Sesame Oil vs Mustard Oil

Sesame and mustard oil are both traditional Indian cooking oils, but they come from different regional kitchens and taste nothing alike. Choosing between them is largely a matter of which cuisine you are cooking.

What actually differs

Sesame oil is more associated with South Indian cooking. Mustard oil is more associated with North and East Indian cooking.
Flavour differs sharply, sesame oil is nutty and aromatic, mustard oil is sharp and pungent.
Sesame oil pressed from raw seed can handle moderate cooking heat. Cold-pressed mustard oil is often heated to a smoke point first to mellow it.
Both come in cold-pressed and refined versions, with the cold-pressed versions carrying much more of each oil's distinct character.
Neither is a direct substitute for the other in a recipe built around its specific regional flavour.

Picked this week

Both oils

Najirpur Farm I · Najirpur

Sesame Oil

$3.32 · 1 KG

Sajerah Farm I · Sajerah

Yellow Mustard Oil

$2.75 · 1 KG

Our standards

Sesame vs mustard oil questions

Can I use sesame oil where a recipe calls for mustard oil?: You can, but expect a noticeably different flavour, nutty rather than pungent, in the finished dish.
Which is more common in everyday Indian cooking?: Both are common, just in different regions, sesame more in the south, mustard more in the north and east.
Does either oil need to be heated before cooking?: Mustard oil more commonly benefits from a brief smoke point heating. Sesame oil generally does not need this step.
Which has the stronger aroma?: Mustard oil is generally more pungent raw. Sesame oil's aroma is warmer and nuttier rather than sharp.

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