The Best 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Popcorn, According to a Chef

In my house, we accompany TV time with fresh popcorn. My partner and kid work through a bowl of it, fingers slick with salty butter. I usually don’t mind missing screen time to pop corn on the stovetop, listening for the sound of the kernels banging against the lid of my Dutch oven.

This summer is a different story, though. With new seasons of my fave shows to watch (And Just Like That and The Bear), I’m less apt to want to spend time in the kitchen. So, I’ve opted for microwave popcorn.

I love that it’s fast and doesn’t need babysitting. I lay the bag inside, hit the microwave’s popcorn button, and let the kernels come to life. When the timer’s up, I open the bag and add my upgrade: furikake.

Why I Add Furikake to Popcorn

Furikake is a Japanese seasoning blend made with crumbled nori (dried seaweed), sesame seeds, salt, and often, sugar and MSG. It adds briny, sweet, and savory dimensions to popcorn.

I got this one-ingredient upgrade from my chef pal Scott Clark of Dad’s Luncheonette, a restaurant in Half Moon Bay, California. He makes furikake from scratch, but I recommend buying a ready-made blend at the supermarket.

Keep an eye on the label, though. Many blends include bonito flakes—delicate curls of smoked, dried skipjack tuna. I don’t know about your family, but mine isn’t wild about fishy flavors on popcorn. I skip the bonito flakes and look for a version called nori komi furikake that’s mostly nori and sesame seeds.

Chef Clark is partial to Japanese brand Ajishima. He declares the nori komi furikake “straightforward, consistent, and just plain delicious.” It’s also fairly sweet, so it adds a caramel corn vibe. For a different flavor profile, Trader Joe’s Nori Komi Furikake contains zero sugar. It’s nori-forward and nutty.

How I Add Furikake to Popcorn

For my furikake treatment, I choose plain popcorn, like Whole Foods’ 365 Organic No Oil or Salt Added. The seasoning has enough salt already, and I like to add my own butter so I can control the amount.

I leave the popped kernels in the bag to stay hot while I microwave a few tablespoons of butter until melted. Then, I dump the hot popcorn into a bowl, drizzle on the butter, and sprinkle on 1/3 to 1/2 cup furikake, mixing everything well so that most of the seasoning sticks to the buttered kernels.

Some furikake will end up at the bottom of the bowl, but it’s messy fun to scoop it up as you snack.

The furikake does need some fat to help it adhere, so if butter’s not your thing, olive oil or coconut oil are good substitutes. For the latter, Trader Joe’s furikake is better, as it balances out the perceived sweetness of the coconut oil. Whichever furikake you use, the seasoning is guaranteed to add intriguing layers of flavor to a tried-and-true TV snack.