Tahini is a smooth, pourable paste made by finely grinding roasted sesame seeds. It belongs to the cuisines of a wide region, from Türkiye and the Middle East to Greece and North Africa — with grape molasses at breakfast, in hummus on the meze table and in halva for dessert.
From sesame to tahini in four steps
- Cleaning: the seeds are separated from stones, dust and foreign matter.
- Hulling: the outer husk is removed, giving a lighter, smoother tahini.
- Roasting: the sesame is roasted at a controlled heat. Most of the aroma develops here.
- Grinding: the roasted seeds are slowly ground in a stone mill until perfectly smooth.
How to recognise good tahini
Good tahini pours easily, smells of roasted sesame and leaves no bitterness. The only ingredient on the label should be sesame. If oil gathers on top after the jar has been standing, that is natural — it shows nothing has been added. Simply stir before use.
Nothing but sesame should go into tahini. The rest is craft.
Tahini in the kitchen
- Mixed with grape or carob molasses at breakfast
- In meze such as hummus, moutabal and baba ghanoush
- With lemon and garlic as a dressing for salads and falafel
- In tahini bread, buns and cookies
Our Royal Family and Zmmo tahini are made from 100% sesame, with no additives, in our facility in Mersin.
