Date, Tahini, and Cardamom Smoothie Recipe

Thickened with frozen bananas, this smoothie strikes a wonderful balance with caramel-like medjool dates and rich, nutty tahini.

By
Autumn Giles
Autumn Giles
Autumn Giles wrote Beyond Canning in 2016 and has been creating recipes for preserving, cocktails, and desserts for over a decade, all gluten-free.
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Updated November 17, 2023
A date, tahini, and cardamom smoothie, served in a pint glass.

Serious Eats / Autumn Giles

Why It Works

  • Sourcing fresh dates—and bringing them to room temperature if refrigerated—makes blending easier and results in the smoothest texture.
  • Ground cardamom adds a bright, refreshing flavor to the deep caramel notes of the dates and creamy tahini.

Lately, ripe bananas have been getting on my nerves. I cleaned out my freezer and was straight up horrified at the number of shriveled, black, completely freezer-burnt bananas that I found shoved in every possible crevice.

So I confess: I surrendered and threw them all away. Then I made a banana resolution to reserve 2 or 3 bananas from each new bunch that I buy, peel, and freeze them in a quart ziploc bag for smoothies before they get so ripe that the only thing I can do is shove them in the freezer and try my hardest to forget about them.

Since seeing this recipe for raw fudge that uses dates and tahini making the rounds on Pinterest, I haven't been able to get that flavor combination out of my head. Thanks to bananas' affinity for nut butters, a frozen banana is a perfect addition. Plus, they add that magical non-dairy creaminess that only bananas can.

The sweetness in this smoothie comes from the caramely flavor of medjool dates, which are the perfect complement to the savory tahini. I store my dates in the fridge and I've learned the hard way that they aren't exactly easy to blend when they're cold. So the one itty bit of prep work involved in this smoothie is just making sure your dates are at room temperature. It's like setting out a stick of butter before you make cookies. No big deal.

January 2014

Recipe Details

Date, Tahini, and Cardamom Smoothie Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 5 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 1 serving
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk

  • 3 medjool dates, preferably fresh (about 1 1/2 ounces) pitted and torn into 1/2 inch pieces

  • 2 tablespoons tahini

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, plus more for garnish

  • 1 frozen banana, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

  • Pinch salt

Directions

  1. Combine almond milk, dates, and tahini in a blender. Pulse to break up the dates and then blend on high until a smooth paste forms, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Flecks of date should be visible, but the mixture should be smooth.

  2. Add cardamom, banana, and salt to the blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Garnish with more ground cardamom and serve immediately.

Special Equipment

Blender

Notes

For the best flavor (and easy blending) seek out fresher dates—often found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. If you use dried dates, it may take a little extra blending. For the smoothest texture, bring the dates to room temperature before using. No need to bother getting out a cutting board to chop the dates; I simply tear them with my hands as I add them to the blender.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
431Calories
19gFat
67gCarbs
8gProtein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories431
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g24%
Saturated Fat 2g12%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 284mg12%
Total Carbohydrate 67g24%
Dietary Fiber 7g26%
Total Sugars 43g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 12mg58%
Calcium 464mg36%
Iron 3mg15%
Potassium 990mg21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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