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Home » Food » By Type of Dish » Sauces, Seasonings and Condiments » Homemade Tahini

Homemade Tahini

December 19, 2019 by Kimberly Killebrew · 197 Comments

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This easy homemade tahini recipe is so quick to make, takes just TWO ingredients, is less expensive than store-bought, and tastes WAY better!  Make a double batch while you’re at it and store it in your fridge for several months to have on hand whenever you need it!

tahini recipe best homemade authentic sesame seeds olive oil easy fast

The scenario you’re all familiar with:  Really in the mood for some homemade hummus.  Garbanzo beans?  Check.  Olive oil?  Check.  Lemons?  Check.  Garlic?  Check.  Tahini paste?  Dang it.

Don’t let that stop you again.  Tahini is not only super simple to make, but making it yourself is also cheaper than buying it at the store!

What is Tahini?

Tahini is a Middle Eastern condiment that is made from hulled sesame seeds that are toasted and then ground into a paste.  It’s a popular staple in Middle Eastern, Greek, and East Asian cooking.  It is served by itself as a condiment but also incorporated into a very wide variety of dishes, most famously a central ingredient in hummus.

But tahini isn’t only used for hummus: it’s deliciously versatile!

How To Use Tahini

  • Tahin Pekmez is a popular dip in Turkey.  It has the reputation as being the Turkish PBJ because it’s made with tahini (which has kind of a peanut-buttery taste) and grape molasses.  Sound like a winning combination?  It is!
  • In Greece it’s a popular condiment in which to dip pita and souvlaki (grilled meat kabobs).
  • In Israel it’s a staple topping for falafel and shawarma.  It’s also used to make halva-like treats.
  • In East Asia in commonly used in noodle dishes.
  • Throughout the Middle East it’s used in sauces for meats and vegetables.

And of course it’s used in hummus.  Check out our phenomenal Hummus Recipe!

hummus recipe best traditional healthy garbanzo beans chickpeas tahini olive oil

Is Tahini Healthy?

As for tahini’s nutritional content:  Tahini is relatively high in calcium and protein and is an excellent source of copper, zinc, iron, manganese, amino acids, and omega 3 and omega 6 oils.  Those nutrients help fight inflammation and are provide great cardiovascular support.  They also contribute to immune support.  Just one tablespoon of tahini has roughly 26 percent of the recommended daily intake of copper and 9 to 12 percent of zinc, iron and selenium.  Not bad, huh?

This tahini recipe uses one cup of sesame seeds which will make about 3/4 cup tahini paste, depending on how much olive oil you use.  How much olive oil you use will depend on how thick you want the paste.  You’ll need at least 3 tablespoons of olive oil and possibly up to 1/3 cup.

*Shopping Tip:  Buy sesame seeds in bulk.  Buying the in tiny bags or cans with just a few ounces can be very expensive.  You can buy sesame seeds in the bulk sections of some grocery stores.  Or you can buy them online here for a good price:  HERE and HERE.

Why Add Olive Oil to Tahini?

Commercially-made tahini is usually made from 100% sesame seeds, which are naturally high in oil.  No additional oil is added.  The problem is that the oil from the sesame seeds cannot be extracted without the right equipment – and most home cooks do not have access to the extraction machinery that commercial producers have.  If you put a bunch of sesame seeds in a regular blender you will get a heap dry ground sesame seeds.
That is why the olive oil is added.  How much oil to add also depends on another factor:  seed freshness.  Unfortunately most of the sesame seeds available at the store are not very fresh which means they don’t contain as much oil as fresh sesame seeds do.
So between lacking commercial equipment to properly extract the oil from the sesame seeds and not having access to the freshest possible sesame seeds, it becomes necessary for home cooks to add additional oil in order to form a paste.

How Long Does Tahini Last?

Tahini has a very high oil content so while you can store it on the counter it will keep much longer in the refrigerator where the oils will be kept from going rancid too quickly.  Store it in an airtight jar in the fridge and it will last for several months.  Stir it throughly before you put it in the fridge because once it’s chilled it’s difficult to stir.

Homemade Tahini Recipe

Let’s get started!

Heat a clean, dry cast iron or heavy duty skillet over medium high heat and add the sesame seeds.  Stir frequently until they begin to turn golden brown and then stir constantly.  Be careful, sesame seeds burn very easily.

toasting sesame seeds in skillet

You definitely don’t want burnt sesame seeds (they taste awful!), but you do want them generously golden brown for optimal flavor.

toasting sesame seeds in skillet

Once they’re toasted, let them cool a few minutes then add them to a food processor.  I use and love Cuisinart’s mini prep food processor.  With a 3-cup capacity it’s perfect for smaller jobs like this.  We’ve had ours for over 10 years and it’s still going strong!

how to make tahini

Start by adding 3 tablespoons of olive oil.  Process the mixture into a paste, scraping down the sides.  Add more olive oil until you reach the desired consistency.  If you’re using it to make hummus, the paste should be fairly thickly “pourable” (like in the main recipe picture above).

how to make tahini

Store the tahini paste in the refrigerator in an airtight jar.  Will keep for several months.

Enjoy!

tahini recipe best homemade authentic sesame seeds olive oil easy fast

And now that you’ve made your tahini, you’ll of course want to make some hummus, right?  RIGHT!

So here you go!

PERFECT Homemade Hummus Recipe

hummus recipe best homemade garbanzo beans chickpeas tahini

For more delicious homemade condiments be sure to try our:

  • Tartar Sauce
  • Yum Yum Sauce
  • Jerk Sauce
  • Bearnaise Sauce
  • Black Bean Sauce
  • Hoisin Sauce
  • Big Mac Sauce
  • Jerk Sauce
  • Ponzu Sauce
  • Char Siu Sauce
  • Romesco Sauce
  • Sweet Chili Sauce
  • Remoulade
  • Teriyaki Sauce
  • Sweet and Sour Sauce

Easy Homemade Tahini

Kimberly Killebrew
Making your own tahini is so easy and it's so flavorful, you'll never use store-bought again!
Print Recipe
4.95 from 35 votes
Prep Time 2 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Total Time 7 mins
Course condiment
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 16 tablespoons
Calories 76 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup hulled sesame seeds
  • 3 tablespoons or more extra virgin olive oil ,see Note (see also blog post about why olive oil is added)

Instructions
 

  • Heat a clean, dry cast iron or heavy duty skillet over medium high heat and add the sesame seeds. Stir frequently until they begin to turn golden brown and then stir constantly. Be careful, sesame seeds burn very easily.
  • Once they're toasted, let them cool a few minutes then add them to a food processor.
  • Start by adding 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Process the mixture into a paste, scraping down the sides. Add more olive oil until you reach the desired consistency (*see Note)
  • Makes a little less than 3/4 cup tahini paste, depending on how much olive oil you use.
  • Store the tahini in an airtight jar in the fridge and it will last for several months.  Stir it throughly before you put it in the fridge because once it's chilled it's difficult to stir.  

Notes

* The texture may be slightly gritty, which isn't a problem, you won't notice it at all when you use it to make hummus for example. But if you want it a little smoother you can run it again through a high-powered food blender (I used my Vitamix).
* Instead of olive oil you can also use sesame oil, but olive oil is traditional. (Use raw sesame oil, not toasted, or the tahini will have an overpowering "Chinese food" flavor.)

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Keyword Tahini
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet May 2017

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197 Comments →

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197 Responses

  1. Nikki Holm says

    December 2, 2017 at 4:47 pm

    I loved the nutty flavour of this recipe. I used 4 tbsp of olive oil in this recipe and it turned out perfect. It almost looks like peanut butter. I used it in a recipe for a buddha bowl and it tasted so flavourful. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 2, 2017 at 7:40 pm

      Fantastic, Nikki, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

      Reply
  2. Natalie Loftus says

    September 25, 2017 at 11:03 pm

    NEVER USING STOREBOUGHT AGAIN! This stuff is amazing. I’ve already made 3 batches of it in the past month and can’t get over how easy it is. I use it regularly in my homemade hummus (using your hummus recipe) and I’m addicted.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      September 25, 2017 at 11:07 pm

      Awesome, Natalie, thank you!

      Reply
  3. beejay says

    September 16, 2017 at 9:33 pm

    Just one question: why would you use something like olive oil that will affect the flavor when logically you should use sesame oil? It really tastes nothing like regular sesame paste when you do that. Props for the method, though.

    Reply
  4. Jean F says

    September 8, 2017 at 10:23 am

    PROBLEM GRINDING SEEDS? I always struggled with grinding the sesame seeds. My 4 cup Cuisinart didn’t do the job as it was too big. I toasted the sesame seeds, then ground them dry in my Nutri Bullet with the seed grinding blade. This produces the fine powder we’re . I added oil to the powder and processed that in the Bullet. This also allows me to make smaller batches as I use only 3 tablespoons tahini in hummus (per 1 can garbanzo beans).

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      September 8, 2017 at 11:43 am

      Thanks for the tip, Jean!

      Reply
  5. Chloe says

    July 30, 2017 at 5:33 am

    Thank you so much for this! The recipe and the comments have been really interesting. My local shop has recently stopped selling tahini, and I didn’t realise how easy it is to make myself :)

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 30, 2017 at 12:24 pm

      Yay! I know, Chloe, it’s soooo easy and the flavor is even better!

      Reply
  6. Jan Hailwood says

    June 23, 2017 at 7:12 am

    It has never occurred to me that I could make my own tahini, so this is a first for me. The hummus using the home made tahini is absolutely wonderful; quite a different flavour from purchased hummus. (I used canned chick peas.) Thank you so much for sharing it. I’ll never buy hummus again.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 23, 2017 at 10:27 pm

      Wonderful, Jan! I agree, the taste of hummus with homemade tahini is so much better than store-bought, I never buy it anymore either :)

      Reply
  7. Eric says

    May 11, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    I wish i never found this recipe….because now, store ought hummous suddenly taste like cardboard!! This one is so delicious.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      May 11, 2017 at 10:22 pm

      Awesome, Eric, I’m so glad you approve, thank you!

      Reply
  8. Septimus says

    May 1, 2017 at 12:45 am

    Hi, although I would never use canned or bottled chick-peas, I use commercial Tahini paste. To reduce the cost, I bought a 3kg tub, catering shop. Now, this Is distinctly brown colored rather than the tan color of supermarket jars, and the oil is a darker color as well. I think that this will have bee made from whole sesame and sesame oil…or the seeds were toasted deeper than your recipe. It results in a full-flavored hummus, flavor being nutty. I use walnut oil which has a very light flavor.
    When the 3kg tub runs out, I shall try your recipe. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      May 1, 2017 at 9:44 am

      Hi Septimus, yes, give it a try and let us know what you think!

      Reply
    • Mimi says

      June 14, 2019 at 3:28 am

      3 kilo tub??? 😱🤣❣️ U must have a giant refrigerator!!! I’m so jealous… Mine is tiny with the freezer compartment the size of a small shoebox 😤😭

      Reply
  9. Fi says

    March 29, 2017 at 8:58 pm

    I am so happy to find your recipe. I have only found tahini in an Indian super shop, and Bin Inn (no frills take own container shop),in Christchurch, New Zealand. I use tahini in such a different way as to what people normally use it. When I make a sandwich or have toàst I use it instead of butter or margarine. Then àdd my filling:salad; maybe Marmite (yeast extract); nice with cheese, even meats and fish.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 29, 2017 at 9:00 pm

      That sounds really delicious, Fi, I’m going to try some on my next sandwich, thanks for the tip! :)

      Reply
  10. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

    March 13, 2017 at 10:57 am

    I don’t think anyone enjoys eating tahini plain, Chris, only added to other things. But if your particular batch is as bad as you say then you probably scorched the sesame seeds which makes them really bitter.

    Reply
  11. Candace Nielson says

    February 15, 2017 at 11:48 pm

    Absolutely perfect! I’ll never be buying tahini again, this was so quick and easy to make and tastes awesome in my hummus, dips and salad dressings. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      February 15, 2017 at 11:49 pm

      Awesome, Candace, thank you!

      Reply
  12. Kris says

    January 29, 2017 at 9:04 am

    Hello Ms. Kimberly,

    I enjoy hummus and am trying to find recipes that I can make. Upon stumbling this article, I have to say this. This looks and sounds amazing; however, I have an extremely small food processor, no blender, no hand blender (I do have a hand mixer and a whisk), or any other way I can think of to make this or the hummus. My food processor will hold maybe 1 cup of product. I also do not have a cast iron skillet, or a heavy duty one either. Neither can I afford to go buy said products. If I toast my sesame seeds in a small copper skillet and process them in my overly small processor by cutting the recipe in half, do you think this would work out fine?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      January 29, 2017 at 12:07 pm

      Hi Kris, that’s no problem at all. Absolutely, you can toast the sesame seeds in your copper skillet. Just watch them very closely towards the end, they burn very easily and very quickly! With your food processor, yes, you can either halve or quarter the recipe, or I would simply process the ingredients in batches, a bit at a time, however much your food processor can hold. Then dump the processed hummus in a big bowl and give it a good stir to make sure everything is equally distributed and you’re good to go.

      Reply
  13. Jeanna says

    January 14, 2017 at 2:16 pm

    I’m so glad I found this! I have finally made the choice to live healthy and make my own food. I am so excited about it, I even bough a vitamix. I can’t wait to make hummus!! Since I don’t have a food processor my question is, can I make it in a vitamix and still get the consistency i need to make hummu

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      January 14, 2017 at 3:07 pm

      Hi Jeanna, I’m so glad you found us too – welcome! You’re going to love your Vitamix. I seriously couldn’t live without mine. Absolutely yes, you can make this in your Vitamix, in fact you’ll get even better results using it. The only thing is that you’ll need to double this recipe because if you make a smaller quantity like this it won’t process properly in the Vitamix. That’s the problem I’ve encountered when I’ve tried making really small batches of things in my Vitamix. That’s not really a problem though if you’re going to make hummus regularly, plus tahini lasts quite a long time.

      Reply
  14. David Faithfull says

    December 18, 2016 at 11:42 pm

    Just a quick comment on peanut oil, it is healthy and not to be avoided, as nuts help reduce LDL cholesterol. I will be making the tahini as I make my own Humus so it would be good to do everything from scratch. I have even grown some chickpeas, but I don’t really have the climate for them. Also I make my own peanut butter so I can control the salt and not add any sugar. It’s very similar to making tahini.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 19, 2016 at 10:27 am

      Hi David, peanut oil’s only a problem if it’s used for high heat cooking because it’s too high in omega-6’s. Here’s a comprehensive guide on cooking oils we’ve published here and it gives the fatty acid breakdown of each: http://www.daringgourmet.com/2015/02/13/a-comprehensive-guide-to-cooking-oils-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/. Agreed, homemade tahini and hummus is the best – no comparison!

      Reply
  15. Emile Nucho says

    December 1, 2016 at 6:03 pm

    Many thanks, Kimberly.

    Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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