Homemade tahini is an amazing pantry staple that adds richness and dimension to hummus, cookies, and salad dressings. If you have a high powered blender or food processor, tahini is also wonderfully simple to make. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and completely delicious.
Add sesame seeds to a wide, dry saucepan over medium-low heat. Toast, stirring constantly until the seeds become fragrant and very lightly colored, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the toasted seeds onto a baking sheet or plate and cool completely.
To Make the Tahini:
Add the toasted sesame seeds to the bowl of a food processor and process until a crumbly paste forms, about 1 minute. Add 3 tablespoons of grape seed oil and process for 2 to 3 more minutes, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the food processor a couple times.
Check the tahini's consistency. lt should be smooth, not gritty and it should be pourable. You may need to process for another minute or add the additional tablespoon of oil. Taste the tahini for seasoning then add salt to taste. Process the salt for an additional 5 to 10 seconds to blend.