This easy Toasted Sesame Cream Cheese Spread is the perfect light touch to your next tailgating get together, potluck or holiday gathering.
Toasted Sesame Cream Cheese Spread
This recipe has been in the vault for a long time. It’s another gem I learned about while living in Vancouver. My apartment was on South Granville and I got along fairly good with my landlord and his wife. The wife hosted gatherings and during one I attended, she brought out a variation of this appetizer. I may or may not have ate most of it.
A little prep required
I like to marinate the cream cheese the night before I plan on serving it. This allows the flavours to marry and the soy sauce to penetrate the surface of the cream cheese creating a lovely brown hue full of flavour.
Here is the marinated block of cream cheese after being carefully rolled in the cooled, toasted sesame seeds.
Best times to serve this spread
While I would never judge if you wanted to whip up a batch and enjoy it alone, here are a few suggestions it has proven to work well at.
- Hosted gatherings. Whenever you are having the ladies over for some sort of party, like a spa party. Or the men. No judging.
- Dinner parties. This appetizer almost feels healthy and is the perfect light bite to start any meal.
- Tailgating. It’s savoury and full of flavour making it an excellent choice for a game day gathering.
- Office or evening potlucks. I’ve taken it to the office to full accolades from the team.
You’ve decided you want to make it, here are few tips and tricks to get you started.
PRO TIPS:
- Use a skewer, not a toothpick to poke holes in the cream cheese for the soy sauce to penetrate.
- Use your favourite brand of soy sauce.
- Save the soy sauce and container. If there is any leftover, it can go back into the container for snacking later on.
- When toasting sesame seeds watch them. Those little seeds will burn fast if left unattended.
Other drool worthy appetizers:
If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans
Ingredients
- 1 250 g block cream cheese
- 1/2 cup soy sauce your favourite brand
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- rice crackers or thinly sliced baguette
Instructions
- Pour enough sesame seeds into frying pan to cover bottom and turn to medium. Stay next to fry pan, watching sesame seeds...flipping regularly so they don't burn toasting until lightly browned. Pour on to plate and cool. Store in a sealed container or plastic bag until ready to use.
- Take cream cheese out of fridge. Using a skewer poke a few holes on all sides of cream cheese. Put into plastic container (with lid) and pour soy sauce on top. Turn cream cheese so that every side is covered in soya sauce. Put into fridge and turn occassionally.
- When ready to serve, pour sesame seeds onto plate. Take cream cheese out of container and roll all sides in sesame seeds, covering completely. Put on plate, surround with rice crackers or baguette slices and serve.
I can’t believe how yummy this spread was! We will be making it again!
Why have I never heard of this dish before?! It’s fantastic!
This was so good, I could eat it all myself!
Can’t wait to try this for our next family get together. Sounds great.
My mom has made this for years! It is our go-to family appetizer. I think she got the recipe from a sorority sister (Beta Sigma Phi) in Calgary.
I had never heard of it before until a friend made it back in the 1990’s for a gathering when I lived in Vancouver! I could eat the entire thing myself!
I make this cream cheese spread for every get together, and it’s always such a hit! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
This was SO good. I only wish I had of made more.
WOW! The toasted sesames gave the cream cheese so much flavor!
I am always on the lookout for something delicious to bring to a potluck. Great idea!
Hi,
Your cream cheese spread will be great for brunch. Thanks for sharing!
love this recipe so much!
This is an old recipe that unfortunately is not often made. Its delicious and so simple. When I serve it people are amazed at the flavor.
My mother-in-law introduced me to this recipe 40 years ago. Still a favorite of our family. The only difference is that we do not toast our sesame seeds.
Oh wow, that is fantastic! I had no idea it had been around for such a long time. Thank you for visiting and commenting!