Homemade Tahini Recipe

Homemade Tahini Recipe – quick and easy to make, this creamy tahini paste is made with just two ingredients in 10 minutes.

Homemade tahini in a glass jar

This tahini is fresh and flavorful, much better than store bought. But why make tahini at home? Most grocery stores sell jars with tahini paste, but if for some reason you can not find any, you can definitely make it yourself. 

Homemade tahini usually costs a lot less than store bought, which is important, if you’d like to save some money.

Tahini

What is tahini?

Tahini or “tahina” is a Middle Eastern condiment made from toasted ground hulled sesame. It is served by itself or as a major ingredient in hummus, Baba Ganoush, and halva. 

Tahini is a staple in many cuisines like Middle Eastern, Turkish and Mediterranean.

It is vegan and gluten free and has a nutty flavor.

Homemade tahini paste in a glass jar

How to make tahini paste at home:

Ingredients:

Always use hulled sesame seeds. Most stores do not sell unhulled sesame seeds, but don’t attempt to make tahini, if you happen to have some. The paste will come out with a bitter flavor and won’t taste as good.

The two main ingredients are hulled sesame seeds and vegetable oil. Avocado, sunflower or grapeseed oil will also work. Olive oil will change the flavor, this is why I don’t recommend using it.

You can add some salt (optional ingredient) to the paste, if you’d like to.

Method:

You do need a powerful blender or a food processor to make a creamy and smooth tahini paste at home. I love my Phillips food processor and this is what I used. A Vitamix blender will do a great job, but I don’t have mine here in Europe.

  1. Toast the sesame seeds in a pan on the stove top over low-medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent burning. They will change color a little and become fragrant. It takes between 7 and 10 minutes.
  2. Add the sesame seeds to a food processor (powerful blender) and process until crumby. It will take about 5 minutes.
  3. Next add the oil and process until smooth. Time will vary, depending on the amount you are making and the size of the blender/food processor.
  4. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the blender. Process for 1-2 more minutes, if the paste does not appear smooth enough.

Storing:

Store tahini in an airtight container or a glass jar (with a lid) for up to 1 month. Most likely in a few days the paste will separate. Make sure you stir it well, before using.

Homemade tahini paste in a jar

What to use this homemade tahini for?

Use it to make homemade hummus, eggplant dip, lemon tahini salad dressing, or in dessert recipes like cakes, cookies or pancakes. Nobody can argue, that the most popular use of Tahini is to make hummus with it.

Here are some recipe ideas:

Homemade Tahini Paste

Homemade Tahini Recipe - quick and easy to make, this creamy tahini paste is made with just two ingredients in 10 minutes.
Homemade tahini paste in a glass jar
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup 140 grams sesame seeds (hulled)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil — grape seed, avocado or sunflower oil is ok
  • Pinch of salt — optional, I don’t add it

Instructions

  1. Toast the sesame seeds in a pan on the stove top over low-medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent burning. They will change color a little and become fragrant. It takes between 7 and 10 minutes.
  2. Add the sesame seeds to a food processor (powerful blender) and process until crumby. It will take about 5 minutes.
  3. Next add the oil and process until smooth. Time will vary, depending on the amount you are making and the size of the blender/food processor.
  4. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the food processor. Process for 1-2 more minutes, if the paste does not appear smooth enough.
  5. Add salt (optional)
  6. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
  7. Stir well, before using.

Recipe Notes

Recipe makes 1/2 cup.
Course: sauce
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keyword: tahini, tahini paste

Nutrition Information

Calories: 860, Fat: 75g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 33g, Monounsaturated Fat: 28g, Sodium: 17mg, Potassium: 702mg, Carbohydrates: 35g, Fiber: 18g, Sugar: 0.5g, Protein: 27g, Vitamin A: 14%, Calcium: 1463%, Iron: 22%