How to Make Tahini | Tahini Recipes | Plant-Based Cooking

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If you are vegan, chances are you have heard of tahini or have used in the past.

If not, then it is time to get familiar with it. Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, which can be toasted or raw.

Many cuisines feature tahini in some way, including traditional Asian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and African cooking.

It can be used in a vairety of ways. It is often used in sauces and dips to add a creamy texture, or it can be used on its own as condiment.

Since tahini is made up of mostly sesame seeds, it is a fantastic source of copper, zinc, and selenium. Today, we are going to be making tahini from scratch.

We are then going to use our homemade tahini to make a hummus and one of my favorite sauces.

Check out the video and written recipes below!

Also, feel free to check out my live cooking classes here!

Enjoy!

Homemade Tahini

Cook and Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Serves: 1 cup

You Need

• 2 cups Sesame Seeds
• 4 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Pinch of Salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Set a dry pan to medium-low heat.  Once warm, add sesame seeds.  Toast for 3 to 5 minutes, until fragrant, stirring frequently.  Place seeds on a tray to cool for 1 minute.
2. Add seeds to your food processor.  Pulse until a paste is formed, about 1 minute.
3. Add olive oil, and pulse until smooth, 2-3 minutes.
4. Add a pinch of salt, and pulse until smooth.
5. Store tahini in a glass jar.  Enjoy!

Homemade Hummus

Cook and Prep Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 4-6

You Need

• 1 large can Chickpeas OR 28 oz. Dried Chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 3-4 cloves Garlic
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• ½ tbsp. Cumin Powder
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil
• 1/3 Cup Tahini OR an additional 1/3 cup Olive Oil OR Water
• Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse and chop the produce accordingly.  Rinse and dry chickpeas thoroughly.
2. Add all ingredients to blender.  Pulse until desired consistency is reached.  Add water if you want a thinner hummus.
3. Place hummus in bowl, garnish with 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Serve with raw vegetables.  Enjoy!

Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Cook and Prep Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1/3- ½ cup

You Need

• 2-3 tbsp. Tahini
• 2-3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• ½ tbsp. Dijon Mustard
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp. Coconut Nectar (optional)
• Water, as needed
• Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, except the water.  Whisk to combine.
2. Add 1 tbsp. of room-temperature of water at a time to the bowl, and stir to combine.  The amount of water you add will be determined by how thin or thick you want your dressing.
3. Add to salads, chickpeas, and roasted vegetables.  Enjoy!