Easy Furikake - Japanese Rice Seasoning (2024)

I always have a jar of homemade furikake in my fridge so I can use it as a quick flavor booster for dishes that need extra umami, savoriness, or nuttiness. My recipe is simple and can be made in 15 minutes from start to finish.

Furikake was one of those ingredients I could always find in our pantry growing up because my mother ate rice almost every single day (she still does). Being far away from her home country meant that she often felt lonely, out of place culturally and linguistically, and looked for ways to soothe her homesickness. Having a bowl of Japanese white rice was a way to feel connected to Japan and something to look forward to on a daily basis. Sometimes she had rice with tsukemono (Japanese pickles), and other times she liked to shake a small packet of furikake over the rice to season it.

I fell in love instantly the first time I had it. The savory, sweet, earthy, and nutty flavors of furikake complemented the delicate sweetness of the rice so beautifully that I covered my rice with several packets! Furikake is a Japanese seasoning made primarily of dried bonito flakes, seaweed, sesame seeds, and simple pantry spices. It’s savory, slightly sweet, earthy, and nutty. It’s usually sold in small packets and comes in various flavors. It’s a very popular seasoning in Japan where it’s used not only for bowls of rice, but for other dishes such as onigiri, okayu, breaded chicken, and toasts.

These days furikake can be found in many Asian grocery stores across the country or purchased online. But I like to make my own since it’s so easy to make from scratch. My furikake recipe only requires seven ingredients and takes about 15 to minutes to make.

Ingredients

• Bonito Flakes: Katsuobushi (かつおぶし) is made of smoked bonito or skipjack tuna, fermented and dried into hard blocks. Those blocks are then shaved, producing thin ribbons of dried fish flakes. If the bonito flakes are large, you’ll want to crush them in the palm of your hands to break it into smaller pieces. If you’re getting to the bottom of the bag, the smaller (almost dust-like) bits work the best.
• Soy Sauce: You’ll need only about 2 teaspoons of regular Japanese soy sauce for this recipe.
• Sugar: You can use brown or white sugar for the furikake. It will add a bit of sweetness around the edges to counter the more savory ingredients.
• Sesame Oil and Sesame Seeds: Both are used to add an element of nuttiness. The sesame oil imparts a nutty fragrance and flavor throughout the dish while the sesame seeds add a lovely crunch.
• Nori: Nori is seaweed that has been dried and pressed into thin sheets. Scissors or a knife are used to cut the nori into small pieces.
• Ichimi or Shichimi: Ichimi Togarashiis simply ground red chili pepper. Using ichimi will add heat to the furikake. Shichimi Togarashi is a blend of red chilis, shiso leaves, nori powder, orange peel, ginger, poppy seeds and sesame seeds. It will also add a little heat but some aromatics as well. Both of these ingredients are optional.

How To Make It

1. Add the bonito flakes, soy sauce and sugar in a skillet over low heat. Stir for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is sticky and resembles brown sugar.
2. Stir in the sesame oil and coat the mixture evenly. Turn the heat off.
3. Transfer the mixture to a cooking pan and let it cool to room temperature. Break the mixture with your fingers into crumbs and transfer to a bowl.
4. Add the sesame seeds, nori, and ichimi, and stir to combine.
5. Sprinkle the mixture over Japanese rice and serve.

How To Use Furikake

As I mentioned, furikake is most commonly served on top of cooked Japanese rice. However, there are a ton of delicious ways to use furikake with your favorite foods. Here are some of my favorites:

• Salad: The texture and flavor can transform a simple green salad or potato salad into a wonderful thing indeed! Sprinkle furikake on top after you dress your salad. This way the dressing won’t blunt the crunch.
• Popcorn: Make movie night even more special. If you’re having a tough time getting your furikake to stick to the kernels, toss your popcorn with a tiny bit of olive oil or canola oil, then toss the popcorn with this awesome Japanese seasoning. YUM!
• Breaded Chicken: The mix of umami, nuttiness, and sweetness will elevate a crispy piece of breaded chicken to master chef levels.
• Pasta: Try it on spaghetti vongole. I promise fireworks!
• French Fries: See my recipe for furikake fries. They are absolutely delicious!
• Poke: This delicious fish and rice bowl is already perfect but in Hawaii, adding a shake or two of furikake is an option at poke meccas like Foodland Farms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below.

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