Hummus without tahini

[OMGitsnotgood]

I love homemade hummus but don't want to make it all the time and find tahini goes off before I've used it all - and it's not exactly cheap.

I've tried various recipes without tahini eg flavouring with cumin, garlic and lemon juice, but it's never quite as tasty. I don't want to alter it too much, just good old basic hummus without tahini.

Anyone managed to recreate a tasty humus without tahini?

Can I just say, my tahini jar must be at least ten years old. There is a fair amount of oil in it and it just floats on top (with the jar lid on, as well) keeping the oxygen out so there is no spoilage.

I am sure the purists would tell me I am a heathen or I am about to kill my family, but, it seems not.

Doesn’t Nigella make hers with peanut butter? Tahini is basically sesame seed butter.

Oh that's interesting @TheSandgroper , I thought mine smelt 'off' , although that's probably a combination of its natural strange smell and my expecting it to be off months past its use by date.

I'll give that a go @DogandMog , I love a peanut butter and jam sandwich!

My Tahini also lasts years! In fridge or in cupboard

I’m another one who has years old tahini in the fridge. But I use it for salad dressings and dipping sauce recipes too. There’s probably other ways to use it up before the use by date if you want traditional hummus but not use old tahini

I always use peanut butter instead of tahini because I don’t like the taste of it.
It gives it some nice flavour.

You can use sesame oil instead (In tiny quantities - it is very strong) Or mill some sesame seeds.

It's not as good as when made with tahini, but at times I make it like this:

Tinned chickpeas
Loaded tablespoon of Greek yoghurt
dessertspoon of sesame oil
salt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and chilli or paprika to taste

Blend it up and it's fine for family lunch. I wouldn't make it without tahini for guests though.

I have used peanut butter in the past and I think it makes a pretty good substitute. I also add extra virgin olive oil.

I recently bought some tahini and it has a much shorter "use by" window than it used to. What has changed?

I just checked a jar I bought recently, and the use by date is end of Feb 2025, but I certainly kept my previous jar far longer, just making sure the film of oil stayed in place on top. Some brands probably vary? The one I prefer is Sunita Light.

I do like a quite tahini-heavy, stiff hummus, though.

Yes to peanut butter, that gives the rich flavour you get from tahini.

Nobody asked, but I’ve also found jarred chickpeas from the supermarket world food section are as cheap as tinned and a million times nicer.

I also use sesame oil, but I use a big glug! I know it's strong but I love it.

I just use chickpeas, sesame oil, salt, lemon juice and garlic. Lovely!

As others have said, I would think tahini keeps for years

I tend to add a dash of oil to the tahini jar if I notice the ‘paste’ is above the oil when it’s settled and separated. It will keep almost forever. My BIL actually inherited some when clearing out a relative’s cupboards 😂

I have definitely used 5 year old tahini - before the kids hit their Hummus Is Our Favourite Lunch phase and we went through gallons of it.

Peanut butter works as a cheap substitute but is a bit sweeter.

Occasionally I have toasted and ground sesame seeds to make a homemade approximation of tahini. It's not really worth the effort.

My tahini rarely gets the chance to get beyond its best before date!

Thanks everyone. I do prefer it made with tahini, so if it is safe after its use by date then am happy to use it, it just had a mouldy kind of smell so chucked it. Wish they'd make it in smaller jars. I did try making my own years ago and never again!

I like hummus but am not keen on tahini. It's not essential (and, at least according to the Cambridge dictionary, the word hummus does not neccesarily include a mixture with tahini, anyway: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hummus )

I make it in several different ways.

Always cooked or tinned chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, black pepper, lemon juice:
Then sometimes plus:

• fresh parsley, mint, chives, lemon zest, salt
• fresh coriander, harissa spice powder
• green olives, lemon zest, fennel fronds or seeds
• black olives, more oil and black pepper, fresh parsley
• fresh dill and mint, lemon zest, tiny pinch dried tarragon
• roasted red peppers, sweet or smoked paprika powder, salt
• fresh rocket, preserved lemons, perhaps salt

You get the idea, I'm sure.