Perfectly crunchy, chewy homemade granola with olive oil, tahini, walnuts and dried fruit. This easy granola recipe with a Mediterranean twist is loaded with flavor and nutrition. Be sure to read through my tips for how to make it!
If you're anything like me, you have probably tried a variety of store-bought granola before you discovered that homemade granola is way better, not to mention cheaper! To me, the perfect granola recipe is:
- Fresh and has an element of richness not found in the dried-up ready bags
- Crunchy with just the right amount of chew
- Strikes the right balance of sweet and savory in every bite
- Has the right amount of fun add-ons in the form of nuts, dried fruit etc...
My friends, this recipe with my Mediterranean twist delivers on all the above! And I love it as a snack or for breakfast with milk, Greek yogurt, or...maybe even with a couple tablespoons of Labneh.
Granola with a Mediterranean twist
If you take a glance at the list of ingredients, you'll find this recipe starts with the usual old fashioned oats + a handful of nuts (walnuts and pistachios) and seeds (in this case, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds). But what truly sets it apart from your average healthy homemade granola and takes it to next-level delicious are two very Mediterranean ingredients: extra virgin olive oil and tahini paste (a super creamy, rich vegan paste made by finely grinding roasted sesame seeds until buttery smooth).
Not only do the EVOO and tahini infuse the oats with nutrition and deep, nutty flavor, but they also lend an extra layer of richness that helps the granola strike the perfect balance of crunchy and chewy!
For sweetness, I mainly relied on honey and Medjool dates, which are added once the granola is baked (I do pit and chop the dates into smaller pieces). It is totally optional to add spices to your granola, but I like a little pinch of cinnamon and cardamom.
How to make granola from scratch?
Some of us are more visual, so let's walk through this easy recipe step-by-step (scroll down for the print-friendly version with ingredient list):
- Combine the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, toss together your oats, pistachios, walnuts, sunflower seed, and sesame seeds, and coconut flakes
- Combine wet ingredients + spices
In another bowl, whisk together the honey (it helps to warm up the honey so it's nice and runny), tahini, olive oil, vanilla extract, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. - Mix wet and dry ingredients well
Pour the wet olive oil and tahini mixture over the dry oat mixture and toss until the oat mixture is well-coated - Spread the granola flat on a sheet pan
Make sure to use a large enough sheet pan that allows you to spread the granola in a single even layer - Bake at 350 degrees F
It will take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes to bake (mine took closer to 45 minutes). Make sure to stir the granola every 7 to 10 minutes or so to prevent burning, the outer edges will need to be pushed to the center occasionally - Let cool then add dried fruit
Pull the sheet pan out and set it aside until the granola has completely cooled off. At this point, you can break it up into chunks and mix in your dried fruits (I used ½ cup chopped Medjool dates and ½ cup dried cranberries)
Tips for the best crunchy homemade granola
Making granola is fairly straightforward but here are a few tips that can make all the difference in texture and flavor:
- Use a lower-temperature oven. I set mine to 350 degrees F, which will allow the granola to toast nicely without over-baking
- Use a large sheet pan and make sure to spread the oats mixture in one single layer directly on the pan. I do not use parchment paper, I know it's easier for clean up purposes but it does not produce the same results in terms of crunch
- Check the granola every few minutes during the baking time and stir to avoid burning. The granola around the edges should be pushed toward the center once in a while
- Take it out of the oven when it looks lightly toasted. Remember granola will still look somewhat sticky when it comes out of the oven, it won't be fully dry yet.
- Let it cool completely. Once you take it out of the oven, allow the granola to sit in the sheet pan completely undisturbed until it has cooled. At this point, you can use a wooden spoon to break it up into chunks. This is also when you can add your dried fruit.
How to store it
Once fully cooled, transfer the homemade granola to an airtight jar or container. It should be good for up to 2 weeks.
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Homemade Granola Recipe with Olive Oil and Tahini
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup shelled pistachios
- ¾ cup walnuts
- ½ cup sunflower seed
- 3 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- ¾ cup honey warmed up so it’s runny
- ⅔ cup tahini
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ cup chopped Medjool dates (about 6 dates, pitted and chopped)
- ½ cup dry cranberries or cherries
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the oats, pistachios, walnuts, sunflower seed, and sesame seeds, and coconut flakes in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, mix the honey, tahini, olive oil, vanilla extract, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. Pour over the oat mixture and toss until the oat mixture is well-coated.
- Spread the mixture on a large sheet pan in one single layer. Bake in the heated oven, stirring every 7 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is golden and well-toasted (anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes)
- Remove from the heat and allow the granola to cool completely. Break it up into clusters and mix in the dates and cranberries (or other dried fruits of your choice).
Video
Notes
- Storage: once the granola has fully cooled, you can store it in a tight-lid jar or container for up to 2 weeks.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils and tahini used in this recipe.
Do you have a good recipe for olive oil pie crust??
No yet, but that's a great idea!
Do you limit the amount of bread you eat in a day and do you eat white flour? I tend to over eat on the bread.
Thank-you,
Peggy
Hi, Peggy. Yes to both. Everything in moderation :).
OMG!!! I have just made this cereal and was unsure of using oil and tahini as I am used to diet cereals (low fat tastless) its the best ever most delicous cereal I have had in my life! I omitted the brown sugar as sweet enough for me. I had it served with natural creamy greek yogurt and blueberres - I love the crunchy and chewy moist textures this cereal produces. This is day 1 of following Suzy's meals and I feel better already! Cannot wait for my Cookbook to arrive! I am hoping to loose weight and become healthier - Heidi, Windsor, UK . PS - thankyou for emails received with tips/meals xxx
So glad you enjoyed this granola, Heidi! We are honored to be a part of your journey to better health!
Turned out great. It did seem pretty wet like others have said, however once cooled it was completely dry. I did need to stir it every 7min just like the recipe said. Got more brown on the bottom than top, so you really need to watch it & stir it well. Tahini can really vary so maybe that explains different results for folks. I added some salt because I did think that was missing & glad I did. Tossed in a few other spices, nutmeg, allspice, ginger. Added cashews & slivered almonds since I had them but no pistachios. Very flexible recipe. Wish it had a distinct tahini flavour but it does not, the sweetness of the honey comes through strongest. Might not be the best use of tahini for me since it can be expensive. Quite a big batch for one person, this size is perfect for families.
Made this for the first time today and I must say it’s amazing! It seems high in calories per serving but the recipe does not give a serving size. What is a serving size?
Thank you!
Hi, Melly. So glad you enjoyed it!! The whole recipe can be divided by 14 to get the "serving size". The exact serving size measurement (by cups, etc) is another layer that's harder for us to precisely calculate at the moment.
Loved the flavor but I will turn my oven down to probably 300 next time. It really browned in about 15 minutes but was still too wet to remove.
I turned my temp down to 325 because I was using a non-stick pan, but next time I'll probably go down to 300. I changed up the dry ingredients a bit (cleaning out my pantry lol) - used buckwheat and hemp seeds in place of the walnuts and sunflower seeds. Substituted 1 cup of agave nectar in place of the honey and sugar, and also used currants with the dates. The tahini, cinnamon, and cardamom are magic, and give such a delicious flavor and aroma! My kids loved it over Greek yogurt.
Thanks for sharing, Stacey!
Just made this and waiting for it to cool. Wondering if I did it right- I made the recipe verbatim but it seemed like a ton of sugar/oil/honey/tahini to dry ingredients and the consistency was like gloppy, mushy oatmeal as I spread it out on the pan, and then it was sticky and hard to stir every 10 mins. It started to burn fast so I reduced the temp to 325, then 300, and then 200 for the last 15 mins. Is this normal? I’m not confidant it’ll harden as it cools- seems like it’ll still be a bit soft, sticky and chewy. All the granola I’ve made in the past has been drier than this so I’m not sure if this is just the recipe or something went wrong. Thanks!
Hello! It's really hard to say what the issue may has been for you. I haven't had that particular issue before.
I had to turn my oven down as it browned very quickly but it is so delicious Best granola recipe I've ever tried!
Thanks, Sarah!
Hi,
I've made this twice with the same results. The first time it was burned after 14 minutes (was checking every 7 minutes) and the second time, it was a deep brown after 12 minutes. It's almost as if the mixture has too much moisture and I was a stickler for following the recipe.
Will you help me and let me know how I can make this successfully? We absolutely love the flavor.
Thanks so much, Diane
Hi, Diana. It sounds like your oven might run hotter than mine. Next time, maybe try lowering the oven temp a bit and see if that helps.
I don’t like sweet granola. May I make this eliminating the honey?
Totally in love with this recipe. Best granola ever, thank you so much!!!!
Thanks, Melina!
Does the tahini in this recipe stick well enough to make this into granola bars? If not, is there something you would recommend to add?
Hi, Carla. I think it would work to turn these into bars, you may need to adjust the amount of tahini and honey to get the right consistency, though. I've never tried this personally, so I can't really advice on exact amounts of everything needed in order to make bars. If you do some experimenting, I'd love to hear your feedback.
Hi
Is it possible to omit the tahini?
Hi, Jothi. That might work, but I've never tried this without the tahini myself. If you do, would you please stop back and share you thoughts?
I’m having trouble finding unsalted pistachios and sunflower seeds, did you use salted or unsalted?
Hi, Karen. I've found that either will work here.
I understand that this makes 14 servings, but how big is a serving (in Tablespoons or Cups)
Hi, Nadine. The whole recipe can be divided by 14 to get the "serving size". The nutrition info here is our best effort and we use a program that calculates that for us based on the ingredient list. The exact serving size measurement is another layer that's harder for us to precisely calculate at this time.