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Sesame seeds

Nuts & seeds · Seeds

Sesame seeds

Tiny, flat, oily seeds, white or black; toasted for bread toppings, Asian dishes, tahini and sweets.

Also called: sesame, til, susam, gingelly, ajonjolí

A kind of seeds

112 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Photo: ally j, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0-1.0)

What it is

Sesame seeds are tiny, teardrop-shaped seeds, sold hulled (white), unhulled (beige) or black. Toasting makes them golden, fragrant and much nuttier. Black sesame has a stronger, slightly bitter flavour. 'Wild sesame' (perilla) is a different plant. Sesame oil and tahini are made from these seeds.

Sesamum indicum

How it’s used

  • Sprinkled on bread, bagels, simit and burger buns
  • Toasted over Korean, Japanese and Chinese dishes
  • Ground into tahini, gomasio and black sesame paste
  • Made into halva, til ladoo and sesame brittle

Characteristics

Taste
Nutty; deeply toasty when roasted.
Texture
Crisp and tiny.
When cooked
Toast in a dry pan, shaking, until golden and popping; they burn fast.
Sold as
whole, paste, ground
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Suitable for baking, Used as a garnish, Used for tempering (tadka)

Kinds in our pantry

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep airtight in a cool, dark place; refrigerate for long storage, especially once toasted.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Sesame.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Sesame is a major allergen (labelled in the EU, UK, US and elsewhere); it hides in breads, dressings, spice blends and tahini-based sauces.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
573 kcal
Protein
17.73 g
Carbohydrate
23.45 g
Fat
49.67 g
Fibre
11.8 g
Sugars
0.3 g

USDA FoodData Central: Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with sesame seeds

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