The Timeless Japanese Seasoning You Should Be Adding To Deviled Eggs

Chopped chives, crumbled bacon, a touch of everything bagel seasoning, or simply a dash of paprika are all easy ingredients to garnish a batch of homemade deviled eggs. While the classic dish certainly stands on its own, with or without those aforementioned garnishes, there are easy ways to add a savory flare to deviled eggs. Out of the many options to achieve this flavor profile with the creamy bites, a seasoning that's at the core of Japanese cuisine is quite a unique way to do it.

It's all about the furikake, which you may or may not already be familiar with (move over, everything bagel seasoning and paprika). Furikake is a seasoning blend that combines dried fish like bonito flakes with sesame seeds, nori seaweed, salt, mushroom powder, miso powder, and sometimes sugar. There are variations, but you can expect most of those ingredients, which offer savory flavors and umami to any dish they're added to. It's exactly why it works so well as a garnish for deviled eggs, because it will elevate the tangy, creamy filling with a fishy umami and a bit of crunch. You can make homemade furikake to add flavor to your deviled eggs or buy a premade version at your local Asian market or on Amazon from a brand like Simply Asia.

Because of all of the bold ingredients in this Japanese spice blend, it doesn't take a significant amount to spruce up deviled eggs. You want the seasoning to enhance each bite rather than overwhelm the palate. The best technique is to use it as a garnish on top of the deviled eggs, like you normally would with paprika. If you want to incorporate the ingredient further, add a few pinches to the filling. As a garnish, a sprinkle from high above the deviled eggs will offer balanced bites and even disbursement on each egg. Try it with our easy deviled eggs recipe.

You don't have to stop with the furikake when putting a Japanese spin on your next batch of deviled eggs. Add spice to the filling or on top of the deviled eggs with sriracha, an ingredient commonly used in Asian cooking. Mirin, miso paste, or wasabi are other ingredients from the cuisine that will add layers of flavor to the deviled egg filling. And if you just want to keep it easy, use Japanese-found Kewpie instead of regular mayonnaise for more flavor to match that furikake on top.