Move over, Everything Bagel Seasoning. Our No Sesame Homemade Vegan Furikake is kicking up the umami in everything from avocado toast, to savoury dips and spreads, to dinner bowls, and more! A classic topping for Japanese rice, furikake brings a deliciously complex savoury, salty, umami flavour and a satisfying crunch to all sorts of dishes. The only problem? While vegan and gluten-free versions can be found on specialty store shelves, we haven’t found sesame-free, allergy-friendly furikake anywhere. So we made our own!
To keep our No Sesame Homemade Vegan Furikake plant-based and allergy-friendly, we’ve traded traditional bonito flakes (made from dried fish) for dulse flakes (edible saltwater plants) and swapped out sesame seeds for slightly ground sunflower seeds.
The secret to this seasoning comes from roasting and toasting. The lightly-toasted ground sunflower seeds add a richer, aromatic quality to match what you would get from traditional roasted sesame. Toasting the dulse with the sunflower seeds adds a light smokey aroma while adding a touch of extra crunch to the texture. To put an extra ‘ooo’ in umami, roasted nori adds a toasty, seawater taste to the seasoning, too.
Traditional furikake has many variations, so we didn’t think our No Sesame Homemade Vegan Furikake would be complete without offering plenty of opportunity for you to mix up different options. Add a dash of chili flakes for a kick! Mix in some crumbled dried shiso leaves for a bright, herbaceous zing. Go for a full-on umami bomb with miso powder and ground dried shitake. Or try other traditional ingredients like dried umeboshi (pickled plum) if you can find them at a Japanese grocer near you.
However you mix yours, you’ll want to try our No Sesame Homemade Vegan Furikake as a topping on your favourite foods. Sprinkle this seasoning across sesame-free hummus, top your gluten-free avocado toast, add a dash to steamed whole grain brown rice, or use it for an extra umami boost on a gluten-free Asian BBQ Mushroom Veggie Steak Burger. The options are endless!
Instructions:
- In a pan, lightly toast the ground sunflower seeds with the dulse flakes on low heat, stirring frequently until they become fragrant and are lightly browned (about 6-9 minutes).
- Add the toasted seeds and dulse to a bowl along with the salt and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Add the crumbled nori, and any optional additions. Stir to combine.
- Enjoy or keep in a sealed, air-tight container for up to 3 months—if you can make it last that long!
Tips:
- Your sunflower seeds should have a coarse, sandy texture when you grind them. Don’t make them powder fine! You want them to add crunch to the mix.
- If you use scissors to cut the nori into strips, it’s much easier to crumble up with your fingers.
- We recommended roasted nori sheets for a more powerful flavour. If you don’t have them, try roasting your own! Toast regular nori sheets in a pan or very carefully over a burner if you have a gas stove. Plain nori sheets work if that’s all you can find, but won’t give the seasoning the same roasted flavour.
- Can’t find shitake powder? Buy dried shitakes at your grocery store and give them a good dusting to remove any residual sand or dirt. Give them a quick whiz in the food processor, blender or spice grinder to make your own powder!
- Yes, you can skip the sugar. We found it balances the seasoning (and most traditional furikake recipes have some).
Pack a powerful punch to all of your gluten-free dishes this year. Scroll to the footer to sign up for the Little Northern Bakehouse monthly newsletter! Tried our No Sesame Homemade Vegan Furikake? Show us your favourite way to use it! Tag us @littlenorthernbakehouse on Instagram, or share your makes on our Facebook page.