Sushi Toppings and Creative Garnishes Summer 2025
- Junna.K
- Jun 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 2
In this article, we'll suggest various sushi and topping combinations, from classic to seasonal ingredients.
Let's make creative sushi that is a signature of Sushi Lab.!
Seasonal Ingredients
Scallops
Scallops are in season mainly twice a year: summer (June-August) and winter (December-February). Summer scallops from Hokkaido are particularly known for their large size and strong sweetness. In Japan, the main production areas are the Hokkaido Okhotsk Sea coast and Mutsu Bay in Aomori Prefecture. In Hokkaido, Sarufutsu Village and the Notsuké Peninsula area are famous, while in Aomori Prefecture, Hiranai Town and Yokohama Town are well-known. Hokkaido accounts for about 80% of the national harvest, with Notsuké and Sarufutsu scallops highly regarded as "brand scallops." Mutsu Bay scallops, known as "Mutsu Bay hotate," are characterized by their plump texture and strong sweetness. Scallops take 2-3 years to mature, and while both farmed and wild varieties exist, most scallops on the market today are farmed. Wild scallops tend to have firmer meat, while farmed ones are typically larger with a stronger sweetness.
Arrangement ①Seared Miso
Method
Place your favorite miso on top of the scallop nigiri and sear it.
Recommended Miso
Tenpu - Kato Miso
Kin no Shokutaku - Isegura
Arrangement ②Octopus and Myoga Marinade
Method
Cut the octopus into approximately 1cm blocks, and finely chop the myoga.
Place the octopus and myoga in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a dash of lemon juice, then mix.
Pour over the scallop nigiri to taste.
Arrangement ③ White Sauce and Black Pepper
Method
Bring 300ml of milk, butter, and 2 teaspoons of consommé to a boil in a frying pan.
Pour mixture over the scallop nigiri and sprinkle with black pepper.
Top with citrus fruit slices and torn parsley.
Skipjack Tuna (Bonito)
Skipjack tuna is in season twice a year: spring (April-May) and fall (September-October). Early summer "hatsu-gatsuo" (first bonito) is characterized by its low fat content and light, refreshing taste. However, in recent years, due to climate change and shifting fishing grounds, the seasonal periods have been gradually changing, and delicious skipjack tuna can sometimes be enjoyed even in June. June skipjack doesn't have as much fat as "modori-gatsuo" (returning bonito), but it's suitable for those who prefer a lighter taste. In Japan, Kochi Prefecture, Miyazaki Prefecture, and Shizuoka Prefecture are known as the main production areas. Skipjack caught off Tosashimizu in Kochi Prefecture and off the Hyuganada coast in Miyazaki Prefecture are considered especially high quality.
Arrangement ①Mustard and Myoga
Method
Finely chop the myoga.
Mix mustard and myoga in a 1:1 ratio.
Place on top of the skipjack tuna nigiri
Recommended Mustard
P.Mustard - PULLST FACTORY
Arrangement ②White Soy Sauce Marinade
Method
Place sushi-cut skipjack tuna and white soy sauce in a container and let it marinate for 2 hours.
Simply make nigiri with the marinated skipjack tuna from step 1.
Recommended White Soy Sauce
Shirotamari - Nitto Brewing
White Soy Sauce - Isegura
Arrangement ③ Zucchini and Olive Oil Heshiko
Method
Cut the zucchini into cubes
Heat olive oil and garlic in a frying pan, add the zucchini, and once it browns, add the heshiko and quickly stir-fry.
Sprinkle with black pepper.
Place on top of the skipjack tuna nigiri.
Recommended Heshiko
Heshiko Oil Sauce - HISAMI
Classic Toppings
Tuna
Tuna is a fish that can be eaten year-round. The flavor and texture of tuna vary greatly depending on the part. Otoro (fatty tuna belly) is the most marbled section, characterized by its melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich umami flavor. Chutoro (medium-fatty tuna) is positioned between otoro and akami (lean tuna), offering a good balance of moderate fat and umami. Akami has less fat, providing a clean taste and rich umami flavor containing iron. In Japan, the waters off Sanriku (Miyagi Prefecture), Choshi (Chiba Prefecture), Nachikatsuura (Wakayama Prefecture), and Oma (Aomori Prefecture) are known as major fishing grounds. Particularly, bluefin tuna from Oma is caught using the traditional "ippon-zuri" (single-hook) fishing method and is highly regarded as the "King of Tuna." Tuna varieties include bluefin tuna (Kuromaguro), southern bluefin tuna, bigeye tuna, and yellowfin tuna, each with distinctive characteristics in taste and fat content.
Arrangement ①Otoro with Edible Flowers
Method
Make vertical and horizontal cuts on the surface of the otoro.
Form the otoro into nigiri and place edible flowers on the cut sections.
*Don't forget to add soy sauce when eating!
Arrangement ②Chutoro with Salmon Roe
Method
Generously top the chutoro nigiri with salmon roe.
If you have gold flakes, add a small amount for an elegant presentation!
Arrangement ③ Gunkan-style Otoro with Seared Butter Soy Sauce
Method
Make a rice ball and wrap thinly-cut nori seaweed around it.
Chop otoro with a knife to make a minced tuna mixture.
Place the mixture from step 2 into the center of step 1, and add a small amount of soy sauce and butter.
Sear the surface with a kitchen torch.
Garnish with green onion sprouts for an elegant color accent!
Recommended Soy sauce
Nagara - Yamakawa Brewery
Tsurubishio - Yamaroku Shoyu
Salmon
Salmon is a fish that can be enjoyed year-round. Due to widespread farming, it has a stable supply, and is characterized by its rich, fatty flavor. Salmon varieties include Atlantic salmon, King salmon, Sockeye salmon (Benizake), and Coho salmon (Ginzake), each with different flavor profiles and fat qualities. Farmed salmon mainly comes from Norway and Chile, while wild salmon is caught off the coasts of Hokkaido and North America's Alaska. Norwegian farmed salmon in particular is widely distributed around the world and known for its consistent quality. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and has attracted attention for its health benefits. As a sushi topping, its fattiness, rich umami flavor, and tender texture are the reasons for its popularity.
Arrangement ①Tartar Sauce
Method
Boil an egg
Finely chop onion and marinate in 100cc vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2/3 teaspoon salt.
Mix the boiled egg, mixture from step 2, and mayonnaise while mashing with a fork.
Place on top of the salmon sushi
Arrangement ②Cottage Cheese and Pink Peppercorns
Method
1.Drizzle olive oil over the cottage cheese.
2.Place the cottage cheese on top of the salmon nigiri, then add 2-3 pink peppercorns.
Arrangement ③ Lasagna Style
Method
Cut eggplant to the same size as the salmon, and sauté in a frying pan with olive oil.
Place the eggplant on top of the salmon nigiri, add tomato sauce and sliced cheese, then sear the surface.
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