I’m no stranger to making nut and seed butter at home with minimal ingredients and a simple process. In terms of seeds, I’ve already shared how to make homemade sunflower seed butter, hemp seed butter, and pumpkin seed butter, but now it’s time to learn how to make tahini (aka sesame seed butter)! This creamy condiment requires just ONE ingredient -with no added oils – and takes under 15 minutes to prepare from scratch. The resulting homemade tahini is creamy and flavorful (perfect for your next batch of homemade hummus) and works out as far more budget-friendly and delicious than store-bought versions and with fewer ingredients. Plus, you can store it for several months, yay!
What Is Tahini?
First, what is tahini made of? It is simply a paste made from lightly toasted sesame seeds, also referred to as tahini butter, sesame butter, and sesame paste. It is a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. It’s popularly known as a must-have ingredient for hummus, but this nutty-tasting, gluten-free, vegan sesame paste has far more uses than that. In fact, as a Lebanese woman, my pantry would feel empty without a large jar of tahini (and some black sesame paste, too!) for mixing, dipping, spreading, and more! Unfortunately, store-bought options can be iffy, with flavor and quality varying massively between brands. Some are overly bitter, others lack flavor. But luckily, you can skip the hassle by picking up a bag of hulled sesame seeds and making this homemade tahini recipe at home!
How To Make Tahini?
All you need to prepare the homemade tahini recipe is your hulled white sesame seeds, a pinch of salt if you’d prefer, a wide skillet, and a high-speed food processor. Like other nut and seed butters, making homemade tahini primarily consists of grinding the seeds until smooth. First, preheat a wide skillet over low heat, then add the sesame seeds. Cook them, stirring often, until fragrant and golden brown. Then, transfer the sesame seeds to a high-speed food processor or blender. Blend the seeds into a creamy, smooth paste, pausing the machine to scrape down the sides of the jug as needed. During this process, it will first become a crumbly paste before eventually smoothing out in a creamy consistency. The longer you leave the machine running, the smoother and runnier it will become. I blend mine for around 7-10 minutes, giving the machine a break halfway to avoid overheating. If you want to add a pinch of salt, do so now, seasoning to taste. Then, transfer the homemade tahini to a sterilized jar and enjoy!
Ways to Use Tahini
The options are still plentiful when wondering how to use tahini outside of its popular inclusion in hummus and baba ghanoush. Here are just a few tahini uses to inspire your use of this creamy ingredient.
Tahini is a classic ingredient in hummus recipes like traditional hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, and beet hummus.Add to other dips – like this vegan moutabal, baba ghanoush, etc.With falafels – like rainbow falafels (fried) or baked falafel.Spread over toast with date syrup.Drizzle over roasted cauliflower wings or use it as tahini seasoning. Use in or to drizzle over ice cream.Add to salad dressings and sauces.Mix into pasta sauces.Drizzled over a baked sweet potato.Use in cookies, brownies, and other baked or chocolate goods.Make tahini halva.Add to stuffed dates.
Tahini substitute options? If you find a recipe calling for tahini and need a quick substitute, I often recommend using sunflower seed butter or another nut or seed butter. Of course, the results won’t be the same, but they often work in a pinch!
How to Store Tahini
Thanks to this tahini recipe containing only one ingredient, the shelf life is pretty impressive. You can store the homemade tahini in a glass container in a cool, dark location (like a kitchen cupboard/pantry) for at least 1-2 months or in the refrigerator for longer. Note that it’s natural for the oil to separate from the seed paste over time. Just stir it back in again before using it. You can also freeze the tahini paste. I like to do so in tablespoon-sized portions in an ice cube tray for 4-6 months.
More Seed and Nut Butters
5-seed omega seed butterCashew butterAlmond butterPistachio butterNatural peanut butter
If you try this homemade tahini recipe (sesame paste), I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
