A simple recipe for those times you’ve run out of sesame oil! Learn how to make this quick homemade sesame infused oil full of the toasty nuttiness you know and love.
Why We Love This
As long as you have sesame seeds and vegetable oil (or canola), you can make your own homemade sesame oil exactly when you need it! This is perfect for when you’ve run out or forgotten to pick some up before cooking your favourite recipe.
Make a batch of this on the weekend alongside other homemade sauces for the week ahead. That way it’s ready to go and doesn’t add time (and dishes) when you’re trying to cook your dinner. If you make a lot of Japanese recipes like we do, it’s a great idea to have some Kewpie mayo, okonomiyaki sauce and teriyaki sauce made up and ready to go too.
Did You Know
Sesame oil is often used in cosmetics and hair treatments. You can even use a light coating of sesame oil to season woks or cast iron cookware!
What is Toasted Sesame Oil?
Toasted sesame oil (also known as dark sesame oil) is a popular ingredient in Asian cuisines, especially Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Reddish yellow in colour, it has a low smoke point meaning it’s not generally used as a cooking oil, but the nutty flavour makes it perfect as a seasoning for stir fries, marinades, dipping sauces and salad dressings. The exception is a Japanese stir fry known as kinpira gobo, which is fried in sesame oil.
Note that light coloured sesame oil is very different to the darker toasted oil. It’s extracted from raw, hulled sesame seeds and has a high smoke point with a more neutral flavour, making it better for cooking rather than seasoning.
Today’s recipe is a quick homemade version you can make if you’ve run out of actual sesame oil. It’s an intentionally small batch so you can get back to cooking and use it up quickly rather than storing long term.
Instead of the long process that comes with traditional sesame oil (and requires A LOT of sesame seeds), this version is an infused oil meaning it’s combined with a vegetable oil to capture that intense sesame flavour, while only requiring a couple of tablespoons of the seeds on hand.
What You’ll Need
- Sesame Seeds – Use white sesame seeds (aka hulled sesame seeds) for the more traditional sesame oil flavour. If you use black sesame seeds (aka unhulled), the flavour will be too bitter from the hulls and be less suitable for using as a seasoning.
- Vegetable Oil – A neutral flavoured vegetable oil such as peanut or sunflower oil works best, you can also use canola. Avoid olive oil as it will take over the flavour.
How to make Toasted Sesame Infused Oil:
- Toast the white sesame seeds in a medium frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until nice and golden. Move the sesame seeds around the pan every 30 seconds or so to make sure they’re evenly toasted. Remove from the pan and allow to cool (around 5-10 minutes).
- Pour the toasted sesame seeds and vegetable oil into a bullet blender. Blend for 30 seconds – 1 minute until combined.
- You may need to shake the container half way through to make sure all the seeds are processed.
- Setup a small dish and place a strainer and cheesecloth over the top. Strain the oil through the cloth to capture a lot of the sediment. Transfer to a clean, airtight jar and store in the fridge for up to a month.
Wandercook’s Tips
- Quantity – This recipe is for an intentionally small amount so that you can use it up straight away. Make it right before you plan to use it, and it will always be at its freshest and most flavourful!
- Avoid Burning – If any sesame seeds start to brown too much while toasting, take your pan off the heat immediately.
- Storage – For the best flavour, store your leftover sesame oil in an airtight glass bottle and keep it in a cool dark place such as your pantry, where it will last for 1-2 months. You can also store this oil in the fridge to prolong its life. Keep it away from warm areas such as next to your stove, as this can make it turn rancid much faster.
- Vegan Friendly Flavour Enhancer – Sesame oil a great vegan ingredient to add flavour to salads, wraps or dishes like our tofu sushi bowl.
FAQs
No you don’t have to store it in the fridge, but it will help it last longer if you don’t use it all up at once.
If you don’t have the sesame oil, but you DO have sesame seeds, you can try adding a handful of fresh sesame seeds, toasted sesame seeds, or toasted + ground sesame seeds to really bring in that nutty sesame flavour.
Otherwise, peanut oil is a great substitute for cooking, while tahini / sesame paste will help as a general flavouring for salad dressings.
If you don’t mind so much about matching the flavour profile of sesame oil in cooking, some great substitutes are olive oil or avocado oil.
If left too long, the oil can become rancid, meaning the fats in the oil can oxidise and start to taste and smell unpleasant. As with all homemade sauces and condiments, if it looks strange or doesn’t smell right, throw it out.
Amazing Recipes Using Sesame Oil
Condiments, Dipping Sauces and Salad Dressings
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Variations
- Make it Spicy – Add chilli powder, cayenne pepper or even gochugaru chilli flakes while toasting your sesame seeds before blending with the oil.
- Instant Vinaigrette – Add a splash of sesame oil to homemade ponzu sauce.
Want more epic homemade sauces? Try these!
★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star rating below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds 17 g / 0.6 oz
- ½ cup vegetable oil 125 ml / 4.2 fl oz
Instructions
- Toast the white sesame seeds in a medium frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until nice and golden. Move the sesame seeds around the pan every 30 seconds or so to make sure they're evenly toasted. Remove from the pan and allow to cool (around 5-10 minutes).2 tbsp white sesame seeds
- Pour the toasted sesame seeds and vegetable oil into a bullet blender. Blend for 30 seconds – 1 minute until combined. You may need to shake the container half way through to make sure all the seeds are processed.½ cup vegetable oil
- Setup a small dish and place a strainer and cheesecloth over the top. Strain the sesame oil through the cloth to capture a lot of the sediment. Transfer to a clean, airtight jar and store in the fridge for up to a month.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Quantity – This recipe is for an intentionally small amount so that you can use it up straight away. Make it right before you plan to use it, and it will always be at its freshest and most flavourful!
- Avoid Burning – If any sesame seeds start to brown too much while toasting, take your pan off the heat immediately.
- Storage – For the best flavour, store your leftover sesame oil in an airtight glass bottle and keep it in a cool dark place such as your pantry, where it will last for 1-2 months. You can also store this oil in the fridge to prolong its life. Keep it away from warm areas such as next to your stove, as this can make it turn rancid much faster.
- Make it Spicy – Add chilli powder, cayenne pepper or even gochugaru chilli flakes while toasting your sesame seeds before blending with the oil.
Nutrition
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