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Made from ground black sesame seeds and either sesame oil or honey, Black Sesame Paste (or Kuro Neri Goma) is used as a flavoring to make sweet and savory dishes in Japanese and Asian cuisines. Learn how to make it at home today!
In Japan and other East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines, black sesame seeds are used extensively in cooking, baking, and desserts. We use the black sesame seeds in its original form, and in powder and paste forms. It is one of my favorite flavorings for making pastries and sweets. When summer comes around, I would make a jar of homemade black sesame paste and store in the fridge so I can always whip up black sesame ice cream and other treats.
How Does Black Sesame Paste Taste Like?
To make black sesame paste, the unhulled sesame seeds are first toasted and then ground into a thick puree before sweetened with honey.
With a glossy, jet-black color and uniquely rich nutty flavor, black sesame paste can change the dynamic of a dessert completely. I would also describe the flavor slightly earthy with a mildly bitter undertone, which provides a nice counterbalance to any sweets.
You can find many popular Japanese sweets and pastries such as macarons, purin (pudding), chiffon cake, mochi, bread, ice cream flavored with black sesame.
Black sesame paste (黒練りごま) is typically sold in a small jar at Japanese (or Chinese) grocery stores or on Amazon, but you can easily make it at home.
How to Make Black Sesame Paste – 2 Simple Ingredients!
It’s so easy to make homemade black sesame paste! You’ll need only black sesame seeds and honey (for sweets) or sesame oil (for savory).
Using a food processor makes the process faster than grinding with Suribachi and Surikogi (Japanese mortar and pestle). You need at least 1/4 cup sesame seeds to get it running.
As you grind the sesame seeds will start releasing natural oil, so there’s no need to add any liquid if you use a commercial-grade machine. If you’re using a smaller processor, you may need to add a little honey or sesame oil to get the grinding going to reach the pasty texture. Allow the processor to take breaks in between before you run it again.
Once you make the paste, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 month!
Recipes Ideas
In addition to black sesame ice cream and black sesame dan dan noodles, you can also use black sesame paste to make filling for mochi, or include it in your smoothie, to make creme brulee and pudding or as a dipping sauce for fruits like banana and apples. Black sesame is known to be an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, iron, and healthy fat, so that’s a double win!
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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Made from ground black sesame seeds and either honey or sesame oil, Black Sesame Paste is used as a flavoring to make sweet and savory dishes in Japanese and Asian cuisines. Learn how to make it at home today!
- ½ cup toasted black sesame seeds (8 Tbsp, 71 g)
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ½ cup toasted black sesame seeds (8 Tbsp, 71 g)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
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Gather all the ingredients.
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In a non-greased pan, toast the sesame seeds to bring out the aroma.
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Put the toasted sesame seeds in the food processor and start processing. You can also grind the black sesame seeds by mortar and pestle (but it will take some time).
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It will take some time for the sesame seeds to release the oil, so be patient.
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Scrape the sesame seeds from the sides as needed and run again. Depending on the machine, you may need to take a break to avoid breaking the motor.
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When the sesame seeds are finely ground and become moist from the natural sesame oil, add honey/sesame oil and process again to combine.
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The sesame seeds will start to look pastier. Continue processing.
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Once the sesame seeds are all ground, liquidy, and pasty, transfer to a sterilized mason jar.
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You can store homemade sesame paste in the refrigerator for up to 1 month and in the freezer for half a year. Bring the paste back to room temperature before using it.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
If i don’t have food processor how can i do it?thanks
Hi Novi! It’s a bit of work, but you can grind the black sesame seeds by mortar and pestle. That works the same way. 🙂 Hope this helps!
I’m excited to make black sesame ice cream! Yours looks so good. Just wondering, What can you use instead of honey?
Hi Amy! Hmm.. that’s a difficult question… If it’s for savory dish, I’d recommend to make it syrupy texture with sesame oil. However if it’s for dessert like ice cream, I think honey is the best fit. Maybe maple syrup? Hope this helps. 🙂
I was hooked to goma ice cream since I tasted in Asakusa London. Which is strange as I am not a big fan of ice cream. I now have the recipe, made my own paste and felt really proud. I was wondering what kinda savoury dishe we can use the sesame oiled version? I mean in Japanese cuisine?
Hi gulsah! I’m really happy to hear you enjoyed black sesame ice cream! Black sesame paste for savory dishes is not as popular. Some uses for mixing with blanched veggies, some use for tofu and bread, and I’ve seen it’s used for simmered dishes. I prefer white sesame paste for dressing etc. Oh you can use for steamed cake too. They are more like arranged dish and not something that everyone knows about – like black sesame pudding, or chiffon cake, etc.
For how long do we roast the sesame seeds?
Hi Jan! If your black sesame seeds are not roasted yet, follow the following directions.
Put sesame seeds in a frying pan and roast them on medium heat until 2-3 sesame seeds jump (similar to popcorn). Keep shaking the pan to rotate the sesame seeds so they won’t get burnt. Remove from the heat immediately.
Hope that helps!
Used a blender. It worked and tastes yummy
Hi Azef! I’m glad you liked it. Thank you so much for letting me know!
Do I put honey into the food processor as well??
Hi Ji! Yes, it’s in Step 2. After you add honey, mix well. 🙂
Sounds delicious!! But I don’t have a food processor. Can I grind them with vitamix?
Hi Shelly! I don’t have a Vitamix, and I definitely don’t want to say “sure!” and bake your expensive blender. 😀 Does it come with a blade to work like food processor? I am pretty sure you can….but just in case, I recommend you to read the manual… 😉
Hi Nami
I’m just wondering what kind of honey you used in this recipe? And also what kind of honey works best? 🙂
In my supermarket there are many different types available, and I’m not sure which one would taste best. Eg. Manuka, honey and clover, creamed honey and clover honey…
Btw I tried your matcha ice cream recipe without an ice cream maker… tastes so creamy and rich! Thank you for sharing it 🙂
Hi Leah! In this recipe/picture, I used the clover honey. 🙂 I’m so happy to hear the matcha ice cream turned out well. Thank you so much for trying the recipe!
Hi Nami, thanks for sharing this recipe! Do you know why store bought black sesame paste has oil in it? How can I replicate it? As I have a recipe which calls for 2 tablespoons of the oil in the black sesame paste.. Thank you! 🙂
Hi Lynn! The oil in black sesame paste is sesame oil. When you grind (or use food processor), the natural oil start to come out from sesame seeds. If you don’t have enough, you can add tiny bit of sesame oil (or olive oil). Hope this helps!
Could I use black sesame powder instead? Thank you! 🙂
Hi Sin! I have never used black sesame powder… If it’s 100% ground black sesame it seems like it’s a same thing?! Are they super fine? I wish I can tell but I’m not sure if it works as I have never tried it. Let me know if you try and it works. 🙂
Nami, thank you for responding. I tried using the black sesame powder, and it seems to work? haha.. I have never tasted black sesame paste before, so I’m not exactly sure. However, the consistency seems to resemble your homemade paste. So, I guess it works! Thank you.
Hi Sin Ee! Theoretically it should work as black sesame seed powder is ground black sesame seed. 🙂 When we grind by ourselves, though, the sesame seed oil comes out and it gets more moist from the oil. I guess that would be missing from already ground powder form. But it should be okay! Thank you for letting me know! 🙂
So to make regular Pure sesame paste do you follow same steps? Don’t want Tahini paste just sesame paste like they sell in Chinese Markets. Thanks!
Hi Clint! If you use it for savory, you don’t have to add honey. If you have a food processor, it should take less than 5 minutes to make paste. 🙂
Hello, thank you for the recipe. I just bought a jar of black sesame seeds and I wanted to try making a batch of this paste.
I’d like to ask you, though, how long could this paste last if I keep it in a mason jar stored in my pantry?
Hi Mawichan! I updated my recipe with this information (thanks for asking!). You will need to use it in 2 days. Oil from sesame seeds gets oxidized (just like you can’t keep the deep fry oil for a long time because it’ll be oxidized) and it won’t taste good, so you will need to use it in 2 days. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the quick reply! I have not tried the recipe yet, but I already bought the seeds to make it soon, so it is good to know this. Thanks again~
This recipe and the related ice-cream is a dream come true, specially for my husband. Back sesame ice-cream is one of his favourites. He is not Japanese or a descendent by the way – he is Irish :-D.
Hi Sueli! Hahahaha, so happy that your husband likes black sesame ice cream! Definitely a wonderful surprise! Thank you for writing. Hope you try the recipe and he’ll like it! xo
could i use sugar instead of honey? also, would black sesame paste taste good in jian dui or is that weird?
Hi Sam! You can use sugar, but may be more grainer. What’s Jian Dui?
Jian dui is a Chinese fried sesame ball with paste inside. usually red bean paste but I was wondering if black sesame paste would be good
Ohhh, I got it! I love them! Hm, I think, the chinese sesame balls have sweeter filling. You might want to check its recipe. But this can be used as base for sure. 🙂
Hi Nami,
Thank you for sharing this quick recipe. Would this recipe be suitable to make sesame paste fillings for baked buns or would I need to modify the recipe?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Yap! Filling for baked buns… Hmmm.. how big are they? These are rather “runny” so I’m not sure how you can fill in?
Hi Nami,
The buns are approximately the size of red bean buns, an pan (3inch diameter). I agree that this recipe can be “runny”. Is there any possibility of thickening the paste to make it less “runny”?
When we make black sesame anko filling, we usually mix with red bean paste so we get some substantial amount instead of just sesame seeds. But I’m not sure if that works for your recipe…
Hi Nami! Thanks for sharing this recipe. If I want to make white sesame paste for use in noodle dishes like tan tan men, what should I swap for the honey? Sesame oil? I can buy nerigoma at my local Japanese supermarket, but it’s really expensive, so I’d love a homemade alternative. The only ingredient listed on the nerigoma can is sesame.
Hi Grace! Yes, for savory dishes, add sesame oil little by little while you grind. You can use FP too to make it faster… you have to process it for a while to get the oil coming out from sesame seeds (so use good quality sesame seeds). 🙂
Hi, can I use this recipe for the fillings for taiyaki? Thanks.
Hi Vivien! I think it’s usually mixed with shiro-an (paste made with a type of green bean) to have substantial “paste” as sesame paste is very thin and runny. You can mix with red been paste, too, but the color will not be as good as using shiro-an. 🙂
May I know if this 1 serving of black sesame paste is equivalent to 3tbsp sesame paste (as needed for the black sesame ice-cream)? Thanks.
Hi Melissa! This recipe makes 1 Tbsp, so you will need to triple the recipe. 🙂
Dear Nami, Konnichiwa!
Someone gave me two pouches of Neri Goma Kuro (Black Sesame Paste). Can I use them to make a salad dressing? Do you have a recipe for the salad dressing?
Arigato Go-zai-mas,
Hi Steve! Yeah, you can definitely make salad dressing with it. I don’t use the paste to make my sesame dressing, but you can add to make it more creamy. Maybe adapt this recipe?
https://www.justonecookbook.com/sesame-dressing/
Will love to learn from you, thanks!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Hi Nami-san,
It’s such a great idea to make my own black sesame paste! (It can be quite pricy in the US!)
I made my black sesame paste, using your recipe and it’s so tasty on my toast but after I put in my fridge, it turned to be super hard. How can I make it soften? Add some water or oil and microwave?
Please let me know.
Thank you,
Akiko
Hi Akiko-san!
Yes, just like honey, you can’t put it in the fridge. Or if you do, you have to microwave or heat in the hot water (make sure you keep it in a mason jar or some glass jar). You just have to liquidify – no need to add water or oil in the paste. 🙂
For sesame seeds which are not toasted, do I need to wash the sesame seeds first before toasting?
Hi Jovin! No, toast on the frying pan until you hear a few pop sound. 🙂
Why does the first picture show 3 ingredients?
Hi Bethy! The one on the left is the black sesame paste from Japan. I’ll re-shoot the step by step pictures and final shot when I get a chance so it’ll be less confusing. 🙂
WOW! I am so excited! I did this with my mortar and pestle and so impressed how much oil was in those dry sesame seeds! I’m making the black sesame ice cream to go with the green tea ice cream I made last night. It’s a combination of flavor I never thought I’d get to try again. I had it once on vacation, well multiple times on the same vacation in NYC. So excited to try this on my own!
Hi Bethy! It is amazing, isn’t it? That’s how sesame oil comes from by pressing! So happy to hear you got to try black sesame ice cream. Nutty and delicious! It’s one of the popular Japanese ice cream flavors. 🙂
Hi Nami!
Loved your soup video! Wondering what the sauces were and if you have a recipe for them?
Thank you! Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Elizabeth! I assume you’re not talking about this Black Sesame Paste recipe… which video (recipe name) was in the video player or could you describe it a bit more so I can look into it? 🙂
Hi, I would like to ask you for making Black Sesame Chiffon Cake, do I need to take out some flour and change to black sesame paste? By how much (let’s say for 22cm pan) ?
Thank you for creating such a yummy chiffon cake recipes!!
Love it!!
Hi Olivia! Glad to hear you enjoy my chiffon cake recipes. I tried making black sesame chiffon cakes and I think I’m done testing. It’s been on my list to share. Stay tuned. 🙂
Hi,
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Now I know what to do with my extra toasted black sesame seeds!
Question: for savory black sesame paste, what kind of sesame oil do you use, toasted or non-toasted? Thanks
Hi Joyce! I use toasted sesame oil. But if you want to use less sesame taste, you can always use non-toasted. Both works just fine. 🙂
Hi!
Do you know how they make black sesame Croissants? I had one once and it was incredibly tasty. Maybe adding it to some croissant dough to make it black?
Hi Lucy! Oh that sounds really cool. Was that all black?! I’ve never tried it before… But I assume they must have added paste into the dough… 🙂
Hi, can i use this for bao bun filling? tq
Hi Apple!
That sounds yummy!
We have not tried it yet before, but we think it will work.
Let us know how it goes!😉