311 sesame paste recipes

Whole roasted chicken rubbed with Szechuan peppercorn, five-spice, coriander, and honey-soy glaze. Served over pasta tossed in the savory pan drippings for a showstopping dinner.

Lobster stir-fried in sesame and chili oil, tossed with angel hair pasta, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, bell peppers, and a rich soy butter sauce. Restaurant-level wow factor at home.

Javanese peanut pasta with fettuccine tossed in a spicy peanut sauce made from chunky peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, and rice vinegar. Topped with coconut and cucumber.

Easy kimchi skips the long fermentation: salt napa cabbage, toss with a garlicky gochugaru paste, scallions, sesame, and grated pear, then marinate just an hour. A fresh, spicy Korean side ready the same day.

Traditional Greek sesame honey candy (pasteli) made with just two ingredients. Toasted sesame seeds and boiled honey set into crunchy, chewy sticks that store beautifully.

A simple and yet succulent chicken dish that is served with a spicy sauce. Tastes great over rice or noodles.

Horenso no goma-ae is a Japanese spinach side dish dressed in a paste of toasted sesame seeds, sake, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Classic side served at room temperature with rice and miso.

Slippery glass noodles wok-fried with savory ground pork in a ginger-garlic sauce with dark soy, chili bean paste, and sesame oil. A Chinese comfort bowl in 45 minutes.

Restaurant-style sesame beef stir fry with crisp asparagus and red bell pepper. Triple-fried strips get tossed in a savory soy, sesame paste, and Shaoxing wine sauce that clings to every bite.

Asian-style microwave cod rolled with sesame paste, served on bean sprouts with snow peas, bell pepper, soy sauce, and fresh ginger. Ready in under 10 minutes.

Crispy Chinese-American shrimp toast: golden-fried bread triangles topped with seasoned shrimp paste, fresh ginger, water chestnuts, and toasted sesame seeds. A classic dim sum starter.

Pulikacchal: the tangy-sweet South Indian tamarind paste for puliyodharai rice. Mustard seeds, chilies, jaggery, and sesame cooked down into a shelf-stable rice mix.

Homemade tahini from scratch with just toasted sesame seeds and oil. Smooth, nutty paste for hummus, baba ganoush, salad dressings, and Middle Eastern cooking. Keeps for months in the fridge.

Thai satay sauce from scratch: a dry-toasted aromatic paste of chiles, shallots, garlic, and galangal cooked into coconut milk with peanuts, sesame, tamarind, and fish soy.

Ground lamb wok-fried with tri-color bell peppers in a rich sauce of hoisin, oyster sauce, black bean paste, chili sauce, and sesame oil. A Chinese-style chili served over steamed rice or buttered noodles in under 40 minutes.

A Lowcountry classic: toasted benne (sesame) seeds ground into a paste and stirred into warm cream with oyster liquor and fresh shucked oysters. Rich, briny, and ready in 30 minutes.