Ground sesame paste — the base of hummus, of baba ghanoush, of the sauce that goes over fish and lamb. Quality varies more than in almost anything else in the Levantine pantry, and the difference between a good jar and a cheap one decides whether a dish works.
Also known as tahina · tahineh · tehina · sesame paste
- Arabicطحينةtahineh
- What it isSesame seeds ground to a paste
- Should bePourable, smooth, nutty, only slightly bitter
- Should not beStiff, claggy, or bitter enough to make you flinch
- KeepsMonths in the cupboard; stir the separated oil back in
The Ingredient Atlas, in your pocket
Every Sofra recipe is free to read here on the web. The app carries an Ingredient Atlas covering Tahini and dozens more Levantine ingredients — in English, Arabic and Portuguese, with the name in French and Spanish too — alongside a free collection of 112 recipes to cook from.
Get Sofra — free download →What it tastes and smells like
Nutty and rich with a light bitterness at the end — the bitterness belongs there, but it should sit behind the sesame rather than in front of it. Cheap tahini is bitter first and thick as putty.
Good tahini pours. If you tip the jar and the paste holds its shape like frosting, it will fight you in a dressing and it will make hummus heavy.
Which kind
- Light tahiniFrom hulled seeds. Milder and smoother, and the standard for most Levantine dishes.
- Dark tahiniFrom unhulled seeds. More bitter and more complex — good in dressings where you want depth.
If a jar tastes harshly bitter straight from the spoon, no amount of lemon or garlic will rescue the dish.
What it is used in
- Mountain-Style Chicken Fatteh3 tbsp tahini
- Fatteh4 tbsp raw tahini
- Fattet al-Batinjan4 tbsp raw tahini
- Fried Cauliflower with Tahini4 tablespoons tahini
- Halva Tahinieh — Idlib Sesame Paste Halva400 g high-quality raw tahini (light colored)
- Harisseh al-Hilweh2 tbsp tahini
- Hummus bi Tahini100 g High-quality tahini
- Kefta bil Tahini120 g (about ½ cup) tahini
30 Sofra recipes use it in all — browse the collection.
How to buy and store it
Lebanese and Palestinian brands are the ones to look for, and Middle Eastern grocers stock them at better prices than supermarkets. Al Arz, Cortas, Baroody and Soom are all widely available.
Separated oil on top is a good sign, not a fault: it means the jar has no stabilisers in it. Stir it back through thoroughly before measuring — tahini taken from the top is oil, and from the bottom is cement. Store it in the cupboard rather than the fridge, where it stiffens.
If you cannot find it
- Sunflower seed butter acceptableGets you a seed paste of roughly the right texture and an entirely different flavour.
Frequently asked questions
What is tahini?
Tahini is sesame seeds ground to a paste. It is the base of hummus, baba ghanoush and the tahini sauces served with fish and lamb.
How do I know if tahini is good?
It should pour, not hold its shape, and it should taste nutty with only a light bitterness at the end. If it is stiff, or bitter before it is nutty, it will not make good hummus.
Why has the oil separated in my tahini?
Because there are no stabilisers in it, which is a good sign. Stir it back through thoroughly before you measure — the top of an unstirred jar is oil and the bottom is a solid plug.
Should tahini be refrigerated?
No. It stiffens in the cold and becomes hard to stir. A sealed jar keeps for months in a cool cupboard.
What is the difference between light and dark tahini?
Light tahini is made from hulled sesame seeds and is milder and smoother; dark tahini uses unhulled seeds and is more bitter and more complex. Most Levantine recipes assume light.
What can I use instead of tahini?
There is no close substitute. Sunflower seed butter gives a similar texture and a completely different flavour.