Tahini Banana Date Smoothie

Name: Tahini Banana Date Smoothie
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 4 whole (80 g) Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped; ½ cup (120 ml) hot water, just boiled, for soaking the dates; 2 medium (240 g) ripe bananas, peeled, sliced into ½-inch (1 cm) rounds and frozen solid; 3 tablespoons (45 g) tahini, well stirred; 1½ cups (360 ml) whole milk, cold; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) pure vanilla extract (optional); ⅛ teaspoon (¾ g) fine sea salt, a generous pinch; ½ cup (70 g) ice cubes, only if bananas are not fully frozen (optional); 1 teaspoon (3 g) toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling on top (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A creamy, naturally sweetened Middle Eastern-style smoothie with nutty tahini, ripe banana, and caramel-like Medjool dates, finished with a pinch of cinnamon and salt. Thick, filling, and ready in 10 minutes.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: —
Wait: 10 min
Total: 20 min
Makes: 2 smoothies (about 12 oz / 350 ml each)

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Steps

Before you start

Freeze the banana slices at least 4 hours ahead (or overnight) for a thick, frosty texture.
Pit the dates and check carefully for any remaining pit fragments.
Stir the tahini jar well before measuring, since the oil separates and settles on top.
Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes unless they are very soft and fresh.

1
Soak the dates
- Place the chopped dates in a small bowl and pour the ½ cup (120 ml) just-boiled water over them.
- Let them sit for 10 minutes so they soften and blend smoothly.
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Ready when: Dates are plump and squish easily when pressed with a spoon
Tip: Very soft, fresh dates may need only 5 minutes.
2
Prep the banana
- While the dates soak, make sure the banana slices are frozen solid.
- If you're starting with fresh bananas, slice them and use the optional ice later for thickness.
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Ready when: Banana slices feel hard and are frosty to the touch
Tip: Frozen slices separate easily; freeze them in a single layer to avoid one big clump.
3
Measure the tahini
- Stir the tahini jar thoroughly until smooth and pourable, then measure 3 tablespoons (45 g).
- Lightly oil the spoon if desired so the tahini slides out cleanly.
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Ready when: Tahini is uniform and drips smoothly from a spoon
Tip: Unstirred tahini from the top of the jar is thin and oily, while the bottom is dense, so mix well for balanced flavor.
4
Load the blender
- Pour the milk into the blender first, then add the soaked dates with their soaking water, tahini, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla if using.
- Add the frozen banana slices on top (and the ice, if using).
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Tip: Liquid on the bottom helps the blades catch the frozen fruit and prevents air pockets.
5
Blend until smooth
- Secure the lid and start on low, then increase to high.
- Blend for 60–90 seconds in a high-speed blender (up to 2 minutes in a standard one), stopping once to scrape down the sides.
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Ready when: Smoothie is completely smooth, thick, pale tan, with no date flecks or banana chunks visible
Tip: If the blades spin without pulling anything down, add 2 tablespoons of milk and try again.
6
Taste and adjust
- Taste the smoothie.
- Add another pinch of salt if the tahini flavor seems flat, or 1 more soaked date if you prefer it sweeter.
- Add 2–3 tablespoons milk if it is too thick to sip through a straw.
- Blend 10 seconds more.
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Ready when: Flavor is balanced: nutty, sweet, and slightly salty, with a thick pourable texture like a milkshake
7
Serve immediately
- Divide between 2 tall glasses.
- Sprinkle the top with toasted sesame seeds if using, and a tiny dusting of cinnamon.
- Serve right away with a wide straw.
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Ready when: Smoothie holds a soft, thick swirl when poured
Tip: Serve promptly, because the smoothie thickens and separates as it sits.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the pinch of salt; it rounds out the bitterness of the tahini and amplifies the date sweetness.
Use bananas with brown speckles before freezing for the best natural sweetness.
For extra protein, add ¼ cup (60 g) plain Greek yogurt and reduce the milk to 1¼ cups (300 ml).
Choose a fresh, runny tahini made from hulled sesame seeds for the smoothest and least bitter drink.

Make ahead

"Freeze banana slices up to 3 months ahead. You can also portion the bananas, pitted dates, and tahini into freezer bags for grab-and-blend packs; add milk when blending."

Storage & reheating

"Best fresh. Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 24 hours; shake or re-blend before drinking, as it will thicken and separate. Freeze in ice cube trays or jars for up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge overnight or re-blend the cubes with a splash of milk. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 1 hour."

Substitutions

whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or almond milk. Makes the smoothie dairy-free; oat milk gives the creamiest result.
Medjool dates → 2 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, or date syrup (dibs). Skip the soaking step and the hot water; add 2 tablespoons extra milk to compensate.
tahini → smooth almond butter or sunflower seed butter. The flavor will be sweeter and less earthy; reduce salt slightly.
ripe bananas → 1 cup (150 g) frozen mango or ½ cup cooked, cooled oats. Mango gives a fruitier taste; oats add thickness with a milder flavor.