Tiny oil-rich seeds from one of the world's oldest oilseed crops — toasted, sprinkled, ground into tahini, pressed for oil, or scattered across breads and sweets globally.
White, black, brown, and golden
Sesame seeds come in several colors — selected from natural genetic variation:
- White / hulled — the common pantry staple; the brown seed coat has been removed, giving a milder flavor.
- Black — unhulled, with a stronger, slightly smoky flavor; common in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cooking.
- Brown / golden — unhulled but lighter; sold as “natural” in health-food markets.
Black and white sesame are both Sesamum indicum; the color difference is the seed coat, not the species.
Toasted vs. raw
A quick dry-pan toast transforms sesame seeds: their nutty aroma develops only when their oil heats and the surface browns. Most recipes calling for sesame seeds expect them toasted unless otherwise specified — raw seeds are pleasantly mild but lack depth.
Where they show up
- Middle Eastern — ground into tahini for hummus, halva, baba ganoush.
- East Asian — sprinkled over rice, pressed for sesame oil, ground into pastes for dipping sauces.
- Mediterranean / global baking — bagels, burger buns, breadsticks.
- Indian — til laddoo sweets at winter festivals.
A surprisingly old crop
Sesame is among humanity’s earliest cultivated oilseeds — archaeological evidence places it in the Indus Valley over 5,000 years ago. The phrase “open sesame” in One Thousand and One Nights refers to the way ripe sesame pods burst suddenly open along their seams, scattering seeds.
Find more foods by letter
Sesame Seeds starts with S . Browse other foods along the same letter.
Foods that contain a letter from "Sesame Seeds":