Last Updated on August 5, 2026 by Sabrina Currie
Easy baked furikake salmon (15-minute recipe) is fast and delicious. Tender, sweet salmon gets lightly baked with a salty, crunchy furikake topping for a quick and tasty dinner that only takes 15 minutes to make! As a bonus, this healthy recipe is high protein, low in calories, naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. (GF, DF)
Why I Love This Recipe
After my recent trip to Hawaii, I've been obsessing about Hawaiian food. They love their seafood and their recipes are highly influenced by Japanese flavors, just like us up in the PNW. I think this sweet and salty Hawaiian salmon recipe with it's subtle crunch is pure genius.
Growing up in a fishing family on the West Coast, I grew up with seafood. In fact salmon was a mainstay. Canned salmon salad sandwiches for school lunches and family trips, BBQ or teriyaki salmon on weekends (yum) and my favorite, smoked salmon, anytime I could have it.
This baked furikake salmon is now on regular rotation at my house. Furikake salmon stays juicy and moist by using Japanese mayo as an insulating base layer, topped with furikake (a savory, crisp blend of toasted sesame seeds, seaweed, salt, sugar and sometimes other spices) to coat it, locking in the moisture and flavor as it bakes. Salmon is best just barely cooked so that it doesn't dry out, and this tasty topping locks in the all the moisture and rich flavor.
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What To Serve With Furikake Salmon
Classic pairings are rice, particularly sticky sushi rice or brown rice, and sometimes small sheets of toasted nori to wrap up the rice and salmon in. Something pickled like pickled ginger or crisp cucumber salad dressed simply with just rice wine vinegar is great or for a more tropical flavor, try coconut cucumber salad. Steamed edamame with sea salt, or spinach or other cooked veggies dressed in Japanese sesame sauce (Goma-ae) are other classic sides.
Love salmon as much as me? Check out my other salmon recipes like Pasta Alla Salmone, Salmon Carpaccio and Salmon Crudo. You could also use salmon in Crispy Japanese Fish Katsu!
Recipe Ingredients
With just 3 main ingredients in this recipe, it comes together fast. This is a fabulous and healthy recipe that works just as well on weeknights as it does on the weekend.
- Salmon - 1 lb boneless fillets (skin on or off). Sockeye, coho, pink, chum, or king salmon all work beautifully here! You can bake the fillet in one large piece (skin side down, topping on the pink flesh) or you can slice the fillets into individual portions like I did here.
- Furikake - A lightly crunchy and very savory seasoning, furikake is a Japanese seasoning often sprinkled over rice. It's made from a combination of dried seaweed (usually nori or dulse), sesame seeds, and smaller amounts of dried fish (often bonito) and chilis, it's savory and flavorful. Each blend is slightly different with some contain sugar, salt and other dried herbs and spices. It's delicious sprinkled on cooked rice, sushi, fish and popcorn. You can find it in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores or at your local Asian grocery store. Most furikake is gluten free. If this is important to you, please read the labels when purchasing to be sure.
- Japanese Mayonnaise (Kewpie) - Also known as kewpie mayonnaise, this is my favorite mayo for almost every recipe. Made with more egg yolks than regular mayonnaise, it has an extra rich and creamy mouthfeel. It also has a tangy, bright flavor from a combination of lighter flavored vinegars (including rice vinegar) as opposed to the plain white vinegar in a jar of regular mayonnaise.
- Lemon Juice - Just one 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice really brightens up the flavors of this recipe.
- Spices - These are optional but I've used a little black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder for extra depth.
See recipe card for quantities.
Crispy, salty and slightly sweet, this is my favorite furikake blend.
Substitutions + Variations
- No furikake on hand? - Make your own quick blend! Mix equal amounts by volume of finely chopped nori sheets and lightly toasted white sesame seeds with a small pinch of crunchy sea salt and brown sugar to taste.
- Swap the fish - In Hawaii, where this recipe is most popular, it is often made with mahi mahi, tuna and other white fish. I've made it myself with halibut and lingcod and even trout. Pretty much any fish you like bakes up deliciously with this creamy, crunchy topping.
- Mayonnaise - If you don't have Kewpie mayo, regular mayonnaise works too. Just add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of sugar to the mayo mixture and complete the recipe as written.
- Doubling for a crowd - You can easily double or triple this recipe for a crowd. Bake two or three whole fillets (rather than cutting them all apart) on large rimmed baking sheets. Just add additional cooking time as needed (approximately 5-7 extra minutes), depending on the thickness of the fish.
To help decide how much salmon you'll need, read A Guide To How Much Salmon Per Person For A Serving.
How To Make Furikake Salmon Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
Spreading bright, lemony mayo over salmon keeps this dish moist while the furikake seasoning adds big flavor and a crisp and crunchy topping. This easy recipe is almost foolproof! This recipe can double easily to serve a crowd.
Step 1. Preheat oven to 400º
In a small bowl, combine kewpie mayo and lemon juice. (Already getting tasty!)
Step 2. Whisk lemon and mayo together until nice and smooth.
Step 3. In another small bowl, combine furikake seasoning, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder and stir together.
Step 4. Cut salmon fillet across the grain into four equal servings and place skin side down on a parchment-lined baking tray or a baking dish rubbed with vegetable oil. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel and spread tops evenly with lemon mayo mixture.
My fillets are about 1 inch thick and you can see I cut my pieces from the middle portion so that they are evenly sized.
Step 5. Next, sprinkle furikake mixture evenly over salmon fillets and then place pan in preheated oven on the middle rack.
Step 6. Bake salmon for 8-12 minutes or until cooked through and edges start to get golden brown. Thinner fillet pieces will cook faster, thicker fillets will take longer.
Leftovers Are Great
Leftover baked furikake salmon is great in buns as Japanese salmon burgers or in cooked salmon poke bowls. You can also pair it up with nori and use it in sushi rolls or sushi bowls. Or enjoy it place of shrimp in these rice paper salad rolls.
Expert Tips
Buy Fresh. Ask your fishmonger for fresh, sushi-grade salmon or wild-caught fillets with bright color and a fresh ocean smell. If buying frozen, look for vacuum-sealed fillets with no freezer burn.
Watch the Timer. Salmon cooks fast! Thinner fillets (like wild pink salmon) may only take 8 to 10 minutes, while thicker cuts (like king salmon) may need 14 minutes. Although the mayo in this baked furikake salmon recipe makes it a bit forgiving, once overcooked, salmon can get dry. If this happens, serve with a little kewpie mayo, soy sauce or teriyaki sauce for dipping 😉
Recipe FAQs
This is a matter of personal preference. All salmon are tasty and work well with this salmon dish. If you like a stronger salmon flavor, using sockeye is great. If you like a milder flavored fish, coho and pink salmon are both a more mild tasting salmon species.
Absolutely. Furikake salmon cooks up great in the air fryer. Preheat air fryer to 375' then place the prepared salmon in the air fryer and cook for 7-10 minutes, depending on how thick your salmon pieces are. (Thin pink salmon will only take 7 minutes, thick pieces of spring salmon will take 9-10 minutes.)
Covered and stored in the refrigerator within 2 hours of baking, cooked salmon will last up to 4 days in the fridge. But...the longer it stays in the fridge, the more the flavor will deteriorate. I recommend consuming leftover salmon within 2 days for the tastiest flavor.
Furikake (foo-ree-KAH-keh) is a traditional Japanese dry seasoning made with crisp seaweed, toasted sesame seeds, salt, and savory spices. My top pick is Nori Komi Furikake and it's in my pantry all the time. JFC, Fusion Select, Mishima (Katsuo Fumi or Noritama), Nagatanien, and Ajishima are also fantastic, widely available brands with great crunch and flavor.
Unopened jars or foil packets will keep in a cool, dark pantry for 12 to 18 months. Once opened, try to use it within 2 to 3 months for maximum aroma and crunch. Because seaweed absorbs ambient moisture quickly, seal the lid tightly after each use, leave the little silica desiccant packet inside the bottle, and pop opened jars in the fridge if you live in a humid climate to keep the nori from going soft.
It really is! Beyond adding incredible flavor, furikake brings a nutrient-dense boost from three star ingredients:
Nori Seaweed: Rich in thyroid-supporting iodine, vitamins A, C, and B12, plus natural glutamates that build deep flavor without needing piles of extra salt.
Toasted Sesame Seeds: Packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, calcium, magnesium, and unique antioxidants (sesamin and sesamolin) that support healthy cholesterol levels.
Bonito Flakes (Katsuobushi): Dried, cured skipjack tuna provides lean protein, essential amino acids, and inosinic acid-which work with the glutamates in nori to amplify umami flavor up to eight times!
Furikake Salmon: Savory umami with a crunchy sesame-nori crust, ready in 15 minutes with zero marinating. Can be baked, air-fryed, or grilled.
Miso-Glazed Salmon: Deeply savory, slightly sweet and caramelized, full of great umami. Baked or grilled.
Teriyaki Salmon: Sweet and soy-heavy seasoned with garlic and sometimes ginger, with a sticky glaze rather than a crunch. Usually marinated for 30-90 minutes before baking or grilling.
Salt-Grilled Salmon: Minimalist and clean, relying on sea salt and high heat for crispy skin. Grilled or can be pan-fried.
More Pacific Ocean-Inspired Seafood Recipes
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have lots of recipe inspiration from other countries and cultures in the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii and Japan are some of my favorites!
If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.
Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.
Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
📖 Recipe
Easy Baked Furikake Salmon (15-Minute Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Salmon Fillet boneless, skin on or off
- 2 tablespoon Kewpie Mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoon Furikake Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine kewpie mayo and lemon juice and whisk together well. In a separate bowl, combine furikake seasoning, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder and stir together.
- Cut salmon fillet across the grain into four equal servings (or leave as a whole fillet) and arrange skin side down on the baking tray. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Evenly spread the lemon mayo mixture over the top of each fillet, then sprinkle the furikake mixture generously over the mayo layer.
- Bake in center of oven until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 8-12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches between 125-135 depending on your preference. Serve hot and enjoy!
Amy Liu Dong says
One of the easy, delicious, and healthy recipe to make for tonight's dinner. Yum!