Most people know tahini as the creamy sesame paste that goes into hummus. Fewer people know there are three entirely different versions — white, black, and unhulled — each with a distinct flavour profile, nutrient content, and best use.
If you've ever stood in a health food store wondering which one to buy, this guide is for you.
First: what is tahini?
Tahini is nothing more than ground sesame seeds. No added oil, no salt, no thickeners — just sesame, ground until it releases its natural oils and becomes a smooth, pourable paste.
The differences between white, black, and unhulled tahini come down to two things: whether the hull (the outer skin of the sesame seed) is removed, and whether you're using white or black sesame seeds. Those two variables change everything — the colour, the bitterness, the nutrient content, and the way it behaves in cooking.
At Sunshine Market, all three are stone-ground and roasted in-house in Bangkok from grown Thai sesame seeds, the same day as roasting. No pre-ground paste, no imported concentrate. Just sesame.
White Sesame Tahini
White tahini — the most widely used variety — is made from hulled white sesame seeds. The outer skin is removed before grinding, which gives white tahini its pale colour, smooth texture, and mild, nutty flavour with a gentle bitterness.
What it tastes like: Clean, creamy, lightly roasted. The mildest of the three — versatile enough to disappear into a recipe or take centre stage in a dressing.
What it's good for:
- Hummus and baba ghanoush
- Salad dressings and vinaigrettes
- Tahini sauce for falafel and grilled vegetables
- Baking — cookies, halva, brownies
- Smoothies and protein shakes
Nutritional highlights: Per 2 tablespoons — approximately 178 calories, 5g protein, 16g healthy fat, 130mg calcium (13% daily value), 2.7mg iron (15% daily value). The calcium content in particular is exceptional for a non-dairy food — higher gram for gram than most plant-based calcium sources.
Who it's for: Anyone new to tahini. Anyone who wants a versatile everyday spread. Vegans and dairy-free eaters who need plant-based calcium and iron.
Black tahini is made from whole black sesame seeds — unhulled, and naturally black. The hull stays on, and the seeds themselves are a different variety to white sesame — darker, more intensely flavoured, and nutritionally distinct.
What it tastes like: Bold, earthy, slightly bitter, with a deep roasted flavour and a long finish. More complex and assertive than white tahini — it doesn't disappear into a dish, it defines it.
What it's good for:
- Black sesame ice cream and desserts
- Asian-inspired dressings and noodle sauces
- Drizzled over congee, rice bowls, or roasted vegetables
- Stirred into oatmeal or smoothies for a dramatic colour and flavour hit
- Used sparingly in baking for a bold sesame note
Nutritional highlights: Black sesame seeds are higher in antioxidants than white — particularly anthocyanins, the same pigment compounds found in blueberries and acai. They're also rich in calcium, iron, and magnesium, with a slightly higher antioxidant profile than their white counterpart due to the hull and the variety.
Who it's for: Anyone who loves bold flavour. Fans of Japanese and East Asian cuisine. Anyone who wants the maximum antioxidant benefit from their tahini.
Unhulled tahini — sometimes called whole sesame tahini — is made from white sesame seeds with the hull left intact. This is the most nutritionally dense of the three, and also the most bitter.
What it tastes like: Noticeably more bitter and robust than white tahini, with a coarser texture and a more intense sesame flavour. It's an acquired taste — but one worth acquiring.
What it's good for:
- Stirred into savoury sauces and marinades where bitterness is an asset
- Mixed with miso, garlic, and citrus for a punchy dressing
- Used in small amounts to add depth to hummus alongside white tahini
- Baked into dense, seed-heavy breads and crackers
- Eaten straight for maximum nutritional benefit — with honey to balance the bitterness
Nutritional highlights: The hull of the sesame seed contains the highest concentration of calcium, iron, fibre, and antioxidants — significantly more than the hulled versions. Unhulled tahini has approximately 3x the calcium of white tahini per serving, making it one of the most calcium-dense plant foods available. It also contains higher levels of sesamin and sesamolin — lignans with documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Who it's for: Anyone prioritising maximum nutrition over flavour mildness. People managing bone health, iron levels, or looking for anti-inflammatory support through food. Experienced tahini users who want to go deeper.
Side by side: the numbers
| White Tahini | Black Tahini | Unhulled Tahini | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | Removed | Intact (black variety) | Intact (white variety) |
| Colour | Pale ivory | Dark grey-black | Light brown |
| Flavour | Mild, nutty | Bold, earthy, bitter | Bitter, intense, robust |
| Calcium (per 2 tbsp) | ~130mg | ~140mg | ~350mg+ |
| Iron (per 2 tbsp) | ~2.7mg | ~3mg | ~4mg+ |
| Best use | Hummus, dressings, baking | Asian dishes, desserts, bowls | Savoury sauces, maximum nutrition |
| Bitterness level | Low | Medium-High | High |
Which one should you start with?
Start with white if you're new to tahini or want something that works in everything. It's the most forgiving, the most versatile, and the easiest entry point into cooking with sesame.
Go to black if you already love tahini and want something more interesting — or if you cook East Asian food regularly. It's a genuine upgrade in complexity.
Choose unhulled if nutrition is your primary motivation and you don't mind a more assertive flavour. It's the version you take for your body, not just your tastebuds.
The honest answer is: keep all three. They don't overlap — each does something the others don't.
A note on quality
The single biggest variable in tahini quality isn't the type of sesame — it's what happens between seed and jar.
Mass-produced tahini is often made from imported seeds, processed at high speed, and ground days or weeks after roasting. By the time it reaches you, the natural oils are stale and the flavour is flat.
Sunshine Market's white, black, and unhulled tahini are all stone-ground in our Bangkok kitchen the same day they're roasted. No added oil — the sesame provides everything it needs. No preservatives, no stabilisers, no salt.
Oil separation at the top of the jar is normal and expected — it's proof that nothing artificial is holding the product together. Stir before use and refrigerate after opening.
Where to buy
All three varieties are available in-store at our Bangkok (Sukhumvit 22) and Chiang Mai (Wua Lai Road) locations, and online with delivery across Thailand.
→ Shop the full tahini range: sunshinemarket.co.th/collections/nuts-seeds-spread
Sunshine Market has been stone-grinding tahini in Bangkok since 2010 — roasted and ground in-house the same day, with nothing added.