Last Updated on May 17, 2023 by Suzy Sakamoto
This umami packed Baked Furikake Salmon is flaky, juicy, and incredibly flavorful! It's a salmon with mayo recipe that comes together with very few ingredients, and bakes in less than 10 minutes. My family enjoys this Japanese-Hawaiian furikake salmon with a side of sushi rice, fresh cucumber, and avocado to round out this dish!
The flavor in this Japanese inspired baked salmon with furikake and wasabi is out of this world good, full of flavors that I love, and has a great crunch to it.
I love cooking with Furikake seasoning, and I use it on a regular basis. Adding it to many Asian-inspired dishes to elevate the flavor, and create that *chef's kiss* umami type of meal. But even better when you have a wasabi furikake type of dish - yum!
I like to top furikake seasoning to my family's go-to baked spicy salmon sushi, Asian-inspired salads, and rice dishes, like this shrimp rice bowl.
WHAT IS FURIKAKE SALMON?
Furikake a savory, nutty, seaweedy seasoning made out of Nori (dried seaweed), sesame seeds, herbs and salt. It has a mild seafood flavor that pairs so well with seafood dishes like this baked salmon with mayo. It creates a good crunch and added flavor, how can you pass that up?!
Plus, it brings a sushi-like flavor to any dish. So once those sushi cravings hit, (which for me is a couple days after having sushi), you'll need to make this furikake salmon recipe, or pour some of this umami-rich furikake seasoning on your meal.
In this Furikake crusted salmon, the seasoning creates a crust on the fillet that's unbeatable, and really elevates the flavor of the salmon.
I like to pair this dish with sides that aren't too flavor-rich. Like, rice, fresh cucumbers and avocado, since the salmon itself will be absolutely bursting with great Japanese-Hawaiian flavor. And, it is seriously so easy to make.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- Salmon. Each fillet should be about 6-8oz in order to cook at the time specified in this furikake salmon recipe. Fresh or freshly thawed salmon is fine to use. We like to use fresh caught salmon from our fishing adventures. Otherwise, head into your local fish market or talk to your local fish monger about which type of salmon to grab; sockeye, king, etc.
- Furikake. This is a blend of seasonings typically found in the ethnic cuisine section of grocery stores, at Trader Joe's, or on Amazon (linked). It's in a glass or plastic container. It's made up of seaweed, sesame seeds, salt, sugar, and other seasonings.
- Shoyu (soy sauce). Low-sodium is fine, but the dish will be lacking a little salt that can be added at the end if needed. You will need this to blend into the mayo mixture with the wasabi to create a paste to slather on the salmon fillets.
- Wasabi. This spicy paste provides a little extra flavor and kick to this furikake baked salmon. It's a very small amount, where you'll be able to taste it, but it won't be spicy.
- Mayo. Use Kewpie mayo, or whatever you have on hand. It's an essential ingredient in the recipe to create a layer for the seasoning to stick on the fillets.
HOW TO MAKE FURIKAKE SALMON
Get ready, because this wasabi furikake salmon recipe couldn't be easier!
First, you'll want to preheat the oven to 400F.
Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Leave the skin on!
Place the fillets on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, or drizzle a flavorless oil on a sheet pan in order to grease it if you prefer not to use parchment paper.
Then, make the mayo-shoyu-wasabi mixture.
Scoop out an even amount of the mayo mixture onto each fillet and smooth it out.
Sprinkle the Furikake seasoning to completely coat the top of each fillet and the mayo mixture.
Then, bake until your desired doneness. I typically like to cook until 120-125F, which takes about 7-10 minutes, depending on the size of the fillet and how cold the salmon was prior to cooking it.
You can use a fish spatula to remove the furikake salmon fillets from the sheet pan. A fish spatula is much longer and more narrow than a traditional spatula, making it easier to get each piece of fish off of a dish without breaking them.
See how easy that was! I made it with three kiddos all around me (not joking).
EXPERT TIPS
- Leave the skin on the salmon to create a barrier that allows it to remain juicy while cooking.
- Leave the fillets on the counter to come to room temperature for at least 15-20 minutes prior to cooking. This allows the salmon time to rest and bake evenly.
- Stay close to the oven near the end, to avoid overcooking the salmon. I like to check the temperate about 1-2 minutes prior to the timing going off.
- Season your rice. When pairing salmon with sushi rice, drizzle soy sauce (opens in new tab) and rice vinegar to elevate the flavor.
SERVING TIPS
Enjoy it with a side or bowl or hot rice. I like to drizzle seasoned rice vinegar and soy sauce over my rice with making an Asian dish.
Make a hand roll. Wrap short-grain sushi rice, salmon furikake, avocado and cucumber in nori (seaweed) to create a sushi roll!
Small Nori (seaweed) for scooping and eating. Use the snack-sized pre-cut seaweed to scoop and eat, instead of chopsticks or a fork.
STORING AND REHEATING SALMON
Store the leftover in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
To reheat, place a wet paper towel around the furikake salmon and heat in the microwave until warmed through.
You can also reheat salmon in the 350F oven for around 15-20 minutes.
HOW TO PREP AHEAD
This is such an easy recipe to make, that prepping in advance consists of mixing the mayo mixture and storing in the fridge until you're ready to cook.
If you salmon isn't cut into 6-8 oz portions, this is a good time to prep the fillets as well to streamline this simple recipe even more.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH FURIKAKE SALMON
Here are some of my other favorite recipes to pair alongside this dish.
- Crab Rangoons in the air fryer
- Fresh Oysters in the Shell (opened in the air fryer)
- To drink, enjoy this Fresh Huckleberry Margarita
FAQ
Furikake is salty, nutty, seaweedy seasoning that's made of seaweed, sesame seeds, a little bit of sugar at times, seasonings and salt. It tastes like a really good bite of sushi with a nice crunch to it. It has a slight seafood and fish flavor, a nutty flavor from the sesame and various herbs to pair it together.
Absolutely! Other options can be cod, black cod, halibut, rock fish, or any thick white fish. Because this recipe uses salmon fillets that are pretty thick, and range from 6-8oz try to keep the other fish as close to that size as possible. Otherwise, you'll need to adjust the time accordingly.
Here are the steps to use Furikake on fish! First, you'll want to preheat the oven to 400F.
Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Leave the skin on!
Place the fillets on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, or drizzle a flavor-less oil on a sheet pan in order to grease it if you prefer not to use parchment paper.
Then, make the mayo-shoyu-wasabi mixture.
Scoop out an even amount of the mayo mixture onto each fillet and smooth it out.
Sprinkle the Furikake seasoning to completely coat the top, and bake until desired doneness.
Sure! I use the air fryer often for my fish recipes and they come out juicy. Reference my air fryer sea bass recipe for the exact timing and temperate to cook Furikake salmon in the air fryer.
The mayo is an essential part of this recipe to help keep the soy sauce on the salmon, as well as to create a fat barrier to keep the salmon moist, but also keep the furikake seasoning on the fillets. Substituting it for another item can be fine if you're going for a vegan mayo, or similar consistency.
OTHER SALMON RECIPES
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Baked Furikake Salmon
Equipment
- 1 Sheet pan , lined with parchment paper
Ingredients
- 4 fillets salmon (6-8 oz each)
- 3 tablespoon mayo or keypie mayo
- 2 teaspoon shoyu (soy sauce)
- ½ teaspoon wasabi (optional)
- ¼ cup furikake
Instructions
- Bring salmon to room temp - Allow the salmon to come to room temperature for about 15 minutes prior to cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or drizzle with flavorless oil of choice, such as avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- To make the mayo shoyu sauce - In a small bowl, add the mayo, shoyu (soy sauce), and wasabi. Mix the ingredients until well combined.
- To prepare the salmon - If you are using a large salmon fillet, cut it into 2-4 equal fillets and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel.
- Onto each fillet, scoop an equal amount of the mayo and shoyu mixture. Spread the mixture evenly onto each piece using the back end of a spoon or a butter knife. It's ok to have some sauce drizzle down the side of the salmon, but keep it on top as best as possible.
- Sprinkle on Furikake covering the sauce entirely. You may need more or less depending on the size of your salmon fillets.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperate of 125℉.
Notes
TOP TIPS
- Choose fillets that are similar in size. If you can't avoid this, then remove the thinner fillets as soon as they're cooked through to keep them juicy. Wrap in foil to keep the salmon warm.
- Leave the skin on the salmon while cooking. This prevents the salmon from drying out while cooking.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce (shoyu) for less salt. Though I suggest full salt since seafood needs it.
- Check the internal temperate at the 7-minute mark for thinner fillets and the 8-minute mark for thicker pieces.
STORAGE
- Store salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. It is best enjoyed the next day for optimal freshness.
- To reheat- Place on a plate and microwave until warmed through. For oven reheating, place in an oven-safe dish covered in foil until warmed through.
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