Toasted vs Plain Sesame Oil: A Cultural Guide to Using It Right

Walk down the oil aisle and you will see more than one kind of sesame oil. They look similar, but they behave quite differently in the pan. Knowing which is which can save a dish, and it also opens a window onto several food cultures.

Two oils from one seed

Plain sesame oil is pressed from raw seeds. It is light in colour and mild in flavour, and it is commonly used for general cooking in many regions. Toasted sesame oil is made from roasted seeds and is darker, with a deep nutty aroma. It is mainly a seasoning rather than a cooking oil.

In South India, a traditional oil often called gingelly or til oil is pressed from raw or lightly processed seeds and is used in cooking and in some traditional home practices. The flavour differs from the toasted East Asian type, so check what a recipe expects.

East Asian kitchens

In Japanese, Korean and Chinese cooking, toasted sesame oil is usually added at the end. A few drops over noodles, soups, dumplings or vegetables give a fragrant finish. In Korea, it is also used to season rice dishes and the popular mixed rice bowl known as bibimbap. Because the flavour is strong, small amounts go a long way.

Cooks often avoid heating toasted oil to very high temperatures because the delicate aroma can fade and turn bitter.

South Asian and Middle Eastern uses

Plain sesame oil appears in a range of dishes in southern India, in pickles and in tempered spice mixtures. In the Middle East and nearby regions, sesame is more often used as tahini than as oil, although oil is pressed for cooking and for traditional sweets.

Buying and storing

A few practical tips:

Look for a label that tells you whether the oil is toasted or plain.

Choose dark glass or a metal tin, since light spoils oil.

Keep it in a cool cupboard. After opening, many people store toasted oil in the fridge, where it may turn cloudy but clears at room temperature.

Use it within the time stated on the label, and discard any bottle that smells sharp, bitter or like old paint.

Allergy note

Sesame is a major allergen, and oils may contain traces of protein depending on how they are refined. If someone at your table has a sesame allergy, avoid it and check with their doctor.

A small bottle with big range

Treat toasted oil like a spice and plain oil like an everyday cooking fat, and you will get the best from both. It is a lovely example of how one seed can give rise to many food traditions, depending on how it is prepared.

This article is general information, not medical advice.