The Ultimate Guide To Furikake Rice Seasoning

Furikake is a tasty rice seasoning that is sprinkled over steamed rice. Japanese people love this seasoning because it gives plain sushi rice a delicious umami flavor! You can easily buy packets of furikake in Japan with a variety of different interesting flavors; ranging from salmon to wasabi and even egg.

If you can’t buy it or aren’t able to find it locally, then don’t worry! There’s good news. You can actually make this furikake seasoning right at home yourself and I am going to show you how.

Why You Will Love Learning How To Make Furikake Seasoning Recipe

This classic Japanese seasoning is incredibly versatile. You will love how many different ways you can use it!

This seasoning is aromatic and has a perfectly salty taste to it. Some people go crazy about Everything Bagel seasoning, but they must not have tried this furikake – it’s way better!

Plus, it’s so easy to make and it helps you reduce your food waste.

In today’s post, not only will I share how to make this recipe, but I will also answer all of your questions, such as:

• What types of furikake are there?

• Where can I buy furikake seasoning and the ingredients?

• How can I use this Japanese seasoning in some of my favorite recipes?

Keep reading and learn more about the ingredients I used, any substitutions you can make, and some of my favorite recipes using furikake seasoning!

What Is Furikake?

Furikake is a crunchy salty seasoning, thanks to bonito flakes and seaweed nori. It also has a yummy nutty flavor from the sesame seeds mixed in. This is typically sprinkled over rice to add flavor and texture.

The name ‘furikake’ is derived from the verb ‘furiakakeru’ which means ‘to sprinkle’ in English. So, furikake is a noun that literally means something that is sprinkled over cooked rice.

Japanese Koshihikari rice is so delicious on its own but sprinkling with this Japanese rice seasoning brings it to the next level. I could easily just eat this as a meal because it’s delicious. I am not exaggerating!

Ingredients Need To Make Furikake Seasoning

So, this seasoning mix is usually made with toasted sesame seeds, nori, salt, and sugar. I’ll explain more in the next section about all the different seasoning varieties because it really does change depending on which region of Japan you are in.

Here is a bit more information about the ingredients I used:

• Bonito Flakes – When you make dashi stock, keep the leftover bonito flakes and use them in this seasoning.

• Sugar – I used white granular sugar.

• Sake – This gives it the best aroma and a little bit of a bite too.

• Soy Sauce – This is for the umami flavor!

• White Sesame Seeds – These are very important and are in almost every furikake recipe you will find.

• Seasoned Seaweed Sheets – My favorite is Nori, but use your favorite type of seasoned seaweed here.

Frequently Asked Questions About Furikake

What if I am gluten-free?

NO, it is not gluten-free if bought from the store. But, you can make your homemade furikake gluten-free. Lucky for you, this recipe is pretty adaptable! The soy sauce can be swapped out for some tamari sauce or liquid coconut aminos. Sake is typically gluten-free as sake is made of rice but I recommend always double-checking the label. The rest of the ingredients are gluten-free!

What are the different types of furikake?

Furikake used to be thought of as something for kids to enhance plain rice and make it more fun. The notion of furikake being kids’ food is no longer true. They are marketing for adults nowadays also! Flavors of rice seasonings catering to suit adults include sansho (Japanese pepper) and wasabi. Classic and common flavors are katsuo (bonito flake), and noritama (nori seaweed and tamago). There is sake/shake (salmon) and tarako (cod roe) too, which are my family’s favorites. Note: Furikake typically does not have any shellfish, shrimp, or nuts so it should be okay for people with those allergies!

Is furikake vegan/vegetarian?

Most are not as they contain some type of fish or egg product. However, your homemade version can be made vegan if needed!

Is furikake unhealthy?

The ingredients used in furikake are not unhealthy. But, you should be careful not to overuse it. It does have a lot of salt in it from the soy sauce and the seasoned seaweed. People who are monitoring their cholesterol levels should know that this is a very salty seasoning.

Does it contain have MSG?

Some furikake may contain msg but furikake is evolving and there are now many msg and preservative-free options. Look for “化学調味料無添加” as that means no msg, no preservative added.