How to Wash and Roast Sesame Seeds at Home (Korean Method)

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To wash sesame seeds, swish them in plenty of water and pour off the dust and empty husks that float up. Add fresh water so the heavier sand sinks, then pour the seeds off the top, and repeat 2–3 times. To roast them, use high heat for the first 1–2 minutes, then medium heat until the seeds are plump and golden.

My mother grows sesame and gives us a bag every holiday when we visit the countryside. I used to accidentally wash them all away, but now I've gotten pretty good at it. This is how I wash, roast and store them in my Korean kitchen.

Key takeaways
  • Swish the seeds in plenty of water, then tilt the bowl to pour off the dust and empty husks.
  • Add fresh water and wait a moment. Heavier debris sinks and the seeds float.
  • Repeat 2–3 times. You'll see the fine sand left at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Roast on high heat for 1–2 minutes, then on medium once the seeds separate.
  • Cool them on a wide tray. Keep what you'll eat within a month in the fridge, and the rest in the freezer.

Watch me wash and roast the sesame seeds. The video starts at this part.

How Do You Wash Sesame Seeds at Home?

Use water to separate the seeds from everything else. Dust and empty husks float, and sand sinks. Go slowly when you pour, because this is where seeds get lost.

  1. Add plenty of water to the seeds and gently swish them around. The dust and empty husks float to the surface.
  2. Gently tilt the bowl and let the dust and husks flow out.
  3. Add fresh water and let the bowl sit for a moment. The heavier debris sinks while the seeds float.
  4. Swirl a fine-mesh strainer through the water to scoop up the floating seeds. Or do what I do: tilt the bowl and carefully pour just the seeds and water into a strainer.
  5. Check the bottom of the bowl. You'll see the fine sand and dirt that settled there.
  6. Repeat 2–3 times, and the cleaning is done.
Swishing sesame seeds by hand in a bowl of water in the kitchen sink Tilting the bowl to pour off dust and empty husks floating on the water Pouring washed sesame seeds and water into a fine-mesh strainer Fine sand and dark grit left at the bottom of the bowl after washing sesame seeds

How Do You Roast Sesame Seeds in a Pan?

Start with high heat for the first 1–2 minutes, then lower it to medium once the seeds separate. Keep stirring until they turn plump and golden. My pan is small, so I roast them in batches.

Stirring sesame seeds in a dark pan with a wooden spoon

How Can You Tell When Sesame Seeds Are Roasted?

I check two things. The flat seeds become plump and golden brown, and they crumble easily when I rub them gently between my thumb and index finger.

Plump roasted sesame seeds on a wooden spoon Roasted sesame seeds crumbled between a thumb and index finger

How Do You Store Roasted Sesame Seeds?

Spread them on a wide tray right away so they cool completely. Then I divide them: the seeds I'll eat within a month go in the refrigerator, and the ones I'm keeping for a long time go in the freezer.

Pouring roasted sesame seeds onto a wide steel tray to cool Pouring cooled roasted sesame seeds from a tray into a clear jar

Questions About Washing and Roasting Sesame Seeds

Do you have to wash sesame seeds?

I wash the ones my mother grows, because they have dust, empty husks and fine sand in them. You can see the sand at the bottom of the bowl after each wash.

How many times should you wash them?

I repeat the process 2–3 times.

Can you roast them all at once?

Only if they fit in your pan. Mine is small, so I roast them in batches.

How long do you keep them in the fridge?

I keep the seeds I'll eat within a month in the fridge. Anything longer goes in the freezer.

A Small Kitchen Routine

After a holiday in the countryside, our home is filled with food for a while, and this bag of sesame is part of it. Washing, roasting and putting the seeds away is one small job, but I've come to think small daily habits change life more than big decisions do.

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