Product knowledge
Is tahini the same as tahina?
Yes — tahini and tahina name the same core product: paste made from ground sesame seed. "Tahini" is the more common English spelling, while "tahina" sits closer to the Arabic طحينة and is used more in Levantine Arabic and some Mediterranean kitchens. At the wholesale and ingredient level, they're the same thing. The one wrinkle worth knowing: in some Levantine kitchens, "tahina" also refers to the thinned, seasoned sauce made from tahini paste — not the paste itself — which is where the terms genuinely start to diverge.
Both words trace back to the same Arabic root, ṭaḥana (طحن), meaning "to grind" — a direct description of how the product is made, whichever spelling ends up on the jar. The spelling difference is purely orthographic; it says nothing about quality, origin or recipe on its own.
Same paste, two spellings
"Tahini" and "tahina" are transliterations of the same Arabic word, and the spelling that ends up on a label often just reflects which region's culinary language a producer or writer is drawing from. Neither spelling indicates a different recipe or process — both describe sesame seed ground into a smooth, pourable paste, with hulled sesame being the far more common base for the commercial product. See what makes a good tahini? for how to judge that paste once you're sourcing it.
Where "tahina" sometimes means something slightly different
In some Levantine kitchens, "tahina" — or "tahini sauce" in English-language menus — refers specifically to the thinned, seasoned preparation made from tahini paste: paste whisked with lemon juice, garlic, water and salt into a pourable sauce, the kind served over falafel or roasted vegetables. That sauce is distinct from the raw paste itself, even though the same base word is used for both in casual conversation. When precision matters — sourcing, recipe writing, menu description — it's worth specifying "tahini paste" versus "tahini sauce" to avoid the ambiguity.
Why the distinction matters when you're sourcing wholesale
For a kitchen or grocer placing an order, being precise about which product you mean avoids a mismatch on delivery — a case of raw tahini paste for making your own sauce is a different order than a prepared, ready-to-serve tahini sauce. Tahini paste itself is sourced on request through our supplier houses rather than carried as a standing catalogue line, so specifying the exact product — paste versus prepared sauce, hulled versus unhulled — helps when you reach out with an inquiry.
How this shows up on menus and packaging
Menu writers and label copy often use "tahini" and "tahina" interchangeably without meaning to draw a technical distinction, and in casual use that's usually fine — most diners and shoppers read either spelling as "the sesame thing." Where it's worth being careful is in a recipe, spec sheet or supplier inquiry, where "tahini" reliably signals the raw paste ingredient and specifying "tahini sauce" or "tahina sauce" signals the thinned, seasoned preparation. That small habit avoids the kind of mismatched order that's easy to catch in advance and annoying to fix after delivery.
The same root word shows up again in halva — tahini paste is the base ingredient that gets whipped with sugar syrup to make halva (halawa), which is yet another product carrying a related name. Keeping paste, sauce and finished sweet mentally separate makes all three easier to source and describe accurately.
Related questions
Is the tahini sauce served with falafel the same as tahini paste?
No — the sauce is tahini paste thinned and seasoned with lemon, garlic and water. The paste itself is the base ingredient, not the finished sauce.
Is tahini vegan?
Plain tahini paste is plant-based — ground sesame, sometimes with a pinch of salt. Always check a specific product's ingredient list if you're managing a strict menu requirement.
Do all recipes use "tahini" and "tahina" to mean the exact same thing?
Mostly, but not always — regional and family usage varies enough that it's worth clarifying paste versus sauce when a recipe or supplier isn't specific.
Which spelling should I use on a menu or product label?
Either is understood by most customers, so consistency matters more than the specific spelling — pick one and use it throughout your menu or packaging to avoid looking inconsistent.