Tahini Recipe
156 Comments
May 17, 2024
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It’s super easy to make homemade tahini! All you need are sesame seeds and a little olive oil for a tahini that’s fresh, creamy, and smooth. Turn this into a sauce or dressing, blend it into hummus, or mix it into cookies – there’s so much you can do with it!
What Is Tahini?
Tahini is simply toasted and ground sesame seeds that’s turned into a paste or seed butter. That’s it! It’s a staple ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern culture and is frequently used to make hummus or tahini sauce, which is then served alongside other dishes like falafel, pita, shish kabobs or baba ganoush.
I enjoyed my fair share of it when I lived in the Middle East and now love it as a flavor enhancer because it makes everything taste delicious. It’s also really easy to make with a high-powered blender. And you guys know my philosophy, fresh is best – so there’s no need to purchase it from the store again!
Tahini Ingredients
You only need two ingredients – raw sesame seeds and a little olive oil. This makes it naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
- Sesame Seeds: Make sure to use hulled sesame seeds for a smoother texture that tastes less bitter.
- Olive Oil: Use a high-quality oil such as olive oil or avocado oil. The moisture from the oil ensures that your high-powered blender isn’t overworked. Commercial blenders on the other hand are much stronger, so they can omit the oil.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Blending Tips
- Gently toast the sesame seeds. Sesame seeds will burn quite quickly, so make sure to keep an eye on them on the stove. You only want them to turn slightly golden to help release their natural oils.
- Use a high-powered blender. I love my Vitamix blender and it works great. Just remember to use the tamper to help push the seeds down into the blades. For a Ninja blender, readers have said this blender works just fine, but you might need a bit more oil as you’re blending.
- Avoid using a food processor. While food processors are a great tool for blending, they’re not as powerful as blenders, so they can’t deliver the creaminess (without double or triple the oil) that makes for the best tahini.
How To Store Tahini
This recipe calls for 4 cups of sesame seeds, which may sound like a lot. But remember that once it’s blended, that’s only about 2 cups of tahini.
Homemade tahini will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a month, but you could also freeze leftovers. Just do what I do for fresh herbs and compound butter – freeze it in an ice cube tray and pop out a cube when needed.
Ways To Use Tahini
- Make a tahini dressing. This lemon tahini dressing is my go-to for salads and drizzling on roasted vegetables. But I’ve also got a maple mustard tahini dressing and roasted red pepper tahini sauce that are equally delicious.
- Use it for baked cookies. Tahini is a great option for adding a nutty flavor to cookies, like these chocolate chip tahini cookies!
More Easy Sauce Recipes
I can’t wait for you to try this homemade tahini recipe! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turns out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Tahini Recipe (Super Easy and Creamy!)
Description
Video
Equipment
- Vitamix Blender My favorite high-powered blender for the smoothest texture.
- Le Parfait Glass Jars Great canning jars for storage!
Ingredients
- 4 cups hulled sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Toast the sesame seeds. Gently toast the sesame seeds (stirring constantly) on medium-low for 5 minutes, or until slightly golden. Then, let them cool to room temperature.
- Blend. Once the sesame seeds have cooled, add them to your high-powered blender. Blend on high for one minute, using the tamper to push the seeds into the blades, creating a tahini paste.
- Add oil. Add the olive oil and blend for another minute to create a creamy consistency.
Lisa’s Tips
- The recipe makes approximately 2 cups of tahini.
- If your Vitamix heats up strongly during the first mix, just turn down the blending a notch, pause, and re-blend as you go!
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted October 2017, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
Excellent!!
How long will the tahini stay fresh? Do you refrigerate any unused tahini? Thank you for all these amazing recipes!
Hi Deborah – Homemade tahini will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a month, but you could also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months!
In addition to all the ways to use tahini you’ve provided (yum) drizzled on roasted carrots, as a peanut butter replacement in cookie dough, tahini poured on coffee ice cream are all equally delicious.
Mix date syrup and tahini together and you have next level yummy dessert syrup.
Oh yum – thanks for sharing all of the extra ideas for using tahini. Love them!
How do store tahini and for how long?
Hi Jennifer – Homemade tahini will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a month in a sealed container. But you could always freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
Love your receipes looks amazing wlll definately try. Tks.
Hope you enjoy!
This looks like a winning recipe, cant wait to try it! I haven’t had much luck with the food processor method. I have a good ninja blender but no tamper and don’t really know much about it. Can I still achieve the end product without the tamper?
I was wondering the same. I also have a Ninja blender.
I just also posted the question if a ninja will work but I see she never replied to you. Well I hope you were able to make it and I am about to find out if my ninja will work.
Hi Rhonda – I don’t have a Ninja blender, so haven’t tested it with that method. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
i had to order sesame seeds online
i made your tahini sauce in a ninja blender
at first the blades weren’t doing much but after i drizzled in some olive oil it came together perfectly.
super easy.
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I think I’ll try using almond butter instead of tahini. Since I have some on hand right now. I buy the hundred percent organic almond butter. It makes the best milk.
Let us know how it turns out, Susan!
Hi Lisa, can I use a food processor?
Hi Miryam – yes, you can. Though it may not be quite as smooth.
Is there a tahini brand in a jar that will also work if I don’t have time or ingredients to make from scratch?
Yes, you can buy tahini at the store as well.
Turned out good for my first time making it, but next time I will add more oil if it turns out as thick as this time. It definitely wasn’t as creamy as I expected, but my sesame seeds were not fresh and I may have over toasted them. Tastes great though and my guests liked it as well, especially once I used it to make your roasted beet hummus. I will try again and learn from my mistakes. I’m still pretty new to using a high powered blender for anything other than smoothies.
I have made this twice now since the usual store bought tahini is so expensive. Super easy! However, my hummus which I use your recipe seems to be drier now that I use my own tahini. Maybe I’m not using the right olive oil. Which do you use or recommend? Exact one is always appreciated!
I use a few different brands, but right now I’m using Lucini. :)
Awesome video and recipe–can’t wait to try it! Thanks for the tips!
Can I use powdered tahini? I found some rather reasonable priced so I was curious.
Delicious and easy. The tahini I buy in my local grocery stores is always separated and I can’t get that stuff from the bottom re-incorporated into the runny oil at the top of the container, so this is so much better. I’ve found that not overdoing the toasting part keeps the bitterness down quite a bit.
Just tried making this with my new vitamix. It didn’t get creamy. Added a lot more olive oil. The tahini got really hot in the vitamix. Watched your video. Looked easy. Don’t think mine turned out. I’m going to freeze it in cubes and try making some of your hummus.
Did you make sure to use your tamper?
Look great, and so easy!
Bonjour!
How long can this tahini stay in the fridge? At room temp? Should it be stored in the fridge?
Thank you! :)
Homemade tahini will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a month, but you could always freeze leftovers.
Hello appreciate your advice. Love your posts but this one I need a suggestion. Followed your recipe but sfter 3 min my Vitamix started to make the seeds steaming hot. And no liquidy Tahini as in your video🥲Any advice?
Did you make sure to really press down with the tamper? This will help to blend the seeds. And once you add in the oil, it should become creamy!
Hi Lisa, would it be better with sesame oil? Thank you.
This recipe traditionally does not use sesame oil.
Excellent recipe,
Sesame seeds will turn bitter if you toast them at a heat that is too high…. I toast seeds in the oven no more than 250 degrees Fahrenheit
Thanks for the tip. How long would you suggest leaving them in the oven?
Hi, can I used a regular blender for the Tahini recipe?
You will need a high powered blender for this recipe Cindy.
It turned out great in my Ninja. Just takes about 2 minutes longer to turn pasty.
Good to know this came out perfectly in your Ninja!
I don’t have a vitamix, I have a ninja. Is there any thing that needs to be done differently?
I haven’t tried using a ninja for this – but if you do, let me know how it turns out!
I made Tahini as you requested. It turned out very bitter. What do you think when wrong. I did freeze the toasted seeds in a zip lock bag for 2 weeks before making the Tahini. Ths. Judie
Hi Judie – plain tahini does have a naturally bitter taste, though some find it more bitter than others. I’d recommend looking up my tahini sauce or tahini dressing recipes, which have additional flavors added in.
Hi Lisa,
Do I need to stored it in the refrigerator? How long it last?
Hi Flavia – homemade tahini will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a month, but you could always freeze leftovers as well.
Delicious easy recipe. I have been making this quite often.
Thanks.
After making the tahini…how much do you add to the Humus.
You can find the full hummus recipe on my website :)