Black Sesame Everything Seasoning
A savory, umami-rich spice blend combining black and white sesame seeds with nori, garlic, and salt. Perfect for finishing roasted vegetables, avocado toast, scrambled eggs, popcorn, or as a crust for fish and tofu. The black sesame adds nutty depth while nori brings ocean minerality. This blend keeps for months and requires no cooking.
Steps
Before you start
- Have a clean, dry spice grinder or mini food processor ready
- Measure all ingredients before you begin blending
Toast the nori
- Hold a nori sheet a few inches above a gas flame for 3–4 seconds per side, or place it in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 seconds per side, until fragrant and lightly crisped.
- Be careful not to burn it.
- Let cool for 30 seconds, then break into small pieces.
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Ready when: Nori is fragrant and slightly darker
Tip: Nori pieces should be crisp and break easily; if they bend without snapping, they need a bit more heat.
Combine dry ingredients
- In a small bowl, combine the black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, cooled nori pieces, sea salt, garlic powder, and white pepper.
- Stir gently with a spoon to distribute evenly.
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Ready when: Ingredients are evenly mixed with no clumps
Tip: If you skip this step and jump straight to grinding, the salt may not distribute evenly in the final blend.
Grind the blend
- Transfer the mixture to a spice grinder or mini food processor.
- Pulse 8–12 times, stopping frequently to stir with a spoon.
- You want a coarse texture with some whole seeds still visible and nori flakes throughout—not a fine powder.
- This should take 2–3 minutes total.
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Ready when: Blend is coarse and granular with visible seed and nori pieces
Tip: Pulse rather than running continuously to avoid overheating the sesame oil and creating a paste. Stop before it gets too fine.
Add sesame oil (optional)
- If using, drizzle the toasted sesame oil over the ground blend and stir well with a spoon until evenly coated.
- This adds richness and makes the blend slightly more moist, helping it clump together lightly.
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Ready when: Oil is evenly distributed with no dry streaks
Tip: The oil version stays clumpy and is better for dipping or seasoning hot foods; the dry version sprinkles more freely on cold dishes.
Cool and jar
- Let the blend sit in the mixing bowl for 5 minutes to cool completely and any residual moisture to evaporate.
- Transfer to a clean, dry airtight glass jar.
- Label with the date.
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Ready when: Blend is room temperature and jar is sealed
Tip: Cool the blend completely before jarring to prevent condensation inside the jar, which causes clumping over time.
Good to know
Tips
- Toast your own nori over a flame or in a dry skillet just before blending—pre-toasted sheets from a sushi shop work beautifully and save a step.
- Use this seasoning generously on halved avocados, soft scrambled eggs, buttered toast, roasted cauliflower or broccoli, popcorn, or as a finishing crust on seared fish, tofu, or shrimp.
- For a spicier version, add 0.25 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or a pinch of chili flakes after grinding.
- Store a small shaker jar on the table or counter for daily use and keep the main batch in the pantry. The sesame oil version won't shake, so use a small spoon instead.
Make ahead
Make the full batch and store for up to 4 months in an airtight jar at room temperature. The flavor actually deepens slightly over the first 2–3 weeks.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature (4 months in an airtight glass jar, away from heat and light); refrigerator not necessary. If the blend is oil-free and you live in a humid climate, store in the fridge for the same duration.
Substitutions
- nori seaweed sheets → Finely crumbled kombu seaweed or kelp flakes. Use the same weight; kombu is slightly chewier and more mineral-forward. Toast it the same way before adding.
- ground white pepper → Black pepper. Black pepper is more assertive and will darken the visual appearance. Reduce to 0.125 teaspoon to avoid overpowering the blend.
- garlic powder → Onion powder or garlic and onion powder (0.5 tsp each). Onion powder adds sweetness; the combo is more savory and less sharp.
- fine sea salt → Fleur de sel or kosher salt. Kosher salt is bulkier; use 2 teaspoons. Fleur de sel is delicate and won't grind as fine, adding a pleasant texture.
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