Making Tahini at Home
Store-bought jars often sit on shelves long enough to separate into a rock-hard bottom layer and a thin pool of oil. Making your own ensures the sesame flavor remains bright and nutty, rather than stale or bitter.
The seeds dictate the final texture.
Use hulled sesame seeds for a lighter color and milder flavor; unhulled seeds produce a darker, earthier, and slightly more bitter paste.
- Heavy-bottomed skillet
- High-speed blender or food processor
- Rubber spatula
What goes in.
- 2 cupshulled white sesame seeds
- 3–5 tbspneutral oil, such as grapeseed or avocado
- 1/4 tspfine sea salt
Thermal friction is your ally
Do not rush the blending process. As the processor runs, the heat from the friction helps liquefy the seed oils, turning a dry meal into a velvet-like cream.
The method.
Toast the seeds
Spread the seeds in a cold skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low and stir constantly for 3 to 5 minutes until they smell fragrant and turn a light straw color. Do not let them turn dark brown or they will taste acrid.
Cool completely
Transfer the seeds immediately to a plate to stop the cooking. If you grind them while hot, the resulting paste will be grainy.
Blitz into meal
Add the seeds to your processor. Pulse until you have a coarse, sandy meal.
Emulsify
Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of oil and process on high for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula. Continue processing, adding more oil one tablespoon at a time until the mixture reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
Other turns to take.
Black Tahini
Use black sesame seeds for a dramatic charcoal color and a deeply toasted, nutty flavor profile.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the blender stalls, add an extra tablespoon of oil rather than pushing the motor too hard.
Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator to prevent the natural oils from going rancid.
If separation occurs after storage, simply stir vigorously with a fork or small whisk before use.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my tahini bitter?
Usually because the seeds were toasted too long or at too high a temperature. Keep the heat low and watch for the color change closely.
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