Premium Toasted Sesame Oil
Our sesame oil is different from most. We roast in small batches at lower temperatures at our mill in South Korea, overseeing the entire process from start to finish. This gentle roasting yields a golden hue in our oil, as opposed to the brown color typically seen on shelves.
Instead of a bitter aftertaste, you’ll find that familiar toasted sesame aroma with a smooth, buttery depth that lingers on the palate.
We follow traditional Korean methods, and chose our roasting approach because we believe it brings out a more balanced, expressive oil. One that complements classic flavors while also pairing beautifully with new dishes it’s not typically associated with. It's a food lover’s sesame oil — made to invite curiosity in the kitchen while staying true to its roots.
This oil was pressed in October 2025 in our small-batch mill in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Made from whole, white, non-GMO sesame seeds, it’s produced using traditional methods that prioritize flavor and balance. The seeds are lightly roasted, then naturally pressed to preserve their inherent richness and aroma.
The result is a clean, expressive oil with a smooth finish that is true to the character of the harvest and the place it comes from.
A teaspoon of sesame oil can transform a dish.
Use it to gently sautee some vegetables or an egg, or try it at the end of cooking, when the pan is off the heat and the food is ready to breathe. Stir it through bibimbap, brush it over grilled mushrooms, or pour a few drops over noodles. A little goes a long way.
Beyond Korean food, Sooki pairs beautifully with roasted vegetables, vinaigrettes, in desserts, and even a slice of good bread.
We ship on non-holiday business days, Monday through Friday, with a 2:30 PM cut-off time. Orders placed after the cut-off will be processed on the next business day.
Our standard processing time is 24–48 hours. While most orders ship the same business day, orders placed after the cut-off will be fulfilled on the following business day.
For wholesale orders, please see this page.
Code: SOOKIFIRSTORDER
How to Use Sesame Oil
Learn About Sesame Oil
Read the full guideMost sesame oils found in supermarkets fall at one of two extremes: pale and tasteless, or over-roasted and bitter. We believe the best sesame oil lives in the middle: deep enough to perfume a room, delicate enough to balance a dish.
Real sesame oil starts with whole sesame seeds, not the extracts, pastes, or blends utilized in many oils on the market today. We only use whole sesame seeds and nothing else. They’re picked and sorted by hand, roasted gently, and pressed using natural, mechanical methods. This matters because sesame oil is only as good as the seed itself, and as honest as the way it’s handled. Lower, slower heat preserves the seed’s natural sweetness and nutrients while avoiding the harsh, burnt notes common in industrial oils.
The first impression of our oil is nutty and round, followed by a richness that coats the tongue and lingers on the palate. Our oil's complexity comes from our signature low-and-slow roasting method that preserves naturally occurring antioxidants like sesamin and sesamol, which protect both the oil’s freshness and its flavor.
In addition, we utilize natural and traditional methods of pressing without any chemicals or solvents. This allows the product to retain the subtle compounds that give sesame its signature aroma.
The Lifecycle of Sooki sesame oil
How we produce our oil
Click on the circles below, or swipe right on mobile to see every step of the process.
The Lifecycle of Sooki sesame oil
Picking the seeds. They Matter.
We begin with high-quality, non-GMO white sesame seeds sourced from growers in China’s Henan and Hubei provinces—regions documented for more than 2,000 years as optimal environments for sesame cultivation due to their loamy alluvial soils, stable continental climate, and consistent day–night temperature differentials. These conditions promote uniform seed development, higher lipid stability, and a naturally elevated oil yield. Each incoming lot undergoes manual inspection to verify seed integrity, moisture level, and purity, maintaining the same evaluative standards that have guided these agricultural regions for generations.
Our team doesn’t rely on machines alone. They visually assess every batch, studying the seeds for size, color, and integrity. This manual sorting process is more than quality control — it’s an act of craftsmanship. By choosing only whole, unbroken seeds and rejecting low-grade or blended lots, we ensure that every drop of oil begins with the purest sesame possible.
This is where the work truly starts — not with machinery, but with care.
The Lifecycle of Sooki sesame oil
We don't burn, we roast
Roasting is where flavor takes shape — and where most sesame oils lose it. Commercial producers often roast at extremely high temperatures to move quickly, sacrificing nuance for speed and volume. The result is a harsh, charred aroma, nutrient loss, and bitterness instead of balance.
At Sooki, we take the opposite approach. Our sesame seeds are roasted in small batches, allowing us to monitor each step closely. The temperature is checked continuously — every few seconds — to ensure it never climbs too high. This patience and precision preserve the seed’s natural nutty aroma, safeguard antioxidants and healthy fats, and develop a round, savory, slightly sweet flavor without harshness.
The Lifecycle of Sooki sesame oil
Pressed 100% Chemical Free
After roasting, the sesame seeds are gently pressed mechanically with no chemical solvents, high-heat refining, or deodorizing. This careful process preserves the oil’s natural flavor, maintains its golden hue, and retains vital fatty acids and antioxidants such as sesamol and sesamin.
We then mechanically filter the oil to remove any remaining impurities, avoiding the harsh chemical clarifiers used in mass production. The result is a pure, clear, and nutrient-rich sesame oil that’s as close to nature as it gets.
No hexane. No sodium hydroxide. Just mechanical pressure and time.
The Lifecycle of Sooki sesame oil
Certified & Clean bottling process
Our sesame oil is made at our mill in Korea that is for U.S. import safety, to meet international food safety protocols, ISO certifications for quality and process excellence.
Our facility handles everything in-house from seed inspection to roasting and bottling. This vertical integration means we have full oversight over every step of the process—ensuring quality, safety, and freshness at all times.
The Lifecycle of Sooki sesame oil
The Final Product: Honoring Tradition Without Compromise
The result is an oil that’s bold without overpowering, aromatic without veering into bitterness, and balanced enough to complement everything from a steaming bowl of rice to a crisp salad or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This is tradition—refined, but never compromised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sooki’s sesame oil cold-pressed?
No — and that’s on purpose. Our sesame oil is roasted before pressing, which unlocks its depth and warmth. “Cold-pressed” oils can taste greasy or flat because the seeds aren’t toasted first. We roast at a lower temperature than most brands, preserving nutrients while bringing out the nutty aroma that defines true Korean sesame oil.
Does sesame oil go bad? How should I store it?
Like all natural oils, sesame oil has an expiration date, so please check the bottle for the exact timing. Once opened, we recommend using it within six months for the best flavor. To keep it fresh, store it in a cool, dark place and make sure the bottle is tightly sealed. You’re welcome to refrigerate it as well; the oil may turn cloudy, but that’s normal and doesn’t affect its quality.
Can I cook with sesame oil or only use it for finishing?
You can absolutely cook with it — especially when sautéing vegetables, marinating meats, or seasoning noodles and rice. Sooki’s oil has a moderate smoke point (around 410°F / 210°C) and holds up beautifully for light to medium cooking. It’s also perfect as a finishing drizzle over soups, salads, or grains for a final touch of warmth and aroma.
Is Sooki’s sesame oil refined or unrefined?
It’s unrefined. We don’t use chemicals or high-heat refining steps. Instead, we rely on a mechanical press and natural filtration. The result is a clear, aromatic oil that retains the essence of the sesame seed itself — pure, minimal, and naturally stable.
What type of sesame seeds do you use?
We use whole, white sesame seeds that meet strict quality and safety standards. Every batch is carefully inspected for purity, cleanliness, and oil content before pressing, which allows us to control flavor, freshness, and consistency from the very start.
Many mass-market sesame oils are made using sesame powder or leftover seed meal rather than whole seeds. Once sesame is ground into powder, it oxidizes quickly and loses many of its natural aromatic compounds. This often leads to a flatter flavor, increased bitterness, and less nuance in the finished oil, as well as greater variability from batch to batch.
By starting with intact, whole seeds, we preserve the sesame’s natural oils and aroma, resulting in a cleaner, more fragrant, and more balanced taste. Our seeds are non-GMO and produced without chemical solvents or additives, and our facility in Korea is FDA-registered and HACCP-certified for food safety.
Where is your product made?
Our sesame oil is pressed and bottled in South Korea, where sesame oil has been cherished for generations. Partnering with a local producer allows us to honor traditional methods while maintaining the highest level of transparency and quality control.
Is sesame oil a seed oil?
Yes technically, as sesame oil is pressed from sesame seeds. The real concern around seed oils comes from their high omega-6 fatty acid content and the industrial refining process they go through, not simply from the fact that they come from seeds.
Most commercial seed oils (like soybean, corn, and canola) are extracted using chemical solvents, high heat, and deodorizing steps that can strip nutrients and create oxidized fats. These oils are also used in massive quantities in processed foods, which can throw off the balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fats in a modern diet.
Sooki’s sesame oil is produced through mechanical pressing, without chemical extraction or additives, and roasted at a lower temperature to preserve flavor and nutrients. Sesame oil does contain omega-6s, but it also contains unique antioxidants like sesamol and sesamin, which help stabilize the oil and support its health benefits. When used in normal culinary amounts, sesame oil is a natural, minimally processed, traditional fat. We encourage everyone to do their own research regarding this topic!
Where are your seeds from?
We apply traditional Korean roasting and pressing methods to sesame seeds sourced from trusted farms in Henan and Hubei, China—regions with more than 2,000 years of sesame cultivation history and some of the most ideal growing conditions in the world. We chose these farms not only for their deep agricultural heritage and consistent seed quality.
Does your sesame oil contain tree nuts or other common allergens?
No, we only produce sesame oil at our factories. Thus, our sesame oil is made in a facility that does not process tree nuts or other major allergens.
Is your packaging recyclable or sustainable?
Our glass bottles are fully recyclable, and we’re continuously exploring ways to reduce plastic use in our caps, seals, and shipping materials.
What's your return policy?
At Sooki Foods, we take great care in producing and packaging our products. Because our food items are made in small batches and handled with strict quality standards, we are unable to accept returns or offer refunds unless there is a clear packaging or product issue. If you believe your order arrived damaged, defective, or compromised in any way, please reach out to us through our contact form.