Tahini Recipe (Super Easy & Creamy) (2024)

FAQs

Why is my tahini not creamy? ›

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

This helps the tahini become more smooth, creamy, and drippy.

Knowing that tahini seizes, and how to fix it, is the key to how to make a great sauce with the desired consistency: smooth! Fix the seized mixture with the addition of ice cold water. ​You may only need a little water to smooth out the mixture; it's best to start with less water and add more as needed.

If your tahini is dry, or if you prefer a thinner sauce, add more water, as needed, to reach your desired consistency. Then, taste and adjust your seasonings. If you prefer a brighter sauce, add more lemon. If it is too bitter, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or honey.

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.

The seeds continue to 'cook' even when taken off the heat, so be careful not to over toast them. Transfer the cooled toasted seeds to a food processor (ideally 600W or more) and blend for 5 - 7 minutes**. The key to smooth and runny tahini is to give it time, so keep blending. Transfer to a container and enjoy!

The acidity in lemon juice can cause tahini to thicken due to a reaction with the proteins in the sesame seeds. This is a common occurrence in recipes.

The velvety smooth texture is achieved by using raw, HULLED white sesame seeds. You can also buy them unhulled, which means the thin outer shell is left on, but you will end up with a grittier end result.

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.

Wondering what rancid tahini tastes like? Not great. The good news is that you'll definitely know if tahini has expired. The taste will be sour, kind of metallic, and just plain weird.

Bitterness is generally part and parcel of tahini - it's how ground sesame seeds taste. What you will find, however, is that some tahini can taste more bitter than others. This is down to a few things; like how that particular tahini is processed, or the levels of something called oxalic acid in the hulls of the seeds.

How to know if tahini is bad? ›

But how can you tell if it's spoiled? “Use your eyes and your nose first,” Zitelman says. “So if it looks different or if it smells different, then it probably is different.” Luckily, tahini is less prone to rancidity than sesame oil, although the reasons for that are not entirely clear.

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.

Overconsumption of tahini could lead to an excess intake of calories and fat, potentially impacting weight and cholesterol levels. Calories: Tahini is calorie-dense, making it important to monitor portion sizes.

Add a neutral-tasting oil slowly and continue whizzing, stopping frequently to scrape down the bowl. Continue adding oil until the tahini reaches the smoothness and consistency you like. If you need a starting point for amounts, try 1 cup seeds to 3 tablespoons of oil.

If you want a thicker tahini sauce, add less water. If you have a thin sauce that you want to make thicker, whisk in a bit more tahini until you've reached the desired consistency. Adding both water and tahini in small amounts slowly gives you greater control of the texture!

Cook's Tip: Use only a little bit of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Generally, tahini sauce should have a runny, salad dressing-like consistency. But, if you prefer tahini more as a dip, simply use less water.

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.