Using Sesame Seeds

Uses for Sesame Seeds

We’ve often enjoyed a sesame seed bagel, but we first learned the power of these little seeds during a celebration dinner at Benihana restaurant. After whipping together a fried rice before our eyes, the chef proceeded to grab a large metal shaker and shake something all over the top of the mound. Once served, we recognized the little guys and enjoyed a delicious fried rice. From then on, we always shake sesame seeds on top of fried rice and many other places (unfortunately, we also picked up the chefs habit of throwing garlic butter on top of the mound too – delicious fried rice!).

Using Sesame Seeds	Details
Make tahini	Throw roasted sesame seeds into a food processor with some olive oil & you’ve got a sauce of many uses, including making fresh hummus.
Make salad dressing	Here’s a recipe for sesame garlic dressing.
Roast the seeds	Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top of your favorite stir-fry, fried rice or noodle dish.
Sesame oil	Add sesame oil to the side of the wok while stir-frying to add a little jolt of smoky flavor to the dish.
Marinade	Use sesame seeds in marinades to add a crunchy coating to beef cuts.
Try new recipes	Try this sesame beef dish.
Add crunch	Add sesame seeds to your favorite baked goods for a tiny nutty crunch.
Substitute	Try tahini in place of peanut butter in your recipe.
Make sweets	Try these sesame chocolate chip cookies.
Bake	Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of your baked goods to add texture and visual appeal.
Add texture	Add them to candies, for instance peanut brittle.
Use tahini	Use tahini instead of butter & milk to make dairy-free mashed potatoes.
Add to mixes	Add sesame seeds to trail mix and granola recipes to make them unique & interesting.

Uses for Sesame Seeds

Additional Info

Sesame seeds can be purchased in the spice isle, but you will pay more for a smaller container. Instead, look for it in the International isle or in the bulk foods isle and you will get a much larger amount for a smaller price. They can be purchased raw or roasted, with the roasted ones having much more flavor – but you can easily do this at home, just like any other nut or seed (see roasting instructions here). You can also purchase sesame oil and tahini in the international isle, if desired.

To find out more on the nutritional value of all seeds, see our seed nutrition page.

To find out how long sesame seeds last, see our sesame page.