Sesame seeds

What are they?

Sesame seeds are tiny, oil-rich seeds of the sesame plant used whole, toasted, or ground. They show up across a range of cuisines, from Middle Eastern tahini to Asian stir-fries to even mole sauces in Mexico.

White (or tan) sesame seeds are hulled and mild; black sesame seeds are unhulled, slightly more bitter and earthy, and visually dramatic.

Sesame is one of those truly global ingredients that can be used for sweet or savory applications, and is now super popular in baked goods, desserts, and even drinks (like black sesame lattes & cocktails).

What’s their flavor?

Aroma: Mildly nutty when raw; deeply nutty & bread-like when toasted

Texture: Light crunch that turns creamy when ground

Sight: White seeds add subtle speckle; black seeds add instant contrast

Why should you buy some?

Sesame seeds are cheap, long-lasting, and incredibly versatile. They add flavor, texture, and visuals with almost no effort.

They’re one of the easiest ways to add crunch to crusts—think sesame-crusted fish, chicken, tofu, or stuffed sesame balls.
In baking and desserts, sesame brings nutty depth without sweetness: black sesame ice cream, sesame shortbread, sesame brittle, or sesame paste swirled into cakes and cookies.
They form the base of iconic spice blends: make your own everything-bagel-seasoning, za’atar, furikake (rice seasoning) at home with just a few extra ingredients.

Usage tips: Toasting them takes under two minutes and unlocks their aroma, making them more than just a visual garnish

For easy application, consider getting a sesame seed mill. It’s a standard household item in Japan, where it’s used like a pepper grinder.

What else can you make with sesame?

Sesame-crusted salmon, chicken, or tofu
Quick sesame sauce (sesame seeds/paste + soy sauce + vinegar + sugar)
Toasted sesame over roasted vegetables, rice bowls, or noodles
Black sesame desserts (ice cream, cookies, shortbread, mochi)
Homemade everything-bagel-seasoning or za’atar or furikake

RECIPE RECS ✅

Garnish these with sesame

Here are some of our most popular dishes that use sesame seeds not just for visual garnish but for a hit of aroma and crunch too:

Salmon edamame poke bowl (pictured above)
Tuna poke bowl
Crispy tofu salad
Gochujang beef bowl & steak bowl
Korean classics like bibimbap and tteokbokki

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FOOD TRENDS 🚀

Vegan Caesar dressings

Can you really make a Caesar dressing without anchovies, egg, or cheese?

We’ve covered why classic Caesar dressing is so satisfying: layered umami from anchovies and parm, plus that rich, emulsified texture from egg yolk and oil.

So how are vegan versions pulling it off?

The base of garlic, dijon mustard, lemon, and oil stays the same. From there, it’s about smart substitutions to add the creamy & savory element. Recipes might call for any of the following ingredients:

For creaminess:

Aquafaba (protein content acts like egg yolk substitute, becomes creamy when emulsified with oil)
Tahini or chickpeas
Soaked cashews or other nuts

Once blended, these recreate the body and emulsified feel you’d normally get from egg yolk.

For punchy umami:

Nutritional yeast
Miso
Capers

These savory swaps won’t taste identical to anchovies and parmesan, but they approximate that salty, umami profile pretty well.

So through a combo of plant-based swaps, you can totally recreate a Caesar-style dressing without the cheese, anchovy, and egg.

The bigger picture: This is what cooking is all about — understanding what each ingredient does in a recipe Once you know the role of each ingredient (fat, acid, umami, texture), you can rebuild the same overall vibe of a specific dish to fit your needs.