Is Tahini Gluten Free?

Is Tahini Gluten Free? Tahini is a delicious condiment that is used world wide for its savory flavor and creamy texture. But so many people wonder, “Is tahini gluten free?” If you’re on a gluten free diet, because you have Celiac or IBS you can be rest assured that you’ll know if tahini has gluten or not after reading this quick article.

Is Tahini Gluten Free?

YES, Tahini Is Gluten Free! Isn’t that great news? We should shout it from the rooftops.

To understand why tahini is gluten free we should look at what tahini is and the ingredients it’s made from. By definition tahini is: A smooth paste made from ground sesame seeds.

Sesame seeds are gluten free since they’re in the nut family and don’t contain wheat of any kind. Hooray! That means if you’re on a gluten free diet you can enjoy tahini and foods that contain it.

Not All Pre-Packaged Tahini Is Gluten Free?

But… Before you get all excited about gluten free tahini there are some things to consider. Even though sesame tahini literally only contains one ingredient, it isn’t always gluten free when you buy it in the store.

This could be due to two factors.

1. Gluten could be added to the tahini as a thickener.
2. The factory where the tahini is made could also be processing foods that contain gluten. In this instance cross contamination is a possibility and companies won’t say that the tahini is gluten free for liability reasons.

So when you buy Tahini it’s always important to CHECK THE LABELS. But to make your life easier I’ve compiled a list of brands that guarantee that their tahini is truly gluten free.

Gluten Free Tahini Brands

• Rani Sesame Tahini
• Al Arz Tahini
• Simple Truth Organic Tahini
• Soom Premium Tahini
• Artisana Organics Tahini
• Joyva Tahini
• Dastony Sesame Tahini
• Once Again Unsweetened Creamy Tahini
• Seed + Mill Organic
• Thrive Market Organic Tahini (Certified Gluten Free)
• Gopal’s Healthfoods Organic Raw Sesame Tahini
• Mighty Sesame, Organic, Fine Sesame Tahini

Is Krinos Tahini Gluten Free?

The brand Karin’s Tahini does claim to be gluten free but it is not certified gluten free. It likely is gluten free since it is made with 100% sesame seeds.

Is Hummus Gluten Free?

Tahini is famous because of the mega popular dip called hummus. But is hummus gluten free? Yes hummus is gluten free! Since the ingredients used to make basic hummus are all naturally gluten free, hummus is generally accepted as a gluten free food.

But… before you get all excited about gluten free hummus there are some things to consider. Even though hummus literally only contains 5 ingredients that are naturally gluten free, it isn’t always gluten free when you buy it in the store.

This could be due to three factors.

1. Gluten could be added to the hummus as a thickener.
2. The factory where the hummus is made could also be processing foods that contain gluten. In this instance cross contamination is a possibility and companies won’t say that the hummus is gluten free for liability reasons.
3. If you aren’t buying classic hummus, the ingredients added into the variation you’re buying could have gluten. They usually don’t but it’s important to check the ingredients.

To learn more about gluten free hummus check out this ultimate guide on gluten free hummus.

Typical Prepackaged Food Ingredients That Contain Gluten

1. Wheat (bran, germ and starch)
2. Malt (since it’s made from barley)
3. Cracker Meal
4. Soy Sauce
5. Kinkel
6. Vital Gluten
7. Wheatgerm
8. Sulfosccinate
9. Seitan
10. Rusk
11. Teriyaki Sauce
12. Durum
13. Semolina
14. Einkorn
15. Emmer
16. Farina triticale
17. Farro or faro (spelt)
18. Graham flour
19. Hydrolyzed wheat protein
20. Modified wheat starch
21. Seitan

dextrimaltose, dinkel, edible starch, einkorn, emmer, filler, fu, mir, chilton, disodium wheatgermamido peg-2 sulfosuccinate, farina, roux, rusk and seitan.

Gluten Free Tahini Recipes

• Rainbow Salad with Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
• Gluten Free Hummus
• Vegan & Gluten Free Tahini Cookies

Grains That Contain Gluten

1. Wheat (bran, starch, germ, berries)
2. Barley
3. Rye
4. Couscous 
5. Triticale
6. Bulgur
7. Durum
8. Kamut
9. Graham
10. Semolina
11. Dextrin
12. Farina
13. Farro
14. Oats

Oats don’t naturally contain gluten but are often cross contaminated with gluten. Certified Gluten Free Oats are the only kind that are guaranteed to be gluten free.

Homemade is the Best Way to Ensure Tahini is Gluten Free

Making your own tahini at home can be a hassle. Which is why I made a list of brands that carry gluten free tahini above. But if you’re on a strict gluten free diet because even trace amounts of gluten cause you to have symptoms home made is the best way to ensure you’re tahini is gluten free.

If you have Celiac, IBS, severe constipation or are on an anti-inflammatory diet due to an illness don’t be put off by making homemade tahini. It only takes a few minutes and is cheaper than buying high quality pre-packaged tahini.

What You Need to Make Homemade Gluten Free Tahini

Ingredients

1. Olive Oil
2. Sesame Seeds
3. Salt

Equipment

1. Food Processor
2. Offset Spatula
3. Skillet

How to Make Homemade Gluten Free Tahini

1. Toast sesame seeds in a wide skillet over low heat until they turn golden brown. Stir them often to avoid burning. You can skip this step if you’re in a rush or want your tahini to be raw.
2. Add the sesame seeds to a food processor. Pulse until the sesame seeds are ground into crumbs. Then add half of the olive oil and blend until smooth. Stop after a minute and scrape down the sides of the food processor with an offset spatula.
3. Repeat until the tahini is smooth. Season with sea salt to your preference.