Ready to use

Toasted sesame oil poured into a bowl — deep amber-brown, the hallmark of the toasted variety.

Shows the oil's distinctive dark amber color, semi-translucency, and viscosity that distinguish it from lighter cooking oils.

Oils & Fats

Sesame Oil

Toasty, aromatic oil — a finishing splash for Asian dishes

Intensely nutty and fragrant, toasted sesame oil is a finishing oil, not a frying one — a few drops perfume a stir-fry or dressing. Keep it dark and cool so it stays vivid.

Sesame oil comes in two very different forms, and knowing which you have changes everything. Toasted (dark) sesame oil is a deeply aromatic, amber finishing oil pressed from roasted seeds — a few drops perfume a whole dish and it is a backbone of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cooking. Plain (light) sesame oil, pressed from raw seeds, is pale, mild, and suitable for higher-heat cooking. Toasted oil is for flavor; light oil is for cooking.

Measured in: ml
Storage: Dark Cool

Allergens

Sesame

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International

Types & varieties

Toasted (dark) sesame oil

Amber and intense; add at the end as a seasoning.

Light (untoasted) sesame oil

Pale and mild; can take higher heat for cooking.

Black sesame oil

From black seeds; even deeper, slightly bitter, used medicinally and in regional dishes.

Toasted Sesame Oil

Dark, intensely nutty oil pressed from toasted sesame; a finishing oil, not a frying fat—drizzle off heat over noodles, dressings, and stir-fries to keep its aroma intact.

How to use

Toasted sesame oil is a finishing flavor — drizzle it on after cooking, where heat would scorch its aroma. Use it by the teaspoon, not the cup. Light sesame oil can stand in as a neutral-ish cooking oil.

Finish stir-fries off the heat
Whisk into dipping sauces and dressings
Drizzle over noodles, rice, and steamed vegetables
Bloom into marinades for meat

How to store

Both forms go rancid faster than refined oils. Keep tightly capped in a dark spot, or refrigerate — it stays pourable cold and lasts noticeably longer.

Common uses

Finishing stir-fries and fried riceKorean and Chinese dipping saucesSesame noodle and cold-noodle dressingsMarinades for bulgogi and dumplingsDrizzling over steamed greensSeasoning miso soup and brothsHummus and tahini-style dressings