The BEST Easy Tahini Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with tahini? ›

Some common uses of tahini include making dips and hummus, adding a nutty flavor to desserts, using it in vegetarian dinner recipes, or as a base for salad dressings.

Tahini is full of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. In fact, just 1 tablespoon (15 grams) provides more than 10% of the Daily Value (DV) for some nutrients. One tablespoon (15 grams) of tahini contains the following ( 1 ): Calories: 90 calories.

As the amount of water is increased, more clumps develop, causing the tahini to thicken overall. If you keep adding water, eventually you'll cross over the threshold of thickening it; enough water in the system will cause the tahini to loosen and thin out. This is similar to what happens when chocolate seizes.

Adding a few tablespoons of mild-tasting oil is helpful.

This helps the tahini become more smooth, creamy, and drippy. You can use less oil, but the tahini won't be as easy to pour. I find 3 to 4 tablespoons perfect for a texture like store-bought tahini.

Tahini is the glue that holds hummus together — at least that's what I've always thought of it as. But tahini paste, ground-up hulled sesame seeds, isn't just an ingredient in a dip. This rich and slightly bitter paste stands on its own as a salad dressing, marinade and even as a cooking sauce for meat.

Do you need to refrigerate tahini? We recommend storing your tahini in a cool and dry area, away from heat and moisture. Ideally, a pantry a cabinet would be ideal. Like peanut butter, you can also store tahini in the refrigerator if you like it thicker.

They're both healthy, dietitians say. Tahini is lower in carbohydrates and sugars than peanut butter is making it a better choice for people who follow low-carb diets, Politi notes. Both foods are predominantly fat, though peanut butter has a little more protein, Young adds.

What makes tahini beneficial? Just like other seeds and nuts, sesame seeds within the sauce help lower cholesterol, provide dietary fiber for digestion, improve blood pressure, balance hormones and more.

Tahini also has selenium. It acts as an antioxidant and helps lower inflammation in the body. Studies show sesamol, a natural chemical found in sesame seeds and sesame oil, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging benefits. Other studies suggest it also has strong anti-cancer effects.

Because tahini has a high fat content, it has a high number of calories, and moderation is advised for the best health benefits. A large proportion of people with tree nut allergies are also likely to be allergic to sesame seeds.

What can I do with too much tahini? ›

When a small amount of lemon juice (or water) is added to the tahini or peanut butter, the hydrophilic dry particles are drawn to the water. As a result, it clumps up. As water is added, more clumps develop, causing the tahini to thicken overall.

The taste will be sour, kind of metallic, and just plain weird. Utilizing a trusty sniff test is another way of finding out if it's time for your tahini to take a one-way trip to the bin. But something that's important to remember is that ground sesame seeds do naturally have a slightly earthy, bitter aftertaste.

If it is too bitter, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or honey.

Your tahini has expired if it has an unpleasant taste and smell. Additionally, if you see obvious signs of spoilage like a change in color and visible mold growth, it's time to toss the jar of tahini.

They're both healthy, dietitians say. Tahini is lower in carbohydrates and sugars than peanut butter is making it a better choice for people who follow low-carb diets, Politi notes. Both foods are predominantly fat, though peanut butter has a little more protein, Young adds.

It's not as sweet as most nut butters and can be used like peanut butter (or eaten straight off a spoon). You've likely encountered it in hummus, baba ghanoush or in halva—a sweet Middle Eastern confection with the most wonderful crumbly texture.

Homemade tahini can be refrigerated in an airtight jar or container for up to 1 month. (Before each use, be sure to give the jar a good stir to recombine any separated oil.) Or you can also freeze tahini for 3-4 months, which is a great way to extend its shelf life.