Chicken Free Pesto-Walnut Turmeric Tahini Bites
These little no-bake bites pack a genuinely surprising flavor punch — earthy tahini, bright basil, warm turmeric, and toasty walnuts all rolled into one satisfying, snackable ball. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, blending the walnuts and fresh basil into a rough, chunky pesto base before the rest of the ingredients come together into a sticky, cohesive dough. Rolled oats give each bite real substance and a gentle chew, while honey and lemon juice balance out the richness of the olive oil and tahini beautifully. A pinch of black pepper alongside the turmeric is a smart move — it helps your body absorb the turmeric's benefits, and it adds just enough warmth to keep things interesting. These are completely plant-based and built entirely from whole-food pantry staples, so there's zero guesswork about what's in them. After a quick 30-minute chill in the fridge, they firm up perfectly and keep for up to a week — which means you can batch-make them on Sunday and snack confidently all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
For the bites
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add the walnuts and basil to a food processor and pulse 8–10 times until the walnuts are coarsely chopped and the basil is broken down into small flecks — the mixture should look like a rough, chunky pesto, not a smooth paste.
- 2
Add the tahini, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, turmeric, black pepper, and salt to the food processor. Pulse 5–6 more times until the mixture just comes together into a cohesive, slightly sticky mass.
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