Toasted Sesame Seed

Oily and rich Toasted Sesame Seeds are the soft, flat, tiny, teardrop-shaped seed that grow in the fruit of the flowering sesame plant. Their fragrance is subtle, light and nutty, and a touch oily. These sesame seeds are toasted, which develops the nutty taste of the seeds by adding a slight caramelization to the hull and removing some of the overall moisture content. This concentrates and deepens the flavors, bringing out the oily woodiness and umami savor of this little seed. Our Toasted Sesame Seeds contain between 50-60% sesame oil, which has antioxidant properties and is rich in B-complex vitamins.

Sesame seeds are one of the oldest intentionally harvested crops in the world, valued for their oil. Archaeological digs in India have uncovered evidence that sesame became a domesticated crop 5,000 years ago. 4,000 years ago it was already in trade, and 3,600 years ago it was mentioned as a medicinal product in Egypt. As long ago as 2,750 years ago, sesame was being grown explicitly for oil pressing. Because it is hardy and can grow in a wide range of conditions—it can grow in drought, in hot zones, by absorbing ambient water that settles into the ground thanks to humidity, or in heavy rains—it has been described as a “survivor crop,” resilient and sustainable.

Tips From Our Kitchen

Toasted Sesame Seeds are commonly found in the US garnishing the tops of breads, and as the crunchy topper on bagels, but they are used in cuisines around the world. Grind into paste to create the condiment tahini, which can then be used to make the Middle Eastern dips hummus or baba ghanoush, as a dip for vegetables, spread on a bun for a truly Mediterranean fish sandwich, or mixed with lemon for a nutty, tart vinaigrette. Mix with salt for the Japanese seasoning salt gomashio. Use gomashio or whole seeds wherever you want a nutty crunch; it’s great over vegetables like steamed green beans or roasted carrots. Toss seeds over chicken or pork stir fry, or use as a coating for baked chicken fingers. Mix seeds with honey or corn syrup and let that set into candies.

Our Toasted Sesame Seeds are grown in India.

This product is certified kosher.

Hungry for more information?

Are You Nuts?
The Seasonings of Japan
Indian Spices and Seasonings
Sesame: New Approaches for Crop Improvement