Roasting sesame seeds – it’s that easy
Do you want to roast sesame seeds without turning them into black gold? Then I’ll show you how to elicit wonderful roasted flavors from sesame seeds in a pan or in the oven. You can then use the roasted sesame seeds to add a nutty note to any dish.
What you should look out for when roasting sesame seeds
Here are a few essential tips to prevent your sesame seeds from burning:
- Wash the sesame seeds before roasting: Rinse the sesame seeds under cold water. This ensures that they roast evenly.
- Even heat: Make sure that the pan is heated evenly.
- Stir regularly: Stirring is essential to prevent the kernels from burning.
- Don’t take your eyes off the sesame! Take your time and watch the roasting process with eagle eyes, otherwise it will quickly turn bitter!
- Cool quickly: To prevent the sesame seeds from toasting further with the residual heat of the pan, transfer them directly.

Roasting sesame seeds in the pan – step by step
For roasted sesame seeds, I recommend preparing them in a pan. This gives you more control over the degree of roasting. The direct heat allows the nutty flavor of the sesame to develop better.
- Rinse the sesame seeds under cold water and place them on a clean cloth.
- Heat a dry pan over a medium heat without oil!
- Place the moist sesame seeds in the pan and make sure they are in a thin layer.
- Then stir the sesame seeds continuously.
- Keep an eye on the seeds and wait until they turn golden brown and start to smell aromatic and bounce. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes.
- Then transfer directly to a cold plate.

My tip: You can determine the degree of roasting yourself, depending on how intense you want the nutty roasted flavors to be. The darker the kernels are, the stronger they are roasted. Please note: the darker they are, the more bitter they will be.
Roasting sesame seeds in the oven
If you want to roast larger quantities, place the sesame seeds evenly on a baking tray lined with baking paper and roast at 180 °C top/bottom heat for around 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure even roasting.

Roast black sesame seeds
You can of course also roast black sesame seeds. It has a slightly more intense flavor. The process is the same as for light sesame seeds. You just have to be a little more careful as you can’t see the color change. When the seeds start to smell and crackle, they are ready.
Roast unpeeled sesame seeds
As with hulled and black sesame seeds, you can also roast unhulled sesame seeds according to my step-by-step instructions. I have even used unpeeled sesame seeds because they contain even more important nutrients that would otherwise be lost when they are peeled.
When roasting the unpeeled sesame seeds, however, you have to pay close attention to the seeds, as it is difficult to tell how much they have already been roasted. Pay attention to the crackling and the smell of the seeds.
The best way to store freshly roasted sesame seeds
You can keep roasted sesame seeds for several months if you store them in an airtight, dry container.
Tip: Sesame likes it dark so that it retains its aromas.
Use of roasted sesame seeds in my recipes
Roasted sesame seeds often add that little bit of extra flavor, whether as a topping for salads and on flatbread or on crispy sesame cookies. And, of course, it is the ingredient for homemade tahini.
So, everything’s easy, right? Then why don’t you start roasting the sesame seeds straight away? Let me know in the comments what you used the roasted sesame seeds for.
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