Pasteli — Greek Sesame & Honey Bars

Pasteli (παστέλι) is an ancient Greek sweet made from sesame seeds and honey – essentially the world’s original energy bar. Its history stretches back to Homeric times and beyond, when Greeks made a simple confection of toasted sesame seeds bound together with honey. Today it is still a common Greek snack: chewy, nutty sesame bars that are naturally gluten-free and vegan, packed with protein and healthy oils. In summer, Cycladic islanders often cut pasteli into small diamonds and serve it on lemon leaves as a wedding sweet. In Rhodes, a similar bar called melekouni is flavored with orange zest.

The charm of pasteli is its simplicity. It requires only two core ingredients: quality sesame seeds and pure honey. The seeds are gently toasted until they turn golden and fragrant; the honey is heated to a boil and reduced until it thickens into a light caramel. Stirring them together and pressing into a sheet creates a brittle bar that hardens on cooling. The flavour is clean and nutty, with the honey’s sweetness perfectly complementing the sesame’s toasted taste. Unlike many modern snacks, pasteli contains no refined sugar or oils, only nature’s ingredients. This makes it popular not just as a treat but as a wholesome snack: an ancient athlete’s ration, a farmer’s traveling food or a child’s after-school nibble. Nutritionally, sesame offers protein, calcium, iron and antioxidants, while honey provides quick energy and a touch of floral sweetness.

In Greek households, pasteli may appear any time of year. It was traditionally made during Orthodox fasting periods (when dairy and eggs were avoided), but its crunchy texture and portable size suit any season. You might see pasteli at summer festivals and street kiosks throughout Greece. In fact, modern hikers and health enthusiasts worldwide have rediscovered sesame bars for their enduring energy and satisfying crunch. Home cooks appreciate how quickly pasteli comes together: there is no dough to knead or baking oven to heat, only a stovetop simmer and a cooling period. Once set, the bars store well at room temperature in an airtight container.

This pasteli recipe follows the simplest form of the confection: equal weights of sesame and honey. When you make it, the kitchen will fill with the sweet, buttery aroma of toasted sesame. After mixing, the warm sesame-honey mixture is flattened (often between parchment sheets), and once firm it is cut into bars or triangles. Serve these golden snacks on a platter with sliced fruit, or include them in a homemade gift box of Greek sweets. Each bite will be crunchy and lightly chewy, sweetened naturally by honey. It’s a small taste of Greek tradition – a treat that connects us to history, and to the nourishing flavors of the Mediterranean diet.