Furikake Salmon is a tender, flavorful salmon recipe made with Kewpie mayo, soy sauce, garlic powder, and furikake. This umami-packed salmon dish is ready in less than 15 minutes with minimal cleanup. Serve furikake salmon with Japanese rice and a vegetable for a well-rounded weeknight meal.
Baked furikake salmon with Kewpie mayo is a delicious, succulent salmon recipe bursting with Japanese flavors, like umami-infused Kewpie mayo and soy sauce, or shoyu. The dish is an excellent weeknight meal. It's nutritious, flavorful, and takes 20 minutes to make with prep and baking.
This dish pairs especially well with a scoop of Japanese rice or Miso Mashed Potatoes and a vegetable, like Furikake and Lemon Shishito Peppers or Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan.
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About Furikake Salmon
- Taste - This baked salmon tastes rich and mild. The layer of umami-packed sauce and furikake offers a sweet and savory flavor in each bite.
- Texture - Furikake Salmon has a flaky, tender texture. When baked per the instructions, the salmon will be moist and succulent. The shoyu mayo mixture adds even more moisture and flavor.
- Effort - This Furikake Salmon is effortless! All you have to do is pat the salmon dry, apply the shoyu mayo sauce, and let the salmon filets bake in the oven. Plus, there's minimal cleanup since the baking sheet is lined with aluminum foil.
- Time - This is one of the quickest weeknight meals you can make. Furikake Salmon only takes a few minutes to prep and less than 15 minutes to cook in the oven.
Ingredients
- Salmon filets - Salmon is one of the most nutritious types of fish to eat and has lots of health benefits. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12. It is naturally buttery with a mild fish taste.
- Kewpie mayo - Unlike American mayonnaise, Kewpie mayo is made with only egg yolks instead of whole eggs and with either apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar with no added sugar or salt. Its texture is both richer and creamier than regular mayonnaise and it can be used as a standalone condiment just for its flavor.
- Soy sauce (shoyu) - Soy sauce, or shoyu in Japanese, is an essential condiment in Japanese cooking.
- Garlic powder - Garlic powder blends evenly into the Kewpie mayo and soy sauce spread. It adds a hint of garlicky flavor and dimension to the dish.
- Black pepper - Freshly cracked black pepper adds a peppery element to the salmon.
- Furikake - Furikake is a Japanese seaweed seasoning. The most common furikake is made of nori, or dried seaweed, sesame seeds, and salt. There are other types of furikake, which have bonito flakes, rice puffs, shrimp, and other bits of umami-packed ingredients.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
- Tamari - Use tamari, or wheat-free soy sauce, to make the dish gluten-free. Most soy sauces contain wheat. Tamari has the same flavor without the wheat.
- Arctic char or trout - Use Arctic char or trout for a less fishy flavor.
- Regular mayonnaise - Kewpie mayo is the best mayonnaise to use for this recipe. If unavailable, use regular mayonnaise with a half teaspoon of mirin for a similar result.
- Salmon collar - Substitute salmon filet for salmon collar and follow our Broiled Salmon Collars instructions.
Variations
- Spicy Mayo - To make the dish spicy, add a tea spoon of sriracha or togarashi to the Kewpie mayo-soy sauce mixture. To make it extra pungent, add a quarter teaspoon of wasabi to the mixture. This sauce is featured in our Spicy Ahi Poke recipe.
- Gluten-free - To make this dish completely gluten-free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Air-fried - Instead of baking, use an air frier for a crispier texture. Heat the air frier to 400 degrees and place the salmon in the basket. Cook for 7-10 minutes and remove from the basket. Note that the time will vary depending on how thick the fish is and the brand of air frier.
- Salmon and rice bowl - To make the famous salmon and rice bowl, take leftover salmon, use a fork or chopsticks to break it into pieces. Scoop rice on top of the salmon and mix the rice and salmon together. Drizzle Kewpie mayo, sriracha, and soy sauce on top, and mix again. Serve with nori.
How to Make Furikake Salmon
- Prepare salmon and oven - Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let it sit on the kitchen counter to temper, about 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, or grease the baking sheet with vegetable oil, and set aside.
- Make Kewpie shoyu sauce - In a small bowl, add Kewpie mayo, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Use a spoon or chopsticks to mix the sauce until homogeneous and smooth. Set aside. (Photo 1)
- Prepare salmon - Use a sharp knife to slice the salmon across the grain into 2-4 servings. Pat the top of the salmon with a paper towel and place the servings on the prepared baking sheet with at least an inch between each piece.
- Add the shoyu mayo and furikake - Use a spoon to scoop and spread the Kewpie mayo-soy sauce mixture onto the top of each salmon piece. Sprinkle furikake seasoning on top of each piece, covering the entire top of each salmon serving. Add freshly cracked black pepper to taste. (Photo 2 and 3)
- Bake the salmon - Place the tray of salmon in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. (Photo 4)
Pro tip - Use a fish spatula to serve the fish (pictured below). A fish spatula is long and narrow, making it easy to pick up a piece of fish without it breaking. It's an excellent spatula for all use cases.
What to Serve with Furikake Salmon
We typically enjoy this juicy salmon with Japanese white rice and a yummy side. Here are our favorite salmon sides:
- Furikake and Lemon Shishito Peppers
- Miso Glazed Japanese Eggplant
- Elotes Style Corn with Furikake
- Pan Fried Potatoes with Herbs
If you want a more comprehensive list of our favorite salmon sides, check out 15 Best Salmon Side Dishes.
Top Tips
- For tender salmon, don't overcook the salmon! Cook only until just cooked and use a fork to check the doneness. Overcooking the salmon can result in very dry, tough fish.
- For easy cleanup, line the baking sheet or baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- For a lower sodium sauce, use low-sodium Japanese soy sauce. This soy sauce typically has a green cap and label.
Recipe FAQs
The Kewpie mayo is made with egg yolks, dashi, malt vinegar, and salt. These simple ingredients add lots of flavor to the fish. Additionally, the mayo's custard-like texture locks in moisture, resulting in a tender, juicy finished dish. The Kewpie mayo also acts as a sticky surface for the furikake.
YES! Furikake is a mixture of dried seaweed (nori), bonito flakes, and puffed rice. It can withstand baking in the oven and adds lots of umami flavor.
Yes, you can absolutely use another type of fish. Some fish we recommend include Arctic char, trout, rock cod, ahi tuna, mahi mahi, sea bass, and halibut. Just be sure to keep an eye on the fish as it may have a different thickness than salmon and will cook quicker.
You can use either. Atlantic salmon is often farmed and is available year-round. It has a mild flavor and meatier texture. Most Pacific salmon are caught in the wild and is available seasonally between the spring and fall. Wild salmon has a deeper red color and a stronger fish flavor than Atlantic salmon. Either option is perfectly fine to use! The salmon photographed in this post is Atlantic salmon.
You can use either. Most salmon found at the grocery store was previously frozen and thawed before selling to maintain freshness. If you use frozen salmon, be sure to thoroughly thaw the salmon in the refrigerator overnight. If the frozen salmon is not completely thawed, it will not cook evenly in the oven.
Kewpie mayo is available at all Japanese grocery stores, including Mitsuwa, Nijiya, and Marukai. It comes in a clear squeeze bottle with a red cap. It can also be found at some online retailers and in some major grocery chains.
Serve furikake salmon with your favorite sides, with Japanese rice, on top of a grain bowl, on top of a salad, and more! Check out our post 15 Best Salmon Side Dishes for ideas.
Storage
Store leftovers in an air-tight container or wrap in foil and refrigerate for up to two days. To reheat, heat the oven to 350 F, remove the salmon filets from the refrigerator, and allow the filets to reach room temperature (about 15 minutes). Place the salmon on a baking sheet and heat for 7-10 minutes.
Related Recipes
Did You Like This Recipe?
Love this easy furikake salmon recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below & leave a comment below. If you are looking for other salmon recipes, try our Teriyaki Salmon Donburi or Pistachio-Crusted Salmon.
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📖 Recipe
Furikake Salmon Recipe
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon
- 2 tablespoon Kewpie mayo
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon furikake
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare salmon and oven - Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let it sit on the kitchen counter to temper, about 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, or grease the baking sheet with vegetable oil, and set aside.1 lb salmon
- Make Kewpie shoyu sauce - In a small bowl, add Kewpie mayo, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Use a spoon or chopsticks to mix the sauce until homogeneous and smooth. Set aside.2 tablespoon Kewpie mayo, 2 teaspoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- Prepare salmon - Use a sharp knife to slice the salmon across the grain into 2-4 servings. Pat the top of the salmon with a paper towel and place the servings on the prepared baking sheet with at least an inch between each piece.
- Add the shoyu mayo and furikake - Use a spoon to scoop and spread the Kewpie mayo-soy sauce mixture onto the top of each salmon piece. Sprinkle furikake on top of each piece, covering the entire top of each salmon serving. Add freshly cracked black pepper to taste.2 tablespoon furikake, freshly cracked black pepper
- Bake the salmon - Place the tray of salmon in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Notes
- Air-fried - Instead of baking, use an air frier for a crispier texture. Heat the air frier to 400°F and place the salmon in the basket. Cook for 7-10 minutes and remove from the basket. Note that the time will vary depending on how thick the fish is and the brand of air frier.
- Use a fish spatula to serve the fish. A fish spatula is long and narrow, making it easy to pick up a piece of fish without it breaking.
- For tender salmon, don't overcook the salmon! Cook only until just cooked and use a fork to check the doneness. Overcooking the salmon can result in very dry, tough fish.
- For easy cleanup, line the baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- For a lower sodium sauce, use low-sodium soy sauce. This soy sauce typically has a green cap and label.
Liz Cypert
I love fish but Don't have a lot of experience cooking it even though I am a pretty good cook. Saw your recipe for the furikake salmon, ordered this seasoning and a few days later made this. I was astounded at how delicious it was. I fixed it again today for my son and daughter in law who are both "foodies" and they lovedit! I now have a new signature dish! Your recipe made me look like a Master Chef! Thank you so much!
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Liz, you made our day with your thoughtful review! We're thrilled to hear you and your family enjoyed the furikake salmon. At first, it seems like a random combination of ingredients (salmon with mayo?), but the flavors come together quite nicely. We hope you give our other recipes a try too. Have a great day!
Danae
This recipe was so easy to make and tasted amazing!!! I love making bowls for dinner and this furikake salmon went perfect with some rice and roasted veggies. This might be my new favorite salmon recipe. Can’t wait to make it again!
Kathleen Higashiyama
Thank you so much for trying our salmon recipe & taking the time to leave us such a kind review, Danae! The photo you posted looked DELICIOUS! We're so happy you loved it.
Yui
My family and I enjoyed this a lot 🙂
Kathleen Higashiyama
We're so happy to hear you and your family loved the salmon, Yui! It's a family favorite in our house too.
Kelly
Just made this last night, so easy and delicious!
Kathleen Higashiyama
We're thrilled to hear you loved it, Kelly! Thanks for taking the time to try our recipe and leave a review!