The BEST Easy Tahini Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can you 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. In this collection, you'll discover a whole gamut of delicious recipes, spanning from classic hummus to irresistible dessert recipes with tahini.

“Once the tahini is mixed with water, you're supposed to refrigerate it,” Zitelman says, “but it doesn't last for more than five to seven days in the fridge.”

Highly nutritious

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. Protein: 3 grams.

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.

Tahini is a staple in North African, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean (Greek, Turkish, Israeli) cuisines, and it pairs well with eggplant, cilantro and yogurt (all popular in those cuisines, as well).

Most nuts and seeds, including sesame seeds, are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which are described as “pro-inflammatory” because they can contribute to certain problems when they're consumed in high amounts. For that reason, nuts and seeds, including tahini, are best when eaten in moderation.

How do you know if tahini has gone bad? Signs of spoilage for tahini include a bitter, rancid smell, mold growth, or separation. Separation is not always the case as tahini sitting on the shelf for a prolonged period unused can also cause separation. It will also have a bitter taste.

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.

Or you can also freeze tahini for 3-4 months, which is a great way to extend its shelf life. To freeze tahini, be sure to first give the tahini a thorough stir. Then transfer it to an airtight jar or container, leaving some headspace as the tahini may expand slightly as it freezes.

In addition, tahini is rich in iron (especially important if you don't eat meat), known for its benefits for skin, hair and nails, as well as zinc, a key ingredient of collagen, the substance that makes our skin supple.

Is tahini more healthy than peanut butter? ›

Tahini with unhulled sesame seed contains more phytonutrients than peanut butter, and, for many people, is easier to digest than almond butter. Tahini is also a versatile ingredient because it's flavor is more neutral than most nut butters.

The nutrients in tahini promote better heart health, liver detoxification, proper cellular function, immune system strength, and skin and hair health. That's why hummus and tahini are so inseparable; you can't make a healthy dip without healthy ingredients!

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.

The acid in the lemon juice causes a very runny tahini sauce to thicken up and become stiff and solid. (Any chemists out there who can explain this??)

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.

Tahini with unhulled sesame seed contains more phytonutrients than peanut butter, and, for many people, is easier to digest than almond butter. Tahini is also a versatile ingredient because it's flavor is more neutral than most nut butters. Few people have seed allergies.

Most high-quality brands contain just one ingredient: roasted sesame seeds. It's not as sweet as most nut butters and can be used like peanut butter (or eaten straight off a spoon).

How Does Tahini Taste? Tahini has a very earthy flavor and is slightly bitter, but not overpowering. Although the spread resembles peanut butter and other nut butters, it does not have a similarly sweet flavor profile. The toasted sesame seed flavor shines through in this creamy, rich ingredient.

Or you can also freeze tahini for 3-4 months, which is a great way to extend its shelf life. To freeze tahini, be sure to first give the tahini a thorough stir. Then transfer it to an airtight jar or container, leaving some headspace as the tahini may expand slightly as it freezes.