What's the best sesame substitute?

i was gonna say reading rainbow, but then i realized what you were talking about

Ehh, for your application, you want something that's softer.

Chia gets a tad weird with baking, imo. Poppy does fine, but it's a different taste entirely.

Crushed peanut is what most people default to, but I gotta be honest and say that it simply doesn't work for what you're asking about. It's too hard.

You want something more like chopped sunflower seed. I think it comes the closest in taste, and it's not going to crunch the way even finely crushed peanuts will.

I've known a few people that swear by hemp seed for both taste and nutrition, but I can't get behind it as a sesame replacement. It never sits on things right the way sesame seed does. Sunflower seeds will, either chopped or whole. Tastes great though, and they're getting easier to find. Just get the shelled stuff,, you don't want to deal with it otherwise.

Pine nuts are another decent one, imo. The flavor is different, but the texture is right, and they chop well.

Mind you, this is for baking. Other applications might change what would be better.

I too saw that post about the guy lamenting that he had to go on reddit to find good recommendations for a sesame substitute.

maybe flaxseed? Not as nutty, but they're somewhat similar. Crushed peanuts could work too.

Sesame oil substitute? Maybe peanut oil but nothing comes close to the sesame oil aroma. For the seeds itself, try chia seeds or maybe finely chopped sunflower seeds to aproximate the flavour.

In salad I use pumpkin seeds. Bigger but tasty.

Maybe finely chopped peanuts? Tastes similar. Cut to correct form factor to sell illusion.

I feel like what would honestly be easiest would be to just have some tahini on hand as a backup. It is sesame so it's not a true substitute, but also it lasts for ages so there isn't a huge reason to not have some around.

Like sesame for the taste? I don't like sesame so not sure what else tastes like it