How to Toast Sesame Seeds

Quick Toasting

Toast over the stovetop. If you don't see any dust or small pebbles in your sesame seeds, you can put them directly in a skillet or frying pan. Heat over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally, for two to three minutes or until the seeds turn brown, glisten, and occasionally pop or jump. If you like, you can cover the pan with a mesh screen to prevent them from popping out. Do not add oil to the skillet. For a nuttier flavor, try the longer thorough toasting method instead.

Bake the seeds instead. Alternatively, you can preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC), and spread the seeds onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, shaking the pan gently every few minutes to spread the heat more evenly. This typically takes eight to fifteen minutes, depending on how thick the layer of sesame seeds is. Use a baking sheet with deep sides to avoid spilling. Sesame seeds can burn very quickly if the heat gets too high. Stay in the kitchen and don't forget to check frequently.

Cool the seeds. Once the seeds are done toasting in either method, transfer them to a cool baking sheet and let them cool to room temperature. They will cool faster on metal than plastic or glass surfaces.

Thorough Toasting

Choose unhulled or hulled raw seeds. Unhulled sesame seeds have a dull, hard coat that ranges in color from off-white to black. Hulled seeds have had this removed, and are always very white, almost translucent, and shiny. You can toast either type of seed, but the unhulled seeds are crunchier and have a slightly different flavor. Seeds with hulls contain more calcium but may be more difficult to digest, unless you plan to grind them, so the nutritional value is comparable. While you can soak unhulled seeds overnight, then remove the hulls by hand, the process is labor-intensive and rarely done at home. Both varieties should be available in Asian grocery stores, and often in Western stores as well.

Wash the seeds. Rinse the seeds in a fine mesh strainer under running water, until the water runs through clear. If the seeds are straight from the farm or the water gets quite dirty, you may want to stir them in a bowl of water for a couple minutes, then let it sit. Discard dust that rises to the top, and pebbles that sink to the bottom. Rinsing will not negatively affect the nutrition of the seeds. Some people even prefer to soak seeds overnight to germinate them, which may improve the digestion of certain nutrients. These germinated seeds are typically eaten raw rather than toasted, however.

Heat on high until the seeds are dry. Transfer the rinsed seeds to a dry skillet or frying pan over high heat. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon, but watch the seeds constantly, as they burn quickly if the heat gets too high. This step typically takes ten minutes. Once dry, the seeds will feel and sound different as you stir them, and no moisture will be left behind on the pan.

Reduce heat to medium. Continue to stir occasionally for the next seven or eight minutes. When the seeds are fully toasted, they will turn a light brown color, glisten, and a few will start popping or jumping in the pan. Pick up a few seeds with the spoon and pinch them between your fingers. Toasted seeds can be crushed into a powder, and have a nuttier taste than raw seeds.

Let cool and store. Spread the toasted seeds on a metal baking sheet and let cool to room temperature. Store any seeds you don't use immediately in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. The seeds should stay good in the fridge or freezer for over a year, but they will become less flavorful over time. Toast the seeds dry for a couple minutes to restore some flavor.

Using the Toasted Seeds

Sprinkle on finished dishes. Sesame seeds are a staple of cooking in cuisines worldwide, from Korea to Lebanon. Sprinkle the toasted seeds on just about any vegetable dish, salad, rice dish, or dessert. Optionally, grind the seeds in a food processor, liquidizer, or mortar and pestle if you prefer the less crunchy powder, or if you want to blend the seeds into a smoothie. You can make your own quick seasonings by mixing sugar, salt, or black pepper into your sesame seeds.

Turn it into tahini. The only other ingredient you need is vegetable oil. Olive oil is a traditional choice that adds its own rich flavor, but you can use sesame oil or canola oil instead for a stronger sesame taste. Simply put the toasted seeds in a food processor and blend one spoonful of oil at a time, until the consistency is smooth but not runny. Take the next step and turn the tahini into hummus.

Use it in desserts. Toasted sesame adds a great flavor to cookies, and can be safely added to gluten-free recipes. In many parts of the world, toasted sesame seeds are cooked with butter and sugar or honey to make sticky candies.

Cook the seeds in other recipes. Try adding a pinch to each homemade falafel patty, tossing a spoonful in a few minutes before you finish a stir fry, or mixing it into salad dressing.