Can You Use Sesame Paste Instead Of Tahini
If you think sesame paste is a sesame paste, youve probably been misled by a recipe. You are not called to produce tahini on the ground, but using a word that refers to an ingredient distinguished from your jar of prepared tahini is more common in recipes that use sesame paste as opposed to plain plain tahini.
The Best Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe
The BEST basic tahini sauce made with simple ingredients like all natural tahini, lemon juice, garlic and optional flavor add-ins. This creamy, easy tahini sauce recipe is vegan, nut free and delicious as a dressing or dip for tons of different recipes.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you. Please read my policy page.
Did I self-proclaim the nickname #TahiniQueenie a few years ago? Yes, yes I did.
Why you ask? Because after a trip to Israel where we ate a good amount tahini-based dips and dishes, I couldnt stop cooking and baking with tahini. If you havent tried my favorite recipes using tahini yet, heres a list to get you started.
Lately, I cant stop drizzling and dipping things in this basic, easy-to-make tahini sauce. Its nut free, and perfect to drizzle over roasted sweet potatoes, carrots or cauliflower or to spoon over a quick buddha bowl or salad. Creamy, quick to make, earthy and ridiculously addictingI hope you give it a try!
Roasted Sugar Snap Peas With Tahini
- Serves
- Cooking time10mins
While some Jewish traditions allow legumes during Passover, others may not. If your guests are avoiding kitniyot ingredients like these peas, swap them for broccoli florets and roast a bit longer.
Add ingredients to cart
- 2 pkgs stringless sugar snap peas
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup tahini
Don’t Miss: Rao’s Sauce Low Carb
Ways To Customize Your Tahini Sauce
Feel free to get a little creative with your tahini sauce. Here are a few suggestions:
- blend it up with cilantro, parsley, basil or even mint for an herby dip or dressing.
- add 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric for an earthy yummy yellow dressing or dip
- stir in 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt for a creamy, protein packed dressing
What Is Your Favorite Way To Eat Tahini

Tahini in 8 Different Ways
Read Also: Is Rao’s Sauce Keto Friendly
How To Store Homemade Tahini Sauce
Store this creamy vegan tahini sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If the sauce appears too thick for your liking when you take it out of the fridge, simply add a bit of water and mix it well.
I hope you love this delicious basic tahini sauce recipe and find some fun, creative ways to use it! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rate the recipe below so others know how you liked it! Thank you for your readership! xo.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Tahini Sauce
Roasting an entire head of cauliflower makes for an impressive vegetarian main. Its a real showstopper, so present it at the table the same way you would a roast and watch everyone take notice. With a cumin-laced spice rub and nutty tahini sauce with pistachios and cilantro, you wont believe the flavor you can get from a fully plant-based entrée.
Also Check: Do Chick Fil A Sauces Expire
Mini Sweet Peppers With Crispy Prosciutto
Pop it under the broiler, and prosciutto rivals bacon as the best salty crunch around. When you scatter it over a colorful plate of sweet peppers, its that magical combination of sweet and savory that makes everyone come back for more. Makes a great snack, side or addition to a holiday party buffet.
Which Tahini Is The Best
What is the best tahini to buy in the supermarket?
- Tahini for Beginners: 365 Everyday Value Organic Tahini
- Joyva Sesame Tahini is the tahini you dont mind using up when a recipe calls for more than 2 tablespoons.
- The Tahini You Forget About at the Back of the Pantry: Organic Tahini Once More.
- Roland Tahini Pure Ground Sesame Seed is the tahini to use in baking.
Don’t Miss: Honey Barbecue Sauce Chick Fil A
How To Make Tahini Sesame Paste
In order to make the sesame paste, you need to use a food processor. It takes a little bit of time for the sesame seeds to start to break down and form a paste. About halfway through blending the sesame seeds, you will add the oil. Add the oil gradually until you reach your desired consistency. I prefer a thicker paste closer to peanut butter, so I do not add much oil.
Where Is Tahini In A Grocery Store
It can be quite hard to find certain items in the grocery store, especially because each store is different, thus their products are located in different aisles. If you are looking to purchase tahini, but are not exactly sure where it is located in a grocery store, weve located its general whereabouts. After getting into contact with multiple different grocery chains, weve figured out tahini can normally be found in a grocery store.
Where is tahini in a grocery store? Tahini can be found in the same aisle as oil, peanut butter, and other types of nut butters.
Recommended Reading: Lowest Carb Bbq Sauce
What Aisle Can You Find Tahini
A vast majority of grocery stores feature tahini alongside ers, peanut butter or in the aisle with international foods. Depending on where you shop, youll find it at supermarkets or specialty food stores. The drink is shelf stable, but it cannot be kept refrigerated due to its plastic or glass shelf.
Blend The Tahini Paste

Most people stop there when creating tahini sauce, but I’m going to share a trick I’ve discovered that makes this sauce even better. Once the desired consistency is reached in the food processor, transfer it to the Vitamix blender. Blend the tahini sesame paste on high for about 30 seconds. The tahini paste will be extra smooth and creamy.
If you don’t have a blender, you can stop at the food processor step. If you have a blender, I highly recommend following through with the last step of making the tahini extra creamy. You can even tell in the photo below how much smoother the sauce is!
Recommended Reading: Costco Rao’s Sauce
Easy Tahini Sesame Paste
This tahini sesame paste only has THREE ingredients and can be made in 10 minutes! And not only that, but tahini sauce is shelf-stable for a LONG time. A few other tahini sauce recipes have a 1-month shelf life, but this tahini paste lasts SEVERAL months. All you need to do is store the tahini sauce in an air-tight container, and that’s about it.
Toasted sesame seeds, oil, and salt are all shelf-stable for several months, so you can expect the same thing for this tahini sesame paste.
This tahini paste is the secret ingredient to tarator tahini dressing, tahina falafel sauce, and roasted red pepper hummus.
What Is Tahini Gluten
Gluten free Tahini!! ! Sesame seeds are ground and ground up into tahini, a smooth paste. We can say that sesame seeds do not contain wheat, therefore they are gluten-free. They are members of the nut family. tahini can also be enjoyed in foods containing it if they meet the Gluten free diet criteria.
Read Also: Is Tomato Bad For Gout
How Long Does Tahini Last
Tahini has a very high oil content so while you can store it on the counter it will keep much longer in the refrigerator where the oils will be kept from going rancid too quickly. Store it in an airtight jar in the fridge and it will last for several months. Stir it throughly before you put it in the fridge because once its chilled its difficult to stir.
Lets get started!
Heat a clean, dry cast iron or heavy duty skillet over medium high heat and add the sesame seeds. Stir frequently until they begin to turn golden brown and then stir constantly. Be careful, sesame seeds burn very easily.
You definitely dont want burnt sesame seeds , but you do want them generously golden brown for optimal flavor.
Once theyre toasted, let them cool a few minutes then add them to a food processor. I use and love Cuisinarts mini prep food processor. With a 3-cup capacity its perfect for smaller jobs like this. Weve had ours for over 10 years and its still going strong!
Start by adding 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Process the mixture into a paste, scraping down the sides. Add more olive oil until you reach the desired consistency. If youre using it to make hummus, the paste should be fairly thickly pourable .
Store the tahini paste in the refrigerator in an airtight jar. Will keep for several months.
Enjoy!
And now that youve made your tahini, youll of course want to make some hummus, right? RIGHT!
So here you go!
Apple Tart With Tahini Caramel
- Serves
- Cooking time30mins
While you may have encountered tahini, aka sesame paste, mostly in savory dishes, its nuttiness and toasty flavor are also outstanding in desserts like this fruit tart.
Add ingredients to cart
- 3 Granny Smith apples
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 pkg frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
- ¼ cup apple jelly
- ½ cup caramel dessert sauce
- 2 tbsp tahini
Read Also: Capital Mumbo Sauce
Does Whole Foods Carry Tahini
Like most people, Im a huge fan of Whole Foods. Its not only the best place to shop for healthy, organic groceries, but its also a great place to take care of your body with healing foods and natural supplements. Its no surprise, then, that Im a fan of their vegan falafel. Its a simple, but delicious, roll made with chickpeas and served on a delicious salad.
It is important to specify that in this blog post the term whole does not mean whole grain. Rather, it means whole food as in food that contains all the nutrients needed to support human life. Whole foods are also defined as foods that are minimally processed and do not contain added sugars or sweeteners, and that are a combination of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and lean proteins . Ideally, whole foods should be grown locally, consumed fresh, and eaten whole.
I often get asked questions from people looking for great tahini alternatives. I think its because a lot of tahini recipes call for ground sesame seeds, but of course you cant just buy a bag of sesame seeds without knowing if theyre whole or ground. So, I thought Id share the simple answer to the question, as well as a few more questions you might have when buying tahini from Whole Foods.
Is tahini sauce available at Whole Foods?
365 Everyday Value® Lemon Tahini Dressing, 12 FL OZ | Whole Foods Market
Where can you get tahini at Whole Foods, for example?
Is tahini available at Walmart?
Answers to Related Questions
How To Toast Sesame Seeds
The key to toasting sesame seeds is low and slow. The very first time I made tahini sauce, I actually burnt the seeds and didn’t realize it.
There are a few key steps to toasting the seeds:
- Raw Sesame Seeds
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
Read Also: Are Tomatoes Good For Gout
Ways To Use This Tahini Sauce
Not only will you fall in love with this easy, creamy tahini sauce, but youll also be obsessed with all of the ways you can use it. Heres what I suggest:
Sesame Seed Paste Faqs

Is tahini healthy?
Yes, not only is tahini delicious and versatile, but its healthy and nutritious. The main ingredient, sesame seeds, is rich in calcium and important B vitamins! Plus, they contain essential omega 3 & 6 and beneficial trace elements like copper, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and manganese.
What does tahini taste like?
Tahini has a nutty flavor with a slight bitterness and tends to be an acquired taste. But once you become accustomed to its unique flavor, you will fall in love and want to use it in just about everything!
Also Check: Shrimp Alfredo With Ragu Alfredo Sauce
Tahini Dressing Recipe Ingredients
Ready to make tahini salad dressing? Youll need these simple ingredients:
- Tahini It makes up the dressings creamy base. For the best results, use really smooth, runny tahini here, not the dry, stiff stuff that you might find at the bottom of a jar. Tahinis consistency can also vary from brand to brand my favorites are Soom, Cedars, Trader Joes, and Seed+Mill.
- Fresh lemon juice It makes the dressing nice and bright.
- Sesame oil It highlights the tahinis rich, nutty flavor.
- Garlic For sharp depth of flavor.
- Maple syrup For balance! It tames the bright lemon juice and sharp garlic.
- Extra-virgin olive oil It adds body and richness.
- And sea salt To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Add the ingredients to a small bowl along with 3 tablespoons of water, and whisk to combine.
As the dressing starts to come together, the tahini will seize up, and the sauce will thicken. Dont worry about it! Its totally normal. Keep whisking, and youll have a smooth, creamy tahini salad dressing in no time.
If the dressing is still thicker than youd like it to be, add more water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. Season to taste with more lemon juice, salt, maple syrup, or sesame oil, and enjoy!
More About Where Is Tahini In Stop And Shop Recipes
BEST TAHINI SAUCE RECIPE – COOKIE AND KATE
From
TAHINI DRESSING RECIPE – LOVE AND LEMONS
From
BROCCOLINI WITH TAHINI SAUCE RECIPE | LEITE’S CULINARIA
From
NO-BAKE TAHINI CHOCOLATE CHIP BALLS – MY CRAZY GOOD LIFE
From
SALTED TAHINI HONEY CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES. – HALF BAKED …
From
SALTED TAHINI BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. – HALF BAKED …
From
WHAT IS TAHINI? 6 WAYS TO USE THE SESAME PASTE – FORKS …
From
37 BEST WINTER SALAD RECIPES WE CAN’T STOP MAKING | BON …
From
OUR 50 BEST VEGETABLE RECIPES TO COOK THIS WINTER – SAVEUR
From
ONE STOP RASA SHOP – RASA COFFEE ALTERNATIVE
From
OUR 50 BEST VEGETABLE RECIPES TO COOK THIS WINTER – SAVEUR
From
ONE STOP RASA SHOP – RASA COFFEE ALTERNATIVE
From
33 BEST PLANT-BASED DIET RECIPES – EASY VEGAN DINNER IDEAS
From
50 BEST CAULIFLOWER RECIPES – ROASTED CAULIFLOWER IDEAS
From
53 BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RECIPES – SAVEUR
From
KIDSPOT KITCHEN
From
EASY VEGAN MAYO WITH AQUAFABA | MINIMALIST BAKER RECIPES
From
24 WHOLESOME MEAL BOWL IDEAS | RECIPES, DINNERS AND EASY …
From
10 BEST NUTRITIONAL YEAST RECIPES – YUMMLY
From
OUR FAVORITE VEGETARIAN CHILI RECIPES – SUNSET MAGAZINE
From
OUR FAVORITE VEGETARIAN CHILI RECIPES – SUNSET MAGAZINE
FromFrom
Recommended Reading: Is Rao’s Sauce Worth It
How Much Does Tahini Cost
Tahini costs anywhere from $4.10 to $10.49. Depending on the size that you are looking for, the price may vary a bit.
To give you a better idea of how much tahini costs, below is a breakdown of the cost of Tahini from various grocery store chains. The prices below are for 15 oz 16 oz jars of tahini.
$8.49 |
From our findings it seems like HEB offers the cheapest price on tahini, whereas Safeway has one of the most expensive prices for tahini. So in case you are trying to save money the next time you buy tahini, take a look at the store price to see if it fits your budget.
Is Trader Joes Tahini Worth Buying
#5: Organic Tahini from Trader Joes
Taste: 4.5 Overall mild and nice. Its not overly bitter and has a high-quality, fresh flavor. Texture: 3.75 When swirled about the lips, it leaves a little gritty residue. Overall impressions: 4.25 It seems to be fresh, high-quality, and very pleasant to taste.
You May Like: Dan Coudreaut Big Mac Sauce Recipe
How To Make Tahini
Here is a quick overview of what you can expect with photos for reference. The process is similar whether using a food processor or blender.
- Add the hulled sesame seeds, about 3 cups, to the cup of a food processor or high-speed blender cup, and start processing. You can also add the optional salt and/or garlic powder at this time.
- After about 3 4 minutes, the sesame seeds will start to clump together, as shown above right.
- After 5 6 minutes, the sesame seeds are starting to warm up and turn into a paste . Every so often, stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula.
- And after 8 10 minutes youll have yourself a creamy paste!
And thats it the hardest part is cleaning up!