Tahini can be prepared homemade or purchased at a Middle Eastern grocer in a can. Tahini Facts . It is called tahini or tahina, depending on the region. See our full explainer on oils here. I've heard some referring to tahini as a "nut butter" of sorts. Tahini is a paste made from toasted, ground sesame seeds.   Serve it as a dipping sauce, or as a spread on cold lamb sandwiches. You can use any type of sesame seed, including natural, hulled, raw, sprouted, toasted or even black, but typically, tahini is made with hulled seeds. And as for the oil, think olive oil, grapeseed oil or even a splash of sesame oil. Tahini is made from raw (uncooked) seeds. Bad tahini, on the other hand, can be bitter and astringent, bordering on acidic, and can be dry with an almost chalky mouthfeel. Tahini is a thick paste made of ground sesame seeds most commonly used in Middle Eastern dishes like tahini sauce. This creamy, garlicky tahini sauce also pairs wonderfully with lamb. Tahini is also a good source of the minerals manganese and copper, and a decent non-dairy source of calcium and vegan source of iron. It has a light, nutty flavor. Tahini works well with both veggies and fruit, so it makes a great addition to smoothies. Tahini is a super creamy, rich vegan paste made by finely grinding roasted sesame seeds until buttery smooth.   Tahini made from whole sesame seeds, including the hull, has a bit more fiber. Tahini is a Middle Eastern pantry essential. There is so much you can do with tahini. - What is tahini? Tahini requires no more than two simple ingredients: sesame seeds and a mild oil. Though also a sesame seed paste, if your recipe calls for sesame seed paste, it's likely referring to an ingredient more commonly used in Chinese cooking, a paste of roasted sesame seeds. Tahini (pronounced te-hi-ni or ta-hi-na) is a staple of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Cooking. 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