Baked Apricots with Tahini – 13g Protein | Vegan Dessert

This is my go-to when I want a warm dessert that feels restaurant-level but takes less than 20 minutes and one small baking dish. Apricots baked until soft and syrupy, finished with tahini stirred through with fresh orange zest so it melts straight into the fruit, plus crushed walnuts and hemp seeds for texture. It delivers 13 grams of protein without feeling like a “high-protein” dessert.

The key is drizzling the tahini while the fruit is still steaming hot. The residual heat loosens it into a glossy citrus-scented sauce without you having to cook anything separately. Serve cold soy yogurt on the side, not on top – the contrast between hot fruit and cool tangy yogurt is what makes this work. The recipe makes four halves, enough to share or to keep one portion for tomorrow, when the apricots are cold and just as good in a completely different way.

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📊 NUTRITION (per serving)
Calories: 443 | Protein: 13g | Carbs: 28g | Fat: 34g | Fiber: 6g
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⏱️ Time: 20 minutes (Prep: 5 | Cook: 15) 🍽️ Serves: 1 generously / 2 as a lighter treat (221 kcal | 6.5g protein per half)
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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup (150g) frozen apricots, thawed
• 2 tbsp (30g) tahini
• 3 tbsp (20g) walnuts, crushed
• 1 tsp (3g) hemp seeds
• 1 tsp (4g) coconut sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp orange zest
• ¼ cup (60g) unsweetened soy yogurt, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Arrange the apricots: Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the thawed apricot halves in a small oven-safe baking dish, skin-side down. Arranged this way, each half becomes a natural cup that holds the toppings and catches the syrup as it forms. Crowding is fine — they’ll shrink as they bake.
2. Season and bake: Sprinkle the coconut sugar and cinnamon evenly over the apricots. The sugar draws out the fruit juices during baking and forms a light, glossy syrup at the bottom of the dish — that’s what you’re after. Bake for 15 minutes until the fruit is tender, bubbling at the edges, and fragrant. The apricots should be soft all the way through but still holding their shape.
3. Drizzle the tahini while hot: Stir the orange zest into the tahini first, then take the dish straight from the oven and drizzle immediately over the hot fruit. Don’t wait – the residual heat is what melts the tahini and lets it seep into the apricots rather than sitting on top in a thick layer. It should look glossy and slightly translucent where it hits the fruit.
4. Add the crumble: Scatter the crushed walnuts and hemp seeds over the top. Press them in very lightly so they stick to the tahini rather than rolling off. The walnuts add crunch against the soft fruit, and the hemp seeds add a subtle nuttiness you’ll notice without being able to identify.
5. Serve with cold yogurt: Spoon the soy yogurt onto the side of the plate, not on top of the apricots. The temperature contrast – hot syrupy fruit, cold tangy yogurt – is the whole point. Eat them together in each spoonful.

PRO TIP: If your apricots are particularly tart, add a tiny pinch of sea salt to the tahini before drizzling. Salt doesn’t make it taste salty – it suppresses the bitterness in the tahini and amplifies the natural sweetness of the fruit and the citrus notes simultaneously. One pinch is enough.

CHEF’S KISS: A few torn fresh mint leaves over the top right before serving. The cool, aromatic contrast cuts through the richness of the tahini and makes the whole dish taste brighter and more complex. Impact: 3–4 mint leaves = +0 calories, +0g protein, but elevates this from home cooking to something you’d pay for in a restaurant.

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🌱 PLANT DIVERSITY: Apricots • Sesame (tahini) • Walnuts • Hemp seeds • Coconut sugar (coconut) • Cinnamon • Soy yogurt (soybeans)

(If you’re tracking plants per week, this adds 7 to your count.)

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*Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients and brands used.* 

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ESSENTIALS

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You may find yourself in need of: 

Small Oval Au Gratin Dish – small, shallow baking dish helps the apricots cook evenly and prevents excess moisture from collecting in a deep container.

Tahini – smooth, runny tahini melts into the hot apricots and creates that glossy, citrus-scented sauce instead of sitting thick and bitter on top.

Unsweetened Soy Yogurt – thick, neutral soy yogurt provides the cold, tangy contrast that balances the richness of the warm tahini and syrupy fruit.

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