Can You Freeze Tahini? Learn How to Do This Right

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Buddha bowls with ginger tahini dressing food

Hummus is absolutely delicious and one of the main ingredients in it is tahini. Since you’re only using a bit of it and the tahini containers seem to always be too big, you may want to put some of that aside and freeze it.

Freezing your tahini could lead to you saving some money in the future, as you don’t let it go to waste and you don’t throw it out. After all, how often could you be making hummus to keep it in the fridge, right?

Can You Freeze Tahini?

I like to occasionally make homemade hummus, which calls for a small amount of tahini in the recipe. Tahini is a Middle Eastern sesame paste that is called for a lot of recipes, but I mostly use mine for hummus.

The problem is that tahini comes in fairly large jars, but I only ever need to use a tablespoon or two at a time. It’s fairly expensive, and I usually end up throwing out almost a whole container because I can’t use it all in time. I was wondering if I could possibly freeze it to make it last longer, but I don’t know if that’s possible. Can you freeze tahini?

Tahini is one of my favorite things to add to my cooking, but I agree that a little goes a long way. Fortunately, tahini freezes quite well, so you can go ahead and freeze your leftovers for later. While you can freeze tahini in its original container, I don’t think that method makes the most sense for your needs.

Freezing it that way will mean that you have to thaw the whole container out to use it, and then you will just be right back where you started with leftover tahini. Instead, I suggest you freeze it in single-serving sizes.

What Is Tahini?

Tahini is a condiment that originates from the Middle East. It is made out of toasted ground hulled sesame seeds. It can be served as a dip or used as an ingredient to dishes like hummus, halva, or the delicious baba ghanoush, as well as other yummy recipes.

How to Freeze Tahini?

The easiest way to do that is to portion it out using ice cube trays, so here’s what you have to do.

Spoon the tahini into an ice cube tray.
Each cube is about a tablespoon, so it will be easy for you to defrost just the right amount later.
Once your tray is full, pop it in the freezer.
After all the cubes have frozen, pop them out of the ice cube tray and place them in freezer bags.
Repeat the process until all your tahini has been frozen.
Seal the freezer bag after squeezing out as much excess air as possible, but leave a little bit of wiggle room to allow for expansion during the freezing process.
Label and date the freezer bag. Place it in the freezer until the next time you need tahini to make hummus.

How to Keep Tahini Frozen for Longer?

If you want to make sure that your tahini bags will keep for longer in the freezer, you may want to look into getting a vacuum sealer. These appliances can take out all the air in the freezer bags or containers, offering a perfect seal.

We have a list of vacuum sealers you can try out, all of them being quite great options. Our favorite is the FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine which works with different freezer bag sizes and containers, saving you time and money in the long run.

How to Thaw Tahini?

To use frozen tahini, you have to think ahead of when you’re going to need it.

Remove the required amount from the freezer and allow it to thaw in a small bowl in the fridge or on the counter.
When completely thawed, give it a stir to restore its consistency.
Once that’s done, use it in your favorite hummus recipe.
Unused tahini can be kept refrigerated for a few days, but I wouldn’t recommend refreezing it.

Recipes Using Tahini

Now that your tahini is thawed, you can definitely look into using it for a bunch of recipes. It’s not just hummus that can make use of this great ingredient. Check out a bunch of ideas we have to use it: