220 sesame paste recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Thick-cut porterhouse steak marinated in a bold Asian-inspired blend of chili bean paste, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Fire up the grill for this fusion masterpiece that brings steakhouse quality with Pacific Rim flair.

Korean roasted whole chicken (tongdak) steamed first for tender meat, then basted with a sesame-soy-ginger-garlic sauce as it grills or rotisserie roasts. Finished with a brush of sesame oil for golden color and nutty flavor.

Charcoal-grilled brook trout marinated in a spicy lemon-butter baste with Tabasco, ginger, sesame seeds, and parsley. Five minutes per side over hot coals for flaky, smoky fish.

This vegan tofu turkey is the plant-based centerpiece your holiday table needs. Five pounds of pressed tofu shaped into a roast, stuffed with your favorite filling, then basted with nutty sesame oil and soy sauce until golden and crispy.