The BEST Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Why is my tahini sauce not smooth? ›

The key to smooth and runny tahini is to give it time, so keep blending. Transfer to a container and enjoy!

As the amount of water is increased, more clumps develop, causing the tahini to thicken overall. If you keep adding water, eventually you'll cross over the threshold of thickening it; enough water in the system will cause the tahini to loosen and thin out.

Add a neutral-tasting oil slowly and continue whizzing, stopping frequently to scrape down the bowl. Continue adding oil until the tahini reaches the smoothness and consistency you like.

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.

Cook's Tip: Use only a little bit of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Generally, tahini sauce should have a runny, salad dressing-like consistency. But, if you prefer tahini more as a dip, simply use less water.

When a small amount of lemon juice (or water) is added to the tahini or peanut butter, the hydrophilic dry particles are drawn to the water. As a result, it clumps up. As water is added, more clumps develop, causing the tahini to thicken overall.

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.

Once you get your jar of tahini home, you want to open it up and give it a stir to make sure it's incorporated. (If the oil has fully separated, such as in the photo above, Food editor Joe Yonan uses an immersion blender to reincorporate it, after which he says it stays emulsified.)

Soom Tahini can last for a year after opening. The only thing that will make tahini “turn” is contamination with moisture. That's why we always stress using a clean, dry utensil when scooping that liquid gold from the jar. What happens after owning tahini for longer than its shelf life?

It's perfectly natural for the oil in tahini to separate out in the jar. In fact, if it doesn't, it's a sign that a chemical emulsifier has been added to it, so avoid that brand in the future. Just stick a spoon in and give it a good stir and it will be ready to use.

Why is my homemade tahini gritty? ›

The velvety smooth texture is achieved by using raw, HULLED white sesame seeds. You can also buy them unhulled, which means the thin outer shell is left on, but you will end up with a grittier end result.

Adjusting Ingredients

Tahini paste itself can thicken when more is added to the mixture. The key is to integrate the tahini gradually and monitor the texture closely. Another approach is to incorporate lemon juice or olive oil, which can interact with tahini to alter its consistency.

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.

Because tahini contains no extra ingredients or emulsifiers, it can—and usually will—separate into oil (on the top) and solids (at the bottom), just like an all-natural peanut butter. A quick stir or shake should be enough to return it to a cohesive pourable or spoonable state.

Adding a few tablespoons of mild-tasting oil is helpful.

This helps the tahini become more smooth, creamy, and drippy. You can use less oil, but the tahini won't be as easy to pour. I find 3 to 4 tablespoons perfect for a texture like store-bought tahini.

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.

So here is my super easy way to stop tahini separating! All you need to to is take it all out of the original jar and put it into a mini food processor. Process it until it is all smooth – make sure to hold on to the processor to keep it steady as there are some big lumps of sesame that it is trying to get through!