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What Great Grandma Ate / Recipes / 30 Minutes or Less / Easy Homemade Tahini (Paleo, Whole30, Keto, Vegan)

Easy Homemade Tahini (Paleo, Whole30, Keto, Vegan)

Last Updated on July 20, 2020 by Jean Choi 4 Comments

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Easy homemade tahini recipe with just 2 simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps. Homemade tahini paste is so much more flavorful than the store-bought version and takes very little effort!

easy homemade tahini recipe - tahini stirred in a jar

I recently started making homemade tahini paste and I just love how easy it is to make with very little effort. To be honest, I started doing this when my baby started solids and I wanted to find an easy way to introduce seeds to her diet. While she loves a drizzle of it over ground meat or sourdough bread, I’m the one that can’t get enough of this delicious and easy tahini recipe.

Easy Homemade Tahini Recipe

After tasting this homemade tahini paste, I don’t think I’ll ever buy a pre-made jar from the store ever again. The flavor is so much better when you toast the sesame seeds and grind it yourself. The freshness just can’t be beat, and it’s so delicious in hummus, dressing, and drizzled on toast.

homemade tahini paste on a spoon

What is Tahini?

If you’ve never heard of tahini before, it’s a seed paste made with ground up sesame seeds. I commonly see it used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking as a condiment or an added ingredient in a recipe. Most famously, it’s used in hummus and baba ganoush, and I’ve seen many recipes that bake with it as well!

I’ve had a variety of tahini before, and a good quality, fresh tahini should taste creamy, nutty, with a SLIGHT hint of bitterness. Depending on the freshness, the type of sesame seeds used, and the toasting period, tahini can also be gritty and extremely bitter which I’m not a fan of. This easy tahini recipe is the former kind and I love how deliciously savory it is.

jar of sesame seeds to show how to make tahini from scratch

How to Make Tahini from Scratch

If you are wondering how to make tahini at home from scratch, all it takes are 2 simple ingredients: hulled sesame seeds and olive oil (or any other neutral tasting oil). There are 2 simple main steps to make homemade tahini paste:

  1. Toast the hulled sesame seeds. I like to do this on the stovetop in a large, dry skillet. Keep stirring the entire time and make sure not to burn the sesame seeds. You want them to release some of their own oils and turn golden in color. Toasting for too long will yield a bitter end result.
  2. Place the toasted sesame seeds in a food processor and process until sand-like in texture. Add olive oil and process again until smooth and creamy.

Once you know how to make tahini at home and taste it, you’ll never go back, especially because it’s so easy and quick!

Notes When Making This Homemade Tahini Recipe

  • I highly recommend using hulled sesame seeds (I love this brand) for the best creamy texture. Tahini made from unhulled sesame seeds will be grittier and more bitter.
  • Make sure not to burn the sesame seeds when toasting. They should be golden in color and not dark.
  • I have found that using a food processor works best, but a blender can work if that’s all you have. You may need to pause several times to scrape down the sides if you do use a blender.
  • I recommend storing homemade tahini in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for maximum freshness. Nuts and seeds can go rancid easily at room temperature.
easy tahini recipe in a jar

If you enjoyed this easy tahini recipe, you might also like…

  • Black Sesame Latte (Paleo, Vegan, Whole30)
  • Whole30 Tzatziki Sauce (Paleo, Keto)
  • Chocolate Toasted Coconut Butter (Paleo, Whole30, Vegan, AIP, Keto)
  • Creamy Chimichurri Sauce (Paleo & Vegan)
  • Garlicky Whole30 Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (Paleo, Keto, Vegan)

Easy Homemade Tahini (Paleo, Whole30, Keto, Vegan)

Easy homemade tahini recipe with just 2 simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps. Homemade tahini paste is so much more flavorful than the store-bought version and takes very little effort!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword: easy tahini recipe, homemade tahini paste, homemade tahini recipe, How to make tahini at home, How to make tahini from scratch, what is tahini
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 20 servings – makes 1.25 cups
Calories: 98kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups hulled sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or any other neutral tasting oil), plus more if needed

Instructions

  • Heat a dry, clean skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add hulled sesame seeds and toast while stirring for 4-5 minutes until the oils are released and they are golden and fragrant.
  • Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.
  • Add the seeds to a food processor and process until crumbly and sand-like in texture.
  • Add olive oil, and process until smooth and runny in consistency. Add more oil for a thinner consistency, and pause to scrap down the sides with a spatula, if needed.
  • Store in an airtight jar for up to 1 month in the fridge.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Homemade Tahini (Paleo, Whole30, Keto, Vegan)
Amount Per Serving (1 tablespoon – makes 20)
Calories 98 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 2mg0%
Potassium 70mg2%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 3g6%
Calcium 146mg15%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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By Jean Choi | July 20, 2020

Comments

  1. Jordan Elbaum says

    July 28, 2020 at 6:22 am

    5 stars
    This is such a great idea and way easier than I thought!

    Reply
  2. Elaine says

    July 28, 2020 at 3:27 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve have the hardest time finding tahini to purchase. I can’t wait to use this recipe to make it myself. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Shannon says

    July 29, 2020 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    I’m always so amazed at how sauces I just normally buy are so easy to make! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

    Reply
  4. Edgar Mendez says

    August 11, 2020 at 1:05 pm

    La tahina es una pasta hecha de semillas de sésamo básica, otro elemento esencial para la realización del hummus. Jamal nos advierte de la importancia de comprobar que la tahina que compremos esté elaborada en Líbano, Palestina o Siria porque si no corremos el riesgo de que nos vendan una tahina de otro producto, como cacahuete o almendra que no nos servirá para el plato. Es fácil encontrarlas en pastelerías árabes e incluso en establecimientos regentados por pakistanís.

    Reply

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headshot of Jean Choi - blogger of What Great Grandma Ate

I’m Jean and I’m a food lover and content creator living in Southern California with my husband, 2 young daughters, and a French bulldog. Here, you’ll find simple and easy mostly gluten-free and nutrient dense recipes that focus on quality ingredients, and of course, never sacrifice on taste. I believe that the food you love should love you back, making you feel amazing inside and out. Whatever your health or cooking journey may be, I hope you find something delicious on my site!

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