Meet the Product: Light or Dark Roast Tahini, Which One Should You Use?

October 11, 2026

Both of our 500g tahinis are 100% organic, made from Bolivian sesame and stone-ground the traditional way. Pick up the two jars and you might expect the difference to be all about roasting. In fact, going by our product pages, which describe the light tahini as gently roasted and the dark one by its seed, the clearest difference is the seed itself: one is made from hulled seeds, the other from whole seeds with the hulls left on. This guide explains what that means for flavour, colour and cooking, so you can choose with confidence.

What is a hull?

The hull is the seed's outer coat. A scientific study of how tahini is made lists the usual steps as washing, hulling, roasting, aeration and grinding, and it tested pastes made with hull ratios from 5 to 100 percent. The pastes made from seed with more hull left on turned out more yellowish in colour and higher in ash, a measure of mineral content. So the amount of hull in the seed shows up in the finished paste, which is exactly the contrast between our two jars.

Food writers make the same point about sesame in general. White sesame is usually sold with its hulls removed, while some sesame, notably black, often keeps its hulls intact. The unhulled kind is described as more bitter, and the hulled kind as sweeter.

Lightly Roasted Traditional Sesame Tahini

This one is made from hulled white sesame seeds, gently roasted. It is smooth and creamy, with a deep, traditional flavour. Reach for it for dressings, hummus, toast, smoothies and Middle Eastern recipes. It suits taratoor, the sauce of tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt thinned with water that Britannica describes as the base of hummus bi tahini and baba ghanoush.

Dark Roast Sesame Tahini

This one is made from whole sesame seeds with the hulls left on. That gives a rich, earthy flavour with a slightly bitter undertone. It suits robust sauces, noodle dressings, baking and anything with chocolate or dates. That earthy edge holds its own against strong partners such as chocolate and dates.

The numbers

Both have the same nutrition per 100g on our product pages:

Energy: 2613kJ / 633kcal
Fat: 56.4g (saturates 7.9g)
Carbohydrate: 8.6g (sugars 0.3g)
Dietary fibre: 15g
Protein: 18g
Salt: 0g

With 15g of fibre per 100g, both are above the 6g threshold for a "high in fibre" claim under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 as retained in Great Britain. On protein, 18g is about 11.7 percent of the energy, just under the 12 percent needed for a "source of protein" claim, so we make no protein claim.

A quick sauce to try with either

Whisk 2 tbsp tahini with the juice of half a lemon, a small crushed garlic clove and a pinch of salt, then add cold water a spoonful at a time until it pours. This is the taratoor idea from above. Made with the light tahini it is mild and creamy; made with the dark, it is deeper and slightly bitter, which we think suits roasted vegetables.

Which should I pick?

Want it mild and creamy? Light.
Want depth and an earthy edge? Dark.
Making hummus, a classic dressing or a sauce for a delicate dish? Light.
Making brownies, a noodle sauce or a date and chocolate bake? Dark.
Not sure? Keep one of each. You can also stir the two together for a middle path.

Handling tips for both

The natural oil rises to the top of the jar. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says this separation in natural peanut butter is completely natural, and the same logic applies to tahini with no added stabiliser: stir it back in, or store the jar upside down for a while and then turn it right way up. When you thin tahini with water, it may tighten and look as though it is seizing. Keep adding water a little at a time, whisking as you go, and it turns smooth and creamy.

Store in a cool, dry place and use within 3 months of opening. Contains sesame, one of the 14 allergens that must be declared on food in the UK. May contain traces of nuts. Gluten, dairy and soy free, and suitable for vegans and vegetarians.