Middle Eastern Tahini Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is tahini sauce made of? ›

What is tahini sauce? Tahini sauce is a Middle Eastern condiment that is served with many dishes from the region. It's made with only 3 main ingredients: tahini paste, which is crushed sesame seeds, lemon juice, and garlic. Tahini is made by grinding toasted, hulled sesame seeds to create a creamy, smooth spread.

Tahini paste is just ground sesame seeds. Period. In comparison, tahini sauce is made by thinning the paste to a consistency similar to a thick cream, typically by adding other ingredients. My family's recipe adds lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil to our tahini sauce.

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.

Tahini seizes when mixed with liquids such as must-have fresh lemon juice. In cooking, seizing means the smooth liquid (tahini, or melted chocolate) gets stiff and clumpy.

Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds. It's rich in important nutrients like fiber, protein, copper, phosphorus, and selenium and may reduce heart disease risk and inflammation.

The primary contributor is the cost of fun sesame seeds, the key ingredient in tahini. The price of these sesame seeds is subject to fluctuations influenced by weather conditions, global demand, and geopolitical events in major sesame-producing regions.

Almond Butter: Almond butter takes the lead as a top tahini alternative due to its similar texture, color, and flavor. While slightly sweeter and less bitter, a dash of extra salt can balance the sweetness, making it ideal for both savory and sweet dishes.

Making tahini at home is easy and cheaper than buying it from the store. I also think it tastes better! For the best deals, look for sesame seeds in bulk bins or at International, Asian, and Middle Eastern markets. While you can make tahini from unhulled, sprouted, or hulled sesame seeds, we prefer hulled seeds.

They're both healthy, dietitians say. Tahini is lower in carbohydrates and sugars than peanut butter is making it a better choice for people who follow low-carb diets, Politi notes. Both foods are predominantly fat, though peanut butter has a little more protein, Young adds.

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.

Why is homemade tahini bitter? ›

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.

What happens after owning tahini for longer than its shelf life? The texture of the tahini and the natural oils might start to harden, so the tahini might get thick and stiff making it more difficult to stir or mix. As long as it hasn't been exposed to moisture or excessive heat, the tahini should still be safe to eat.

Add ice cold water a few tablespoons at a time, whisking constantly, to thin it out. The sauce will lighten in color and seize up as you whisk. When the tahini seizes up or tightens, keep adding the water, bit by bit (about 1/2 cup total), until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and thick.

Much of its makeup is carbohydrates, and when a small amount of juice (or any water-containing liquid) is added to tahini, a portion of each carbohydrate molecule is drawn to the water. As a result, clumps of carbohydrates appear.

Thinning Tahini with Pantry Staples

Stir really well as you add water. The water will cause the tahini to clump together at first, but these clumps will disappear as you add more water. Continue to add spoonfuls of water until the tahini is as thin as you want it.

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.

It's impossible to confuse tzatziki and tahini; not only do they taste radically different in both flavor and texture, but they look radically different, too, because they're not even made from the same base: Tzatziki is a Greek sauce made from cucumbers and yogurt, while tahini is made from crushed sesame seeds.

Does tahini taste like mayonnaise? Although both are creamy and commonly used as condiments, the two have very different flavors and textures. Tahini is rich, nutty, and can be slightly bitter tasting. Mayonnaise is very smooth, light, and creamy.