This homemade furikake (Japanese rice seasoning) includes nori (seaweed), toasted black and white sesame seeds, salt, and sugar for a simple and easy basic furikake known as 'nori komi furikake'. Sprinkle this on steamed rice, udon noodles, onigiri, ramen, popcorn, and more to easily add flavor to any dish!
This Japanese rice seasoning is fast, easy, and ready in just 5 minutes! It's a quick and easy way to add flavor and umami to any meal. Best of all, you can make a big batch of it and store it in the fridge for at least a month!
Furikake Ingredients
Furikake Flavors
Plenty of flavors exist that can easily be found in Japanese or Asian grocery stores. Here are a few flavors to get ideas from when making this homemade version:
How to Make Furikake Seasoning
Use your hands, a sharp knife, or kitchen scissors to crumble or cut the nori sheets into small, thin strips or pieces. Add them to a bowl.
- Add the black and white sesame seeds, salt, and sugar to the nori pieces and mix them together.
- Next, add optional flavorings such as bonito flakes, dried herbs (I used dried parsley), and dried chili pepper such as gochugaru or togarashi. Wasabi powder is another option for spicy furikake. Taste and adjust the salt and sugar to your liking.
Serving Suggestions
- Mix with a bowl of plain rice to make furikake rice.
- Make rice balls - Onigiri, yaki onigiri, and Korean rice balls (jumeokbap).
- Sprinkle on udon noodles or ramen noodles.
- Entrees - Add to any meal like chicken teriyaki, salmon teriyaki, Asian sea bass, kani salad, or hamburgers.
- French fries or onion rings- Sprinkle a few teaspoons on top right after they come out of the fryer.
- Snacks - Sprinkle on top of ramen eggs, popcorn, or chex mix.
Storage Tips
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge to keep the nori crisp. Humidity will make the nori pieces soggy and they will lose their texture.
- Make sure all the ingredients are completely dried before storing. Wet or damp ingredients can shorten the shelf life.
I hope you enjoy this Japanese rice seasoning! Let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating. Happy cooking!
More recipes
Furikake (Japanese Rice Seasoning)
☑ Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons toasted black sesame seeds
- 2 nori sheets - See Note 1
- 1 teaspoon sugar - or more
- ½ teaspoon sea salt - or more
Optional flavorings
- 1 to 2 tablespoons bonito flakes
- 1 to 2 tablespoons dried shrimp
- 2 to 3 teaspoons dried shiso leaves - or other herbs
- ½ teaspoon ichimi togarashi (Japanese chili peppers) - for spice
- ¼ teaspoon wasabi powder - for spice
Instructions
- Cut nori sheets: Using kitchen shears or a knife, cut the nori sheets into small, thin pieces, or crumble them by hand.2 nori sheets
- Mix: Add the nori pieces, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, sugar, and salt to a bowl. Mix together.4 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons toasted black sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Optional add-ins: Add as many or as few optional add-ins as you'd like and mix them together. Taste and adjust the salt and sugar to your liking.1 to 2 tablespoons bonito flakes, ½ teaspoon ichimi togarashi (Japanese chili peppers), 2 to 3 teaspoons dried shiso leaves
- Serve: Sprinkle a few teaspoons of furikake on rice, ramen, udon noodles, french fries, or any protein like chicken or salmon. Store leftovers in an airtight jar and keep them in the fridge for at least a month. Enjoy!
✎ Recipe Notes
- Nori seaweed - This is a thin, flat sheet of seaweed that's been processed and dried for consumption. A good substitute is seaweed snacks, which are seasoned and roasted seaweed that's been individually packaged.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.
The main difference between furikake and togarashi is that furikake is typically not spicy and doesn't contain chili peppers, unlike togarashi. Furikake is a dry condiment that usually contains dried seaweed (nori), sesame seeds, dried fish (bonito or shrimp), salt, and sugar. While togarashi is also a dry condiment, its primary ingredient is chili pepper so its flavor is quite spicy.
Dana
This stuff is so good! I've always loved the store-bought or restaurant stuff but making it at home, it's just so much tastier. Thanks for the recipe!
Thea
Very informative; answered all my questions about furikake. I will definitely be trying this recipe.
Phoebe
The flavor in this was incredible! Furikake is something I have always bought in the past, but I was so happy to come across your recipe as now I will always be able to have this on hand. I added a little wasabi powder for heat, and enjoyed this on my rice bowl this evening. Thrilled to have discovered your site - thank you!
Susan
Wow! This took my rice to an entirely new level! So flavorful full of umami and leaving you wanting to devour the entire bowl. Can't wait to make this again.
Ann
This is delicious! I have been cooking more rice lately, and love this seasoning! Thanks for the share!
Carrie Robinson
This seasoning sounds absolutely fantastic! Can't wait to try it in some of my favorite recipes soon. 🙂
Gina Abernathy
A wonderful way to take ordinary rice to extraordinary rice.