How To Toast Sesame Seeds

Learn how to toast sesame seeds on the stove and in the oven plus little bit more! Once you’re done, you can use the toasted sesame seeds to top salads, noodles, soups, curries and to bring more flavor to your meals. If you need to, it really helps to reduce your salt intake.

Sesame seed is the seed of the sesame plant, which is the oldest oilseed crop known to humanity and has been used for well over 5,000 years. Nowadays, sesame seeds are a common topping for hamburger buns, crackers as well as desserts and are typical for South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean cuisine.

Reasons to Toast Sesame Seeds

You can most certainly eat sesame seeds raw, but many people prefer to toast them in order to intensify the flavor. In case you are wondering whether or not you should make the effort to toast sesame seeds, here are a few good reasons to help you decide.

• Firstly, toasting sesame seeds is really easy and quick to do. You don’t need any special equipment and it takes just a few minutes to prepare them.
• Secondly, when toasted, the seeds provide a much deeper and bolder flavor to your dishes.
• Their intense flavor also helps to reduce your salt intake.
• They are rich in both protein and fiber. Only 3 tablespoons provide you with 5 grams of protein and 3, 5 grams of fiber.
• And last, but not least, the seeds become crunchier and more delicious when toasted.

How to Toast Sesame Seeds

And now that you know why toasting raw sesame seeds would be a good idea, let’s see what it takes to do so. Here are two different methods:

On the Stove

Toasting sesame seeds on the stove is my preferred method! It is great especially if you want to toast a small to medium amount of seeds. Just follow these simple steps and before you know it the wonderful flavor of toasted sesame seeds will take over your kitchen.

• Spread the seeds to cover a large pan and turn the stove on to medium high,
• Let the seeds toast for 1 minute or two and begin to stir.
• When stirring, try flipping the seeds on the other side. Let them toast for a minute or two again. You might even hear some of them popping.
• Now stir more continuously for about 1-2 more minutes or until the seeds start turning golden brown. (Mine are usually done in about 4 minutes altogether)

• Turn the heat off, remove from the hot stove and let the seeds cool down. Do not taste them when hot because you’ll burn your tongue! Once cool they will become more crunchy and tasty!

In the Oven

In case you have a lot of seeds you want to toast, you can use the oven because it provides a bigger surface space. Here’s how to toast sesame seeds in the oven:

• Firstly, preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
• Take out a sheet pan and then cover it with parchment paper.
• Evenly spread the seeds onto the sheet pan. Don’t spread them out too thinly or they’ll burn.
• Put them in the oven and bake for 4-5 minutes, flipping once.

• When ready, take out the baking sheet and let the toasted sesame seeds cool down. As mentioned – stay away from them while still hot, so that you don’t burn your tongue.

How to Store Toasted Sesame Seeds

In case you toasted more seeds than you need for your recipe, and wonder whether or not you can keep them for your next culinary masterpiece, then yes! You absolutely can! You can store the toasted seeds for quite some time.

Once the toasted seeds have cooled down, place them in an airtight container – I like to use a recycled glass jar for this. You can put a label on it as well. Keep the jar in a dark, cool, and dry place, such as your pantry. When properly stored, they will be good for a month or longer.

How to Use

The bold, nutty flavor of these seeds makes them so versatile that you can use them in both savory and sweet dishes. You can sprinkle them over buns, cakes, and all sorts of baked goods. They are also a wonderful garnish for salads, rice bowls, noodles, roasted vegetables, and seafood dishes.

Here are some suggestions for recipes with toasted sesame seeds that are sure to impress:

• 15-Minute Red Curry Noodles
• Avocado Cucumber Salad
• Tomato Chickpea Salad
• Grilled Tofu with Asparagus
• Sushi Rolls
• Soba Noodle Bowl
• Rainbow Salad
• Kimchi Fried Rice
• Wild Mushroom Soba Noodle Soup
• Spicy Coleslaw
• Raw Ginger Snaps

More Cooking Tutorials

Well, now that you’re an expert at toasting sesame seeds, let’s learn how to cook other things as well! These posts can help:

• How To Make Cauliflower Rice
• Melting Chocolate: 3 Easy Ways
• How To Make Plum Jam With Little Sugar