How to Thin Tahini

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: December 29, 2019 References

Because tahini is made from ground sesame seeds, the sesame oil in it tends to separate. Even when you stir the oil back into the tahini, it might be too thick for your purposes. Fortunately, it's easy to thin the tahini using ingredients you already have on hand. Or, you can create a variety of tahini sauces that go well with meats, veggies, and grains.

Ingredients

Simple Tahini Sauce

1 cup (240 g) of tahini
4 tablespoons (59 ml) of olive oil
1 cup (240 ml) of water
Salt and pepper to taste

Makes about 2 cups (470 ml) of sauce

Lemon-Garlic Tahini Sauce

3 tablespoons (44 ml) of fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons (5.5 g) of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of kosher salt
1/2 cup (120 g) of tahini
6 tablespoons (89 ml) of ice water, divided

Makes about 1 cup (240 ml) of sauce

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Thinning Tahini with Pantry Staples

1
Whisk cold water into the tahini to loosen it. Run cold water from the tap and stir about 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of it at a time into the tahini. Stir really well as you add water. The water will cause the tahini to clump together at first, but these clumps will disappear as you add more water.^{[1]
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- Continue to add spoonfuls of water until the tahini is as thin as you want it. Keep in mind that the tahini may lose some of its flavor if you thin it a lot.
2
Whisk oil into the tahini to give it a rich, smooth texture. If you purchased tahini that seems dry and crumbly, you may want to thin it with oil so it develops a creamier texture. Whisk or stir in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time of your favorite oil. Keep adding any of these oils until the tahini is smooth and thin:^{[2]
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- Sesame oil, which gives a nutty flavor.
- Vegetable oil, for a neutral taste.
- Olive oil, to give a fruity, olive flavor.
- Canola oil, which gives a neutral flavor.
- Coconut oil, for a slight coconut taste.
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3
Stir plain yogurt into tahini to make it creamy. Scoop the tahini into a bowl and stir in yogurt until the tahini is as thin as you like. Aim for a ratio of 1 part yogurt to 2 parts tahini. Then, you can thin it out more with additional yogurt.^{[3]
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- You could use low-fat or full-fat plain yogurt.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating a Simple Tahini Sauce

1
Whisk the tahini and olive oil together. Put 1 cup (240 g) of tahini into a bowl and pour in 4 tablespoons (59 ml) of olive oil. Whisk or stir the mixture until it's combined and smooth.^{[4]
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- If you prefer, substitute your favorite oil for the olive oil. You could use coconut oil, for instance, if you want a slight coconut flavor.
2
Mix in 1 cup (240 ml) of water. Slowly pour in the water while you whisk the tahini mixture. The water makes the tahini clump up at first, but continue to add the water and it will become thin.^{[5]
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- The simple tahini sauce will be thin enough to coat the back of a spoon once you've mixed in the water.
3
Taste the tahini sauce and season it according to your taste. Dip a spoon into the sauce and taste it. Then, use another clean spoon to stir in as much salt and pepper as you like. You can spoon this sauce over rice, grains, or meats. It's also good with grilled vegetables.^{[6]
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- Store the leftover sauce in an airtight container for up to 1 week. You might need to whisk in a little more water before you use it again since it will thicken as it's chilled.
Tip: It's easy to customize this sauce. Stir in as much curry powder, garlic powder, za'atar seasoning, or harissa as you like, for instance.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making a Lemon-Garlic Tahini Sauce

1
Stir lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of fresh lemon juice into a bowl and add 2 teaspoons (5.5 g) of minced garlic along with 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of kosher salt. Stir or whisk the ingredients until they're combined.^{[7]
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- Although fresh lemon juice gives you the best flavor, you could substitute bottled lemon juice.
2
Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Leave the lemon-garlic mixture at room temperature so the garlic steeps in the juice. This removes any bitterness from the garlic and mellows it.^{[8]
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- If you don't let the lemon-garlic mixture rest, the garlic may overwhelm the flavor of the tahini.
3
Whisk the tahini into the lemon-garlic mixture. Scoop 1/2 cup (120 g) of tahini into the bowl and whisk until it's incorporated. The sauce will be thick at this point, but you'll thin it out before using it.^{[9]
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- Use the back of a spoon to break up any small clumps of tahini.
- Stir the tahini well before you measure it and add it to the bowl.
4
Mix in 6 tablespoons (89 ml) of ice water to thin the sauce. Put 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of ice water into the thick sauce and whisk it thoroughly. Then, add another 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of ice water and whisk. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of ice water and whisk so the sauce is thin.^{[10]
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Tip: Avoid putting ice cubes into the tahini sauce or they'll thin the sauce too much as they melt.
5
Use the tahini sauce on salad, vegetables, or grains. Drizzle some of the tahini sauce over roasted vegetables or toss it with a fresh green salad. You can also add spoon it on cooked grains, such as rice or quinoa.^{[11]
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- Refrigerate leftover tahini sauce in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Since the sauce will thicken as it's chilled, stir in 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of water at a time until it's as thin as you like.