- Category
- Sauces and condiments
- State
- Paste
- Usual unit
- tablespoon
What it is
Sesame paste, often called tahini or tahina, is a paste made mainly from ground sesame seeds. Some versions use toasted seeds, and homemade recipes may include oil and salt, so check the ingredient list of the product you buy. Plain sesame paste is not the same as a prepared tahini sauce, which may also contain ingredients such as lemon, garlic, water or salt. Oil can separate and collect on the surface; this is a natural feature that can be mixed back in. The paste's creamy texture and distinctive, intense sesame flavor make it useful in savory dishes as well as some sweet preparations.
When to use it
Use sesame paste when you want to add body and sesame flavor to a dip, sauce or dressing. It is a familiar ingredient in hummus and eggplant preparations such as baba ganoush or mutabbal. You can also use it in salad dressings, serve it with bread or pita, or include it in sweet recipes with ingredients such as chocolate or dates. Choose a plain paste when you want to control the lemon, garlic, water or salt in the finished sauce yourself. If oil has separated, stir the paste before measuring or adding it to a recipe.
How to use it
Before using, stir thoroughly from the bottom of the container to reincorporate any separated oil. For a thinner sauce, whisk or mix the paste with water or lemon juice; add garlic and salt if the recipe calls for them. Blend it into crushed chickpeas for hummus, or combine it with eggplant for a baba ganoush-style dip. Sesame paste can also form the base of salad dressings or be served with bread or pita. For sweet preparations, pair it with ingredients such as chocolate or dates. Add it gradually and taste as you go, since recipes and the intensity of different products can vary.
Flavour and texture
Sesame paste has a distinctive, intense sesame flavor and a creamy consistency when well mixed. It may be thicker at the bottom of the container if oil has separated, and it becomes more fluid when mixed with water or lemon juice. Products and recipes vary: some use toasted sesame seeds, while others include additional ingredients.
How to choose it
Read the ingredient list to distinguish plain sesame paste from a seasoned tahini sauce. Basic paste is made from ground sesame, though some preparations also include ingredients such as oil or salt. Check the product's consistency and surface too: oil may separate from the paste, and this alone does not mean it is a different product. Choose according to your intended use and follow any directions on the package.
Storage
Check and follow the package's storage directions, since the available evidence does not establish one universal storage condition or duration for every product. Keep the container and lid clean, and close the package after serving. If oil separates during storage, stir the paste to restore a more even consistency. Do not assume that natural oil separation alone means the product should be discarded.
Substitutions
Peanut butter can replace tahini in some recipes, but the result will taste different. Another smooth nut or seed butter may work when the recipe can accommodate a changed flavor profile; it will not necessarily behave in exactly the same way. In dips where sesame is central, use tahini to retain the intended character.
Common mistakes
Do not confuse plain sesame paste with prepared tahini sauce, which may contain other ingredients. Another mistake is treating a separated layer of oil as proof that the paste is defective; stir from the bottom before use. Adding too much liquid at once can also make a sauce thinner than intended.
Safety and allergens
Follow the manufacturer's storage directions and check the product label. The available evidence does not specify a universal temperature or storage period for sesame paste.
Culinary uses
- Base for dips and spreads such as hummus and eggplant dips
- Ingredient for dressings, sauces and sweet preparations
Recommended techniques
- Stir thoroughly to reincorporate oil that has separated
- Blend or whisk with water or lemon juice to make a thinner sauce
- Blend into dips or batters
Pairs well with
- Chickpeas and hummus
- Eggplant in baba ganoush or mutabbal
- Pita and other bread
- Lemon juice, garlic and salads
- Chocolate and dates
Frequently asked questions
Are tahini and sesame paste the same thing?
Tahini or tahina commonly refers to paste made from ground sesame seeds. A prepared tahini sauce may also contain water, lemon, garlic or other ingredients.
Why is there oil on top?
Oil can separate from the paste while it rests. Stir thoroughly from the bottom to bring it back to a more even texture.
How can I make it thinner?
Mix or whisk it with water or lemon juice until it reaches the consistency you want.
Sources and review
Automatically researched, cross-checked and validated content. Sources consulted:
- ¿Por qué la muerte es origen de miedos y tabúes? doi.org
- Los alimentos como medicina: la dieta antiinflamatoria | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia chop.edu
- Kimchi casero: guía científica para una fermentación segura | CAES Field Report fieldreport.caes.uga.edu
- Tahini - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre es.wikipedia.org
- Tahini, la pasta de sésamo | The Gourmet Journal thegourmetjournal.com
- Fresh Produce Recipe Book | Wsu s3.wp.wsu.edu
- Tahini: qué es, cómo hacerlo, qué usos tiene y en qué recetas utilizarlo directoalpaladar.com
- Sesame Production Fact Sheet | NC State Extension Publications content.ces.ncsu.edu
- Smashing Seeds! Hummus (3rd Grade) coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu
- Home food preservation | Servicio de Extensión de OSU extension.oregonstate.edu
- Food Safety: Public & Environmental Health: Environmental Health & Safety: Capital Planning & Facilities: Indiana University cpf.iu.edu
