3Take the pan off the heat and stir in 2 tbsp of the tahini. The porridge will turn glossier and thicker; loosen with a splash of hot water or milk if you like it softer.
- 4Divide between two bowls.
- 5Spoon the remaining tahini over each bowl in a swirl, then scatter with the rest of the dates and the toasted sesame seeds. Eat warm.
Notes from the Department
- Stir the tahini jar thoroughly before measuring; the oil separates and the bottom of the jar is otherwise a paste you cannot pour.
- Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan for 1 to 2 minutes until they smell nutty and turn pale gold.
- If your dates are dry, soak them in a few spoons of hot milk for 5 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition per serving
- Energy
- 535 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbohydrate
- 69 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
- Sugars
- 31 g
Why this works
Dates are a natural fit for porridge. Sliced thin and cooked in the milk, they soften and dissolve, sweetening every spoonful without any sugar. Tahini, the sesame paste behind hummus, brings a toasty, faintly bitter richness that keeps the sweetness in check, a pairing common across the Middle East where tahini and date syrup are eaten together on bread.
Stirring half the tahini through and spooning the rest on top gives you two textures: a creamy, nutty base and pockets of pure sesame.
Which dates and tahini
Soft dates like Medjool or Kimia melt best; harder dates work if you chop them small. Tahini quality varies a lot. Choose a light-coloured, pourable one made from hulled sesame. If yours is bitter or thick, a drop of lemon juice and a spoon of warm water whisked in will smooth it. In a pinch, a thinned spoon of white til paste ground at home will do the job.
Swaps
For a vegan bowl, cook the oats in oat milk or almond milk. Add a sliced banana or a grated apple for extra fruit. A pinch of cardamom in place of cinnamon takes it closer to Indian flavours. For gluten-free porridge, use certified gluten-free oats.
Storage
Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep 2 days in the fridge; reheat with a generous splash of milk, stirring until smooth, and add fresh tahini on top. The Department of Sweetness notes that no sugar was involved.
Questions people ask
- What does tahini porridge taste like?
- Nutty and toasty, like sesame, with a slight bitterness that balances the sweet dates. It is richer than plain porridge and less sweet than one made with honey.
- Can I use date syrup instead of dates?
- Yes. Stir 1 to 2 tbsp date syrup into the cooked porridge instead of the sliced dates. Note that date syrup counts as an added sweetener.
- Is tahini porridge good for breakfast every day?
- It is a filling bowl with oats, sesame and milk. Tahini is calorie-dense, so keep it to about 1½ tbsp per serving if you eat it daily.
Inspired by BBC Good Food. Method, notes and photograph by the Ministry of Oats.
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