The Best Homemade Tahini Recipe has 2-ingredients, is creamier and nuttier in flavor because it is fresh, and half the price of store bought tahini.
Authentic Homemade Tahini
Now that many people have embraced the passion for making their own nut butter, or nut milk, it’s time to realize something else.
Did you know that we can make many products, we assume must be store bought to be good, at home?
Shelf life for store bought tahini must mean it has preservatives in it, to make it last so long.
When we buy sesame seeds, they come with an expiration date before they turn rancid, so what’s in the tahini to give it shelf life?
What Is Tahini?
Until hummus became popular in America, most home cooks never heard of tahini.
Having grown up with a Syrian mother, tahini was always in our pantry and required an hour drive to a specialty market to buy.
Not anymore, most grocery stores sell it now!
Tahini is simply crushed sesame seeds. The seeds are crushed and pureed until they form a paste. Additionally, like nuts, there is oil in the seeds, so you will also benefit from the nutritional sesame seed oil when you add tahini to your recipes.
What Recipes Are Made With Tahini?
Surprisingly, there are many more recipes that are made with tahini than hummus and baba ganoush, which is how many of us first came to know tahini.
Undeniably tahini is what makes both of these luscious dips, luscious and gives them their velvety texture. But let’s not just think of tahini for savory dishes.
I have made the most delicious cookies and ice cream with tahini but the real beauty is my Tahini Pie; tahini in the crust, tahini in the custard filling.
And if you don’t take my word for it, go over to PBS and check out what the judges on The Great American Recipe had to say about it!
https://whiskanddine.com/tahini-custard-pie-recipe/https://whiskanddine.com/grandmas-homemade-hummus-recipe/Tahini Salad Dressinghttps://whiskanddine.com/grandmas-baba-ganoush-recipe/
Origin Of Tahini
The origin of Tahini? My house! Hah, just kidding; my mother was a first generation Syrian American.
We always had weird food in our house, none of my friends had, so, I changed friends!
Once I started hanging out with friends from various Mediterranean regions, Italians, Greeks and Iranians, my food seemed normal.
In short, tahini was originally from each of these regions of the world and finally made its way to most American grocery stores.
While the convenience of buying a multitude of imported foods makes life easier now, I wouldn’t trade making many of these items myself, or purchasing them from American grown, rather than imported.
How To Make Homemade Tahini
First, we will want to soak the sesame seeds in water for 6 hours or overnight. This can be done after toasting them, if you are looking for a more toasted flavor.
Then we will drain the seeds, place in a small processor or blender, and puree with a little salt and oil, preferably sesame seed oil or olive oil.
Since the seeds are so tiny, it takes time for the blade to really do its job, but no worries, eventually it becomes paste.
Thank goodness we don’t have to make Tahini with a mortar and pestle, though that technique will work too!
How To Store Homemade Tahini
The approach to storing homemade tahini is in an airtight container. It can last for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.
Before using the tahini, it is best to let it sit room temperature for an hour, stir well to incorporate the separated oils from the pureed seeds, take what is needed and return the unused portion back to the fridge.
Also, it works quite well to freeze small batches of homemade tahini for a few months, but refrigeration works best, as freezing often changes the taste of foods.
Ingredients Needed
- Sesame seeds
- Salt
- Water
- Olive oil or sesame seed oil (untoasted)
Equipment Needed
- Bowl for soaking
- Blender
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Airtight container
Best Homemade Tahini Recipe
Course: SaucesCuisine: MediterraneanHomemade tahini, 2-ingredients for a creamy, nuttier sesame seed butter.
Ingredients
Sesame seeds – 1 cup
Water – 1/2 cup
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
Olive oil – 1/3 cup
Directions
- Soak sesame seeds in water for 6 hours or over night. Drain.
- In a small processor or blender place the drained sesame seeds, salt and oil. Puree for a good long time until the tiny seeds pulverize and become a paste.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.
Absolutely divine, Miss Pea! Love!
Thank you my friend! Yummy Arab Stuff! xoxo