Furikake

Name: Furikake
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 3 sheets unseasoned nori (dried seaweed sheets for sushi); ⅔ cup roasted sesame seeds (see Tip); 2 teaspoons fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon sugar; 2 tablespoons dried bonito flakes (optional); Optional mix-ins (add to taste): shichimi togarashi, gochugaru, crushed potato or corn chips, dried onion flakes, fried garlic (see Tip)

Recipe from Sheldon Simeon

Adapted by Mia Leimkuhler

Published September 1, 2026

Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.

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Ready In: 5 min
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

There are nearly infinite variations of furikake, but at its heart it’s a salty, sweet and umami-ful Japanese seasoning mix used mainly as a garnish. This recipe for furikake, adapted from the chef Sheldon Simeon’s “Cook Real Hawai‘i” (Penguin Random House, 2021), has some alterations from the cookbook: The dried bonito flakes are optional, so that the furikake can be vegetarian, and the sugar has been halved to let the saline flavor of the dried seaweed shine. But revert to the original if you wish (including the bonito flakes and increasing the sugar to 2 teaspoons), and get as creative as you like with the add-ins (see Tip). As for what dishes to grace with your furikake, that’s limited only by your imagination: roasted or baked potatoes, grilled corn, sliced tomatoes, noodles, chicken cutlets, roasted salmon, sliced tofu, avocado halves, fried eggs. The possibilities are endless.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 1 cup

3 sheets unseasoned nori (dried seaweed sheets for sushi)
⅔ cup roasted sesame seeds (see Tip)
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons dried bonito flakes (optional)
Optional mix-ins (add to taste): shichimi togarashi, gochugaru, crushed potato or corn chips, dried onion flakes, fried garlic (see Tip)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Crumble the nori sheets into a food processor. (If your nori sheets aren’t crisp enough to easily crumble, carefully toast them first by waving them over a gas flame or placing them under a broiler for a few seconds.)
Step 2
Add the sesame seeds, salt, sugar and bonito flakes, if using, and pulse until the mixture is well blended and the nori pieces are about the size of grains of rice.
Step 3
Stir in any additional mix-ins. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place or the fridge for up to one month.

Tips

If your sesame seeds aren’t already roasted, toast them by stirring them often in a dry pan or skillet over medium heat until they’re golden and smelling toasty, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool completely before proceeding.
Get creative with your add-ins to bring even more flavor and crunch to your furikake. Additional options that Mr. Simeon shares in “Cook Real Hawai‘i” are wasabi powder, crushed rice crackers, dehydrated kale, citric acid, mac and cheese powder, li hing mui powder and ranch seasoning powder.

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