I Tested 4 Tahini Versions — Here’s What Actually Works

Tahini 4 Ways: Hulled vs Unhulled + Oil vs No Oil — a simple kitchen test to find the smoothest and most flavorful homemade tahini.

I didn’t want just another tahini recipe—I wanted to know what actually works best.

So I tested it. Four versions: hulled and unhulled sesame seeds, each with and without added oil. Same method, same conditions, just different ingredients.

The results were surprisingly different. Texture, flavor, even how easy it was to blend—all changed depending on the version. Some were smooth and delicate, others more intense and slightly bitter.

If you’ve ever wondered which tahini is better or whether adding oil really makes a difference, this is exactly what I wanted to find out.

What is Tahini Paste?

Tahini is a smooth paste made from ground sesame seeds, widely used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s a key ingredient in hummus, baba ghanoush, dressings, dips, and even desserts.

How to Choose the Best Ingredients

Sesame Seeds

• Hulled: smoother, milder, perfect for desserts
• Unhulled: more nutrients, slightly bitter, thicker texture

Oil (optional)

• Olive oil (savory use)
• Neutral oil (grapeseed, avocado)
• Coconut oil (desserts)

Roasted vs Raw

• Roasted: nutty, deep flavor
• Raw: lighter, more delicate

How to Serve Tahini

• Classic hummus
• Baba ghanoush
• Salad dressings with lemon & garlic
• Dips with yogurt
• Roasted vegetables
• Desserts, ice cream, halwa

Tahini Step-by-Step Instructions

Making tahini is easy and only requires a few simple steps.

Step 1: Toast the sesame seeds. I love toasting the sesame seeds before making the tahini. The flavor is far superior this way. If you plan to toast the seeds, we recommend doing so.

How to perfectly toast sesame seeds for an easy homemade tahini paste recipe.

If you want to perfectly roast sesame seeds on tahini. Prepare your workplace.

You will need two bowls and a pan with a non-stick coating. I use a pan with a stone coating.

A spatula to stir the sesame while roasting and a good eye.

How to tell that sesame seeds are perfectly roasted?

The photo below shows unroasted grains. They are separated from each other and have a loose consistency.

I set the pan on medium heat and sprinkled some seeds so that only a single seed covered the pan's surface.

Roasting the sesame seeds will be slightly sticky to each other as they begin to produce oil in the process. You can see it in the picture below.

It also changes the color to a slightly darker one.

When I start to make roasted sesame, I prepare two bowls.

I have unroasted sesame seeds in one and pour the already-roasted ones into the other.

I only have enough grains in the pan to cover the surface of the pan one at a time.

It is better to use a smaller pan, especially if you are a beginner at making homemade tahini, then it is easier to control the process.

Step 2: Blend the sesame seeds into a mass with or without liquid vegetable fat.

What's next once you've chosen the ingredients for an easy homemade tahini?

You may remember the roasting stage if you are new to tahini making. However, I personally recommend toasted sesame seeds.

Below I will describe in detail how to make perfectly toasted sesame seeds. It's a delicate moment, but nothing separates us as soon as we focus on roasting. You can handle it.

The taste of tahini with roasted sesame is much better because the sesame paste takes on a nutty flavor.

The taste of tahini with toasted sesame seeds is much better.

Which Sesame Seeds Are Best for Tahini?

When making tahini at home, one of the first choices you’ll need to make is which sesame seeds to use—hulled or unhulled. Both work, but they give a slightly different result.

Feature	Hulled Sesame Seeds	Unhulled Sesame Seeds
Texture	Smooth, creamy	Less smooth, slightly grainy
Taste	Mild, delicate	More intense, slightly bitter
Nutritional value	Slightly lower	Higher (more minerals)
Calcium & Iron	Lower	Higher
Color	Lighter	Darker
Best for	Classic, smooth tahini	More nutrient-dense version

Tahini with or without roasted seeds.

Tahini from roasted seeds is more expressive, but the roasting process is very delicate, and you must be very careful at this stage.

Tahini from the seeds alone is simple but less expressive in taste.

But it's perfect for desserts, and you can make it in the proverbial minute.

Tahini recipe with oil or not?

You can see the differences in the consistency of tahini with or without oil in the pictures below.

Tahini, without adding oil, will be much thicker, and it will not be perfectly smooth.

The taste will be more universal because it can be used for desserts, main courses, dips, or salad dressing.

Tahini with olive oil or other liquid fat, such as avocado oil. It will be as shown in the picture below.

The thickness depends on how much oil you add. The picture shows an option where I added 4 tablespoons of liquid vegetable fat to 200 grams of sesame seeds.

As you can see, this is a really liquid version of tahini sauce just like you buy at the store.

How to store the tahini sauce recipe?

Put it in an airtight container or jar in your fridge. I keep tahini in a sealed jar in the fridge.

I usually prepare it in several versions with and without oil, and use it depending on the need. Tahini prepared in this way can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months and will stay fresh.

Our Simple Process for Making Homemade Tahini Paste recipe

My method for tahini is simple. I broke it down into small steps so it’s really hard to get it wrong.

With each attempt, I adjusted small details to get the texture and flavor just right. That’s how this version came together.

Now that you know the differences between sesame seeds and whether to add oil or not, you can easily choose what works best for you.

Tahini has a very distinctive flavor and is widely used in everyday cooking. It’s especially popular in Mediterranean cuisine, which is known for being one of the most balanced and versatile.

For me, making tahini at home just makes sense. You decide everything—texture, taste, even how intense you want it to be.

After trying a few versions, it’s hard to go back to store-bought. You start to notice the difference, and you naturally reach for your own

So let's do it!

FAQ:

Can I use sesame oil for homemade tahini paste recipe?

It would seem that since we are making sesame paste, the perfect oil that we add will be sesame oil.

It doesn't work like that because sesame oil has a sharp taste and a slightly bitter aftertaste.

So these flavors can be enhanced even more in our homemade tahini. Sometimes you can overdo it, which will be the case when you add sesame oil to tahini.

I encourage you to do a small test and add some sesame oil to the ground tahini.

I don't like the taste, but you decide to taste bitter for yourself.

And be sure to let me know, thank you so much, in the comment.

What to choose to make the perfect tahini sauce recipe Food processor, blender, or coffee grinder?

Which one will be the best depends on several factors?

How much do you want to prepare tahini sauce?

Do you decide to add olive oil to the tahini sauce recipe?

Do you have a coffee grinder specifically designed for grinding beans and not coffee?

To grind the sesame seeds, you can use a food processor if you have enough, a hand blender, or, as I do it, a coffee grinder.

My coffee grinder has a special insert for wet things like tahini. Especially when adding oil or various kinds of pesto or preparing dips if I want them to taste perfect.

Such a grinder is a good option for preparing small portions of the tahini sauce recipe.