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With this recipe, you can make tahini paste at home! I will show you two ways to make homemade tahini paste which you can use as a basic ingredient for many recipes.
What is Tahini?
Tahini is a paste made of sesame seeds and a little bit of oil. It can be used as a basic ingredient for many recipes such as hummus, salad dressings, or tahini sauce to top your veggies. Tahini paste has a bitter taste and is in my opinion not very enjoyable to eat just like that. But mixed with other food turns it into a nutritious and tasty primary ingredient.
Why Homemade Tahini?
There is no magic in making tahini at home. All you need is sesame seeds, oil, and a food processor. The recipe is easy, and the sesame seeds only need to be mixed for two minutes until you have a smooth tahini paste. Save the money and make something delicious with remaining sesame seeds.
Which Sesame Seeds to Choose for Tahini?
There are hulled (left) and unhulled (right) sesame seeds to buy. You can use both kinds to make a homemade tahini paste. However, the hulled ones give you a smoother and less bitter taste, and the color of the finished product is a light golden brown (see in the first picture). Unhulled sesame seeds are more nutritious and make brown tahini.
Most tahini paste you can buy at the supermarket is made from hulled sesame seeds. I can’t tell you that one is better than the other as I like both. Try it out both ways to know if you have a preference or simply make the decision based on the sesame seeds you have at home.
How to Make Tahini?
- Roast sesame seeds in a pan for about 5 minutes.
- They only need to be roasted lightly golden and not brown. Let them cool down for about 30 minutes.
- Add them in a food processor and blend for 1 minute.
- Add oil and blend for another minute until you have smooth tahini.
How Your Finished Tahini Paste Should Look Like
Your homemade tahini should be smooth. Add more oil if it’s not smooth enough and blend again for a few seconds.
- Finished tahini paste with hulled sesame seeds.
- Finished tahini paste with unhulled sesame seeds.
Recipes Using Tahini
- Homemade Hummus
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Beetroot Hummus
- Salad Dressing
- Tahini Sauce for Veggies Bowls
Did You Try This Recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Tahini
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (150g) sesame seeds hulled or unhulled
- 2 tbsp neutral oil mild olive oil, canola oil
Instructions
- Roast the sesame seeds for about 5 minutes in a pan over medium heat. They should only be lightly golden, not brown. Make sure to stand by as sesame seeds can burn very quickly.
- Transfer to a bowl and let them cool down for about 30 minutes. Place in your fridge or outside in winter to speed it up.
- Blend in your food processor on high speed for one minute. Add two tablespoon of neutral oil and blend for another minute until you have a smooth tahini paste. Transfer in a glass jar and store in your fridge for up to at least one month.
Notes
- Every food processor is different and some work better than others. If your tahini doesn’t turn out smooth, you can add more oil and blend again.
- Don’t use less than 1 cup sesame seeds in a food processor. Otherwise, he has trouble to blend, and you need to scratch down the seeds a thousand times.
Thank you!
You are welcome, Tammy!
Hi,
How long will it last if leave inside the fridge? Is it freeze friendly?
Thank you
Hi Pepi,
you can store it at least for one month. I always leave it in the fridge for months and never had any problems. But make sure to stir it well before using if you store it for a longer period (a layer of oil will build up on top). I don’t have experience with freezing and therefore can’t recommend you to try it.
All the best,
Aline
I believe that it must be that the whole batch has 1107 calories. What do you consider to be an “average serving”? If I’m using tahini in hummus, I only use about a tablespoon at a time ….. at most.
You are right Lizzie. One jar (about 1/2 cup) of Tahini has 1107 calories. If I make hummus, I use about 1/4 cup Tahini. If you are worried about the calories, you can use less Tahini if you make hummus. I hope this helps. Otherwise, let me know ?
All the best,
Aline