You’re not the only one contemplating ways to preserve leftover tahini safely. There are only a few possible options, but freezing seems most appropriate, especially when thinking long-term. But can you freeze tahini?
Short answer:
Yes, it’s possible to freeze tahini. The process is simple, but thawing frozen tahini for reuse may be the trickiest & most delicate step.
We’ll walk you through everything you should know about freezing tahini in this order:
Keep reading!
What’s Tahini?
Tahini is a condiment from toasted ground hulled sesame. It is native to the Middle East and is popularly used to make hummus.
Sesame seeds are first soaked in water to make tahini. Then the bran and the kernel are separated by crushing it.
These crushed seeds are soaked in saline water, which causes the bran to sink. Finally, the oily paste is produced by toasting and grounding the floating kernels skimmed off the surface.
For “raw tahini,” the seeds aren’t toasted, making it suitable as an organic food product. A cuneiform document written about four millennia ago first mentioned sesame.
Although it was primarily a source of oil, the cuneiform described a sesame wine custom of serving the gods.
In a 13th-century Arabic cookbook, tahini (Hummus Kasa) was also mentioned as an ingredient. Today, tahini is a somewhat widespread additive. The Chinese and Japanese employ it in many traditional dishes.
Tahini (sesame paste) is also found in North American and Indian cuisines. But their abundance in Middle Eastern foods is still unmatched.
Nutritional Value of Tahini
Tahini is high in protein, fiber, and oil. (*)
Manufacturers even advise against refrigerating tahini to avert spoilage owing to its oil content.
It is also rich in vitamins & minerals-rich.
Tahini helps lower body inflammation. It also acts as an antioxidant with anti-cancer effects. More studies have furthermore proven its anti-aging abilities.
Can You Freeze Tahini?
When you place tahini in a freezer, the steady 0° F deactivates its molecules. By preventing the growth of the microorganisms that causes decay, the tahini remains safe.
Others initially present from yeast to bacteria or molds will be inactivated.
How Long Can You Keep Tahini Frozen?
Homemade and store-bought tahini have different shelf lives.
Frozen homemade tahini will last indefinitely. But its quality will steadily deplete beyond the 6th month of freezing.
The date is simply a “best by” date. You can still consume it a few months later but at lower quality.
Unsealed/opened store-bought tahini lasts frozen for six months.
You’ll need to remove them from their initial container into an airtight one.
Learn more: Your Common Food Ingredient’s Shelf Life – A Comprehensive Guide By Groups
How to Freeze Tahini?
Homemade Tahini
Take the following steps to freeze your homemade tahini correctly:
- Share the tahini into airtight containers. Ensure you’re comfortable with the quantity of each portion. Also, leave expansion space owing to its water content.
- Label them with their name & date.
- Arrange them in the freezer far from foods with a strong odor.
Alternatively, you can:
- First, portion the tahini into ice cube trays.
- Organize them in the freezer.
- Then, remove them from the trays into the freezer bag(s) when they’ve become frozen solid.
- Next, seal the freezer bag(s) and place them in the freezer. Ensure the bags are airtight but with some room for expansion. Also, keep them away from meat, fish, or other foods with strong odors.
- Date the freezer bag(s) with labels.
The above steps are applicable to opened store-bought tahini as well.
Sealed Store-bought Tahini:
- Don’t tamper with its seal, and ensure it’s airtight. If not, put the tahini in a freezer bag.
- Label them with dates. Add their names if they’re in freezer bags.
- Set them in the freezer, distant from strongly-flavored foods.
- Double-check the temperature, ensuring it’s at or below a steady 0° F (255K).
How Do You Defrost Tahini?
Implement any of these three thawing methods for frozen tahini:
1. Fridge Transfer
It is the slowest but most recommended method.
First, remove the required tahini from the freezer into a refrigerator. Then, allow some time to thaw and stir when complete.
Depending on the quantity, it can take a few hours to a day to thaw.
2. Microwave
The microwave method is the fastest way to defrost tahini. (*)
Just transfer the tahini into a microwave and make sure to regulate the heat and time accordingly.
3. Water
Immerse your tahini into the water and wait for its complete defrost. Continually change the water when it gets cold due to temperature differences.
Can You Refreeze Tahini?
Yes, but not without consequences.
By refreezing tahini, it loses more moisture. Its texture may change for the worse, and its general quality depletes.
Moreover, refreezing doesn’t extend tahini’s shelf life. Its high-quality remains for six months after an initial freeze.
So, we highly advise against it.
Does Freezing Affect The Quality Of Tahini?
Certainly! The quality of tahini suffers from freezing.
People have noticed little difference in its texture, flavor, and color. Before freezing, ask yourself if it’s really compulsory.
Can you just quickly prepare more hummus with it? Despite concluding the need to freeze your tahini, it shouldn’t spend over six months. Its poorer quality will become more perceptible after then. The grade may force you to discard it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Dressing salad is among the many ways you can use tahini. To dress a salad, first blend tahini with other ingredients. Typically, some include lemon juice, olive oil, and ginger.
Cooks also add calculated apple cider vinegar. Drizzle the mix over your salad and serve.
Not many scientific research links bloating to tahini.
But people have reportedly felt bloated after consuming tahini. Besides, bloating isn’t toxic to your health.
Although it might be a condition symptom, it’s no cause for hysteria.
Contact a medical expert if you feel uncomfortable.
First, soak sesame seeds in water. Crush the soaked seeds to separate the bran and the kernel.
Submerge the crushed seeds in saltwater. The bran should sink. Finally, toast and ground the floating kernels after skimming off the surface.
To produce the raw tahini, don’t toast the seeds.
Final Thoughts
You can store tahini by freezing it. The low temperature inactivates microbes like bacteria, mold, & yeast that cause spoilage.
Its optimum quality will last for six months but still can be consumable later.
When required, you can defrost frozen tahini by various means. The microwave method is the fastest.
Please dispose of the tahini if you feel it’s gone spoilt.
