Shichimi togarashi

Spices & seasonings · Spice blends

Shichimi togarashi

Japanese seven-flavour chilli: red chilli with sansho, citrus peel, sesame, nori and ginger, sprinkled on noodles and grills.

Also called: shichimi, seven-spice chilli, nanami togarashi, japanese seven spice, shichimi tōgarashi

Around the world: 七味唐辛子, 七味 (ja)

A kind of spices

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Make it yourself: Shichimi togarashi

Photo: Unknown author, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0-1.0)

What it is

A coarse Japanese table seasoning first sold in Edo in the 1600s. Red chilli makes up most of it, with smaller amounts of sansho pepper, dried citrus (orange, mandarin or yuzu) peel, black and white sesame, hemp or poppy seeds, nori and ginger. It is not the same as ichimi togarashi, which is plain ground chilli.

How it’s used

Sprinkled on udon, soba and ramen
Over gyudon, oyakodon and rice bowls
On yakitori and grilled fish
In miso soup and hotpots at the table

Characteristics

Taste: Moderate heat with tingling sansho, citrus and toasty sesame.
Texture: Coarse, with visible seeds and flakes.
Sold as: flakes
Cooking uses: Mainly a seasoning, Used as a garnish
Common in: Japanese

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Small airtight jar; the citrus and sansho fade within a couple of months, so buy little and often.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Sesame.

Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Soy-free
Caffeine-free

Contains sesame.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy: 318 kcal
Protein: 12.01 g
Carbohydrate: 56.63 g
Fat: 17.27 g
Fibre: 27.2 g
Sugars: 10.34 g

USDA FoodData Central: Spices, pepper, red or cayenne (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Red chilli flakes — With a pinch of grated orange zest and toasted sesame for a quick stand-in.

Related ingredients

Recipes with shichimi togarashi

No recipe in the catalogue uses it yet.

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