Tahini Recipe (Super Easy & Creamy) (2024)

FAQs

Why is my tahini sauce not smooth? ›

The key to smooth and runny tahini is to give it time, so keep blending. Transfer to a container and enjoy!

Adding a small amount of water to tahini causes it to thicken into a paste because of carbohydrate binding.

A small amount of added water acts like a glue, wetting particles just enough to get them to stick together, but eventually if you add too much water, the mixture turns into an evenly thinned-out liquid.

When a small amount of lemon juice (or water) is added to the tahini or peanut butter, the hydrophilic dry particles are drawn to the water. As a result, it clumps up. As water is added, more clumps develop, causing the tahini to thicken overall.

Tahini that hides in the fridge for too long (or stored in fridges that feel more like freezers) can turn chunky and hard. So hard you'll feel like you need a cement mixer to get things moving again. That's why, if you are storing your tahini in the fridge, make sure the temperature of your fridge is not too cold.

As I said earlier, tahini has a mildly bitter flavour, so if your hummus is bitter, you've most likely added too much tahini. Also make sure that the tahini you do have is hulled, as opposed to unhulled. Hulled tahini just means that the bitter husks on the outside of the sesame seed have been removed before blending.

Lime Juice – Freshly squeezed is best! The acidity helps cut through some of the bitterness of the tahini. If preferred, lemon juice will also work.

So here is my super easy way to stop tahini separating! All you need to to is take it all out of the original jar and put it into a mini food processor. Process it until it is all smooth – make sure to hold on to the processor to keep it steady as there are some big lumps of sesame that it is trying to get through!

Risks and Side Effects

Most nuts and seeds, including sesame seeds, are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which are described as “pro-inflammatory” because they can contribute to certain problems when they're consumed in high amounts. For that reason, nuts and seeds, including tahini, are best when eaten in moderation.

Stir your tahini well before using, as the oil separates during storage. Once opened, you may have to vigorously stir the oil back into the sesame paste. Store the jar in your fridge to prevent spoiling. Tahini keeps for many months, but the oils will go rancid over time.

Is it worth making tahini? ›

Homemade Tahini has a rich nutty taste and is easy to make with just two ingredients – sesame seeds and oil. It is so much better and cheaper than store bought tahini. Tahini paste is a perfect addition not only to hummus, but also to make salad dressings and dips.

Tahini can go bad, especially if it's exposed to moisture or direct heat. It will have a noticeable, sharp rancid smell.

Bitterness is generally part and parcel of tahini - it's how ground sesame seeds taste. What you will find, however, is that some tahini can taste more bitter than others. This is down to a few things; like how that particular tahini is processed, or the levels of something called oxalic acid in the hulls of the seeds.

Once you get your jar of tahini home, you want to open it up and give it a stir to make sure it's incorporated. (If the oil has fully separated, such as in the photo above, Food editor Joe Yonan uses an immersion blender to reincorporate it, after which he says it stays emulsified.)

If your tahini is dry, or if you prefer a thinner sauce, add more water, as needed, to reach your desired consistency.

With just a shake, the nutty condiment is ready to be squeezed onto whatever my heart desires, without so much as a hint of streaky separation. Because tahini is made purely from sesame seeds, which have a high oil content, even the highest quality brands will separate over time.

Tahini is the Arabic name for ground sesame seeds. It can be served as a dip or as a component of other dishes. The sesame paste has kind of an oily surface with a peanut butter-like texture.