Furikake is a savory-sweet rice seasoning with sesame seeds, dried fish flakes, and nori seaweed. This Japanese condiment is fabulous sprinkled on steamed rice, onigiri, udon noodles, salad, and popcorn. My recipe is a great way to repurpose leftover bonito flakes and kombu from making dashi.
Furikake (ふりかけ) is a nutty, crunchy, umami-packed Japanese blend used to season rice. Although it’s referred to as a rice seasoning, furikake is literally the salt and pepper of the Japanese kitchen. It is so versatile that you can use the seasoning to instantly perk up any bland dishes.
Table of Contents
What is Furikake?
Furikake (literally “sprinkle”) is a flaky or powered Japanese seasoning consisting of sesame seeds, seaweed, and dried seafood, meat, or vegetable. You may be familiar with the commercial variety in bottles or individual packets for kids and adults. Even Trader Joe’s has their own version of Nori Komi Furikake Seasoning!
The commercial variety contains a mixture of bonito flakes, toasted sesame seeds, nori seaweed, sugar, and salt. Some include salmon flakes, dried baby shrimp, shiso, egg, wasabi, and vegetables.
Furikake History
It goes back to the 12th century when there are records of making a salty powdered condiment consisting of dried sea bream, salmon, and shark. The current iteration was invented in the early 20th century as a nutritional supplement. It contained ground fish bones and poppy seeds to address the calcium and nutrient deficiency among the population.
How to Make Homemade Furikake
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) – You can buy it from Japanese/Asian grocery stores or online. This store carries good-quality Hana Katsuo here (ships internationally).
- Aonori (dried green seaweed) – You can buy it online here.
- Roasted sesame seeds – White and black sesame seeds taste differently, so use both!
- Nori (dried seaweed)
- Seasonings: soy sauce, mirin, sugar, salt, and sesame oil
💡 Tip: If you have reserved kombu and katsuobushi from making dashi or mentsuyu noodle soup base, you can repurpose them in this recipe! Read the details below.
Overview: Cooking Steps
This homemade furikake is really easy to make!
- Cook all the ingredients and seasonings in a frying pan until they are dry and separated.
- Let cool completely.
- Add nori seaweed and transfer to an airtight container.
Repurposing Spent Katsuobushi and Kombu
Whenever you make dashi (Japanese soup stock) from scratch, you are always left with spent kombu or katsuobushi, or usually both if you make Awase Dashi (a combination of kombu and katsuo dashi).
The best way to repurpose these spent ingredients is to make homemade furikake.
Another bonus is that you don’t have to use them right away. You can reserve spent kombu and katsuobushi in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for up to a month, until you’re ready to make furikake.
Take out the portion you need and cut them into small pieces and cook in the pan with the rest of ingredients.
FAQs
Why do we need to cook the ingredients? Can we just mix everything?
There are two reasons why we cook all the ingredients and season them in a frying pan.
- Dry ingredients absorb all the delicious wet seasonings (soy sauce and mirin), and then become dry. So the ingredients will be flavored.
- If you don’t cook the mixture, loose dry seasonings such as sugar and salt will sink at the bottom of the container and you will end up with a flavorless furikake.
How long does it last?
If you include a Food Safe Silica Gel Desiccant Packet in your airtight container, you can keep the homemade furikake for 1-2 months at room temperature!
Without it, the nori and katsuobushi will start to get stale, so consume the homemade furikake within 2 weeks.
Creative Ways to Enjoy Furikake
Rich in calcium, iodine, and iron, this homemade furikake is a healthy way to season your Japanese dishes!
Furikake is absolutely wonderful on just a simple bowl of rice, porridge, or udon noodles. It’s also perfect for seasoning onigiri (Japanese rice balls), soba noodle salad, grilled salmon, or rice crackers. But don’t stop there, furikake is so versatile that I love to get creative and sprinkle it on these as well:
- Avocado – this is my favorite. Keep it simple and halve the avocado and season it with furikake as an afternoon snack. For a savory breakfast, smear your toasted bread with mashed avocado before you give it a good sprinkle of furikake. It’s a Japanese-twist on avocado toast.
- Egg – you can totally replace salt and pepper with furikake on a fried egg or soft-boiled egg when you want something more punchy.
- Popcorn – planning on binge-watching Japanese shows on Netflix or a Japanese movie night? Flavor your homemade popcorn with furikake to keep to the theme.
- Pasta – oh yes, you can top furikake on Mentaiko Pasta, cacio e pepe pasta, or any simple creamy pasta.
- Furikake Chex Mix – This is one of our family’s holiday edible treats!
A Great Holiday Gift
If you make a big batch, you can even freeze the seasoning for a month. Furikake makes a great holiday gift. Just pack the Japanese seasoning in a cute little glass jar to surprise your foodie friends and family!
Make sure to add a Food Safe Silica Gel Desiccant Packet for each jar, so your friends and family can enjoy it for 1-2 months!
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Furikake (Japanese Rice Seasoning)
Ingredients
- ⅓ oz katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (or 5 2-g packets; you can repurpose ½ oz or 15 g reserved katsuobushi from making dashi or mentsuyu noodle soup base; skip for vegan)
- ½ oz reserved kombu (optional; repurpose reserved kombu from making dashi or mentsuyu)
- 1 Tbsp aonori (dried green laver seaweed)
- 3 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
For the Seasonings
- 1 tsp sugar (plus more to taste)
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 tsp mirin
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
For the Add-On Ingredients (after cooling)
- ½–1 sheet nori (dried laver seaweed)
- 1 tsp aonori (dried green laver seaweed) (optional; I added extra aonori for more color)
Instructions
Before We Start…
- It‘s important to cook the ingredients and seasonings together in a frying pan so the ingredients absorb all the seasonings and the furikake is more flavorful. If you don‘t cook it, the sugar and salt simply will sink to the bottom of the furikake jar and the flavors won‘t incorporate well into the furikake.
- In this recipe, you can repurpose the spent katsuobushi and kombu you reserved from making dashi or mentsuyu noodle soup base. Follow the suggested measurements in the ingredient list. To save the spent kombu and katsuobushi for later, you can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for up to a month.
- Gather all the ingredients.
To Prepare the Spent Katsuobushi and Kombu (if using)
- Gather ½ oz (15 g) spent katsuobushi. Make sure the spent katsuobushi is well drained. Cut it into small pieces with a knife.
- Slice ½ oz reserved kombu (optional) into thin strips, and then cut the strips into small pieces.
To Cook the Furikake
- In an ungreased frying pan, add ⅓ oz katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) or the reserved katsuobushi, 1 Tbsp aonori (dried green laver seaweed), and the spent kombu (optional). Then, add all the seasonings—1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 tsp mirin, 1 tsp soy sauce, and ½ tsp toasted sesame oil. Mix it all together.
- Turn on the stove‘s heat to medium low and cook, stirring constantly, until the katsuobushi becomes dry and flaky.
- Now, lower the heat and add 3 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds and 1 Tbsp toasted black sesame seeds. Cook, stirring frequently, on low heat until the sesame seeds are nicely roasted and fragrant.
- Transfer the furikake to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread it out and let it cool completely.
- Once it’s cooled, cut ½–1 sheet nori (dried laver seaweed) into thin strips, and then small pieces ⅛ inch (3 mm) square.
- Add the nori pieces to the cooled furikake and mix everything together.
- Taste the furikake and adjust the seasonings by adding more salt or sugar at this step. I decided to add an additional 1 tsp aonori (dried green laver seaweed) for enhanced color and taste (optional).
- In an airtight glass jar, add one Food Safe Silica Gel Desiccant Packet on the bottom, add the furikake, and close the lid tightly.
To Serve
- Enjoy sprinkling it over steamed rice and popcorn!
To Store
- You can refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks and freeze it for up to a month without a desiccant packet. With the packet, you can keep it at room temperature for 1–2 months.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2013. It has been republished on November 27, 2022, with the revised recipe, new images, and updated content with more information.
I love miso soup and I love furikake. You just helped me step up my game. I made the most flavorful and textured furikake I’ve ever tasted and I even have hot soup. I’m a happy girl.
Hi Ani! We are so glad to hear you enjoyed Homemade Furikake!
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
Hi Nami. I’ve made this twice. The first time I add only a few drops of soy sauce. The texture was quite good but the color was dark, not bright like in your pics. The flavor was a bit bland, so, in addition to the roasted black and white sesame seeds, I added a dash of leftover dashi no moto powder, more salt, a sprinkle of Nanami Sishimi Togarashi and a quarter of a teaspoon of crushed Nori. How can I make it to be crunchy without burning it, and how come mine isn’t as bright as yours? Secondly, how can I make Furikake with uncooked Katsuobushi or even salmon? And lastly -what other ingredients, in particular, what other seaweeds can I use in the Furikake? I have black fungus, shitake, nori, kombu and hijiki. Sorry for the long post and the many questions. I have made a lot of your recipes and they were all fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes. They are a true treasure. Cheers, Nany.
Hi Nany, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s Furikake recipe and many other recipes from our site!😊
The color of this type of Furikake could be from the type of your soy sauce or dashi. You can try using the Usukuchi soy sauce, which has a more light color. Also, it depends on the Bonito flake itself. Some of the types have more brown colors than others. So when you shop next time, look for the one that has brighter colors.
To make this Furikake crunchy without burning them, we recommend using a larger pan over the low heat. Sometimes it takes a longer time if you add more soy sauce etc. You can also let them air dry after roasting them by leaving the Furikake on a baking sheet.
To make Furikake with uncooked Katsuobushi, you can use the same method in this recipe. To add soy sauce, you may use a spray bottle so that it’s easier to coat the Katsuobushi.
As for the other seaweed ingredients, you can add Aonori, or cooked hijiki will be great!
Here are links to other Furikake recipes on our site, and we hope they inspire you.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/salmon-flakes/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/daikon-leaves-furikake/
Happy Cooking!
This is so good and I was so happy to find it in a nice jar. From an Asian grocery store, made in Shanghai, and the second ingredient is sugar???? I bought 3 different “flavors” wasabi, etc. So sweet in a not good way. I am so happy to find out how to make it. It’s so wonderful on rice, salmon, pork, more rice.
Hi Nancy, We are glad to hear you found this recipe! We hope you enjoy the homemade Furikake soon!
Hi, I really want to get the same pot you are using here. I have seen it a lot in Japanese TV dramas too, is it a special type of cookware?
Hi Deb, The pot is called Yukihira Saucepan, and it has been an essential staple of Japanese cooking for hundreds of years. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BASSR0?ref=exp_justonecookbook_dp_vv_d
Hi Nami, I want to make this but I have a question, I don’t see mirin in the ingredients list though some reviewers mentioned using mirin. Do I use mirin and sugar? How much and at which step? Thank you for your mazing blog. I visit it every single day and, of course, I’m subscribed to your YouTube videos and mail 🙂
Hi Nany! Thank you very much for subscribing to our Youtube channel and Newsletter! The original post was published in July 2013, but the images and recipe were updated in April 2019. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will remove the older comments that are not related to the recipe anymore. Nami stopped using mirin as it takes more time to dehydrate the katsuobushi when mirin was added, so she now only uses sugar to sweeten.
Hello,
My bonito flakes aren’t crisping up, how long should I be dehydrating them after adding the soy sauce?
Hi Walter,
It depends on how dry your leftover bonito was. Some time takes more than 15 minutes.
You may leave it on the pan for a while after you cooked well with seasoning so that it will air dry as well.
I made your miso soup first and then this, I put in onigiri – delicious! Now I want to give it in jars for Christmas. How long can it last in a jar? Does it have to be refrigerated?
Hi Susie,
Thank you very much for trying many of Nami’s recipe!
You can store this Furikake in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a week or freeze up to a month.
What a great idea to make this as a gift!
I love the concept of reusing ingredients instead of throwing them away! However, as a vegetarian, I only make shiitake or kombu dashi. Would it be possible to use the same recipe for only kombu? Thank you for your answer!
Hi AJ,
Yes, you can. But please adjust the taste to your liking since it will be missing the Katsuobushi flavor.
You can also make simmered kombu too in case you haven’t seen the recipe.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/simmered-kombu-tsukudani/
I hope this is helpful!
I just finished making ichibandashi, nibandashi, and furikake (and your broccoli blanched with sesame oil – this saved my old broccoli). Didn’t take much time at all, and there was no waste.
In making the furikake, I used a sugar alternative (stevia with erythritol) in lieu of sugar.
After wringing the liquid out of the katsuoboshi, I dumped it into the saucepan. It wasn’t a good idea as it made drying the katsuoboshi more difficult than it should.
Finally, while I was slicing the kombu, a thought occurred to me. Next time, I’ll try them as substitute for typical noodles and pasta. (I’m diabetic so I’m minimizing my intake of refined carbs.)
Thank you again for your recipes and explanations.
Hi JD! Thank you so much for trying all these recipes and for your kind feedback. You’re so creative! So you’re going to use the leftover katsuobushi and kombu to make the “pasta/noodles”!!! Keep me posted how it goes!
I tried. The kombu’s too crunchy and doesn’t absorb sauces to replace pasta but I’ve been adding “used” kombu to salads and other dishes. But nothing beats using it for furikake and tsukudani.
Hi JD, Thank you very much for sharing your cooking experience with us! We are glad to hear Furikake and Tsukudani work well!
I just made this and the aroma through the house is amazing. Only good thing about losing my job to Corona virus is I get to cook more Japanese food – my family aren’t complaining, thanks so much
Hi Jo-Ann! Thank you so much for trying this recipe. I’m glad to hear you enjoy cooking Japanese food at home. Stay safe and healthy (I’m sure your family is well-fed by your home cooking!).
Hi Namiko;
It’s so hot these days in Colorado and I wanted to have something cool to eat. I decided on your Cold Somen Noodle dish and decided to make your Mentsuyu sauce which turned out great! I also loved the idea to be able to reuse the Katsuoboshi flakes and the strip of the Konbu Seaweed to create Furukaki rice seasoning. Everything turned out great!
Love, Love these recipes!
Arigatogozaimasu!
Natsuko
Hi Natsuko-san! Thank you so much for trying my somen, mentsuyu and furikake recipes! So glad you got to enjoy all these dishes. Stay cool and safe in Colorado! 🙂
Hi Nami,
I just made you awase dashi. How should I store the used Kombu and Katsuobushi? Do I just keep it in a container in the fridge? If so, how long can it be kept for?
Thank you!
Hi Jennifer! Save the used kombu in the airtight container for a few days in the refrigerator or for up to a month in the freezer. 🙂
Hi! I don’t have enough katsuobushi leftover from my dashi. Can I supplement with fresh bonito flakes?
Hi Meryl! You definitely can. Or if you don’t want to use fresh one, you can freeze your used dashi in a bag until you have enough to make this too! 🙂
I am thinking about making furikake using shiitake mushroom dashi as I am vegan and I am just hoping this will result in a similar type of seasoning for tofu, popcorn, etc. I love your website!
Hi Susan! Shiitake is solid, so you may want to cut it into smaller pieces. Let me know how it goes. I usually simmer used shiitake with an equal amount of soy sauce and sugar, along with dashi or water. 🙂 I’m happy to hear you enjoy my recipes!
Hi Nami,
could I only use Kombu? Does it work? I did kombu dashi and got no leftover katsuobushi
Hi Anna! Hmm you can, but I like katsuobushi in the furikake more than kombu. You can also make simmered kombu too in case you haven’t seen the recipe.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/simmered-kombu-tsukudani/
Thank you Nami. I’m not a fan of throwing food away. I’m going to try the recipe.
Have a nice day