The best Mentaiko recipes

Mentaiko is spicy pollock or cod roe. Originating from Korea, it boasts a strong and salty flavour profile that’s best described as umami with a kick.

If you don’t know how to get started using it in your kitchen, we’re sharing several recipes for dishes and sauces here that can help!

How to Make Mentaiko Mayo

Mentaiko mayo is a popular sauce in Japan. It’s often used with fried food, vegetables, and even rice. 

Level of difficulty: 
Easy

Estimated prep time:
5 mins

Ingredients required:

  • Mentaiko
  • Mayonnaise

Yields:  1 serving

Steps:

  • Put one mentaiko sac in a bowl.
  • Break open the sac and expose the eggs.
  • Put one mentaiko sac in a bowl.
  • Break open the sac and expose the eggs.
  • Add Japanese mayonnaise to taste.
  • Mix well.

  

  • Add Japanese mayonnaise to taste.
  • Mix well.

Pro tip: Mentaiko doesn’t keep very well, so it’s advised to only make as much as you can eat in a sitting. If you have leftovers, put them in the coldest part of the fridge and eat them the same day.

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How to Make Mentaiko Pasta 

Mentaiko pasta is a very popular fusion dish in Japan. It’s a creamy, salty, and spicy dish that many people enjoy.

Level of difficulty: 
Easy

Estimated prep time:
20 mins

Ingredients required:

  • 4 oz spaghetti or some other pasta
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 sac of mentaiko
  • 1 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tbsp whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp melted and unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • Ground black pepper
  • 4 oz spaghetti or some other pasta
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 sac of mentaiko
  • 1 tbsp whole milk

 

  • 1 tbsp whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp melted and unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • Ground black pepper

Yields:  1 serving

Steps:

  • Put salt in a large pot of water and bring it to a boil.
  • Cook the spaghetti or pasta in it until al dente.
  • Put the milk, whipping cream, butter, soy sauce, and ground pepper in a bowl and mix well.
  • Open the mentaiko sac and add the eggs to the bowl with the other ingredients.
  • Mix the sauce again.
  • Add the cooked pasta to the bowl and mix it with the sauce, then serve.
  • Put salt in a large pot of water and bring it to a boil.
  • Cook the spaghetti or pasta in it until al dente.
  • Put the milk, whipping cream, butter, soy sauce, and ground pepper in a bowl and mix well.

  

  • Open the mentaiko sac and add the eggs to the bowl with the other ingredients.
  • Mix the sauce again.
  • Add the cooked pasta to the bowl and mix it with the sauce, then serve.

Pro tip: If you want an even richer pasta, try doubling the cream in the recipe. 

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How to Make Mentaiko Beef Bowl 

Mentaiko Beef Bowl is a rich version of the classic beef bowl with strong mayonnaise and umami tastes added. That’s why it’s best to get the mayonnaise you like best for this recipe.

Level of difficulty: 
Easy

Estimated prep time:
20mins

Ingredients required:

  • 90 ml mayonnaise
  • 1 sac mentaiko
  • 1 tsp ketchup
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 150 g very thinly sliced beef
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 90 ml mayonnaise
  • 1 sac mentaiko
  • 1 tsp ketchup
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced

 

  • 150 g very thinly sliced beef
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 cup cooked rice

Yields:  1 serving

Steps:

  • Open the mentaiko sac to expose the eggs and put them in a bowl.
  • Add mayonnaise and ketchup to the bowl and mix it for the sauce, then set it aside.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add minced garlic and beef to the vegetable oil, and cook until the beef is browned.
  • Season the beef with sugar, soy sauce, and the sesame oil.
  • Put the cooked rice in a bowl.
  • Cover the rice with the beef.
  • Pour the mentaiko sauce onto the beef.
  • Open the mentaiko sac to expose the eggs and put them in a bowl.
  • Add mayonnaise and ketchup to the bowl and mix it for the sauce, then set it aside.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add minced garlic and beef to the vegetable oil, and cook until the beef is browned.

  

  • Season the beef with sugar, soy sauce, and the sesame oil.
  • Put the cooked rice in a bowl.
  • Cover the rice with the beef.
  • Pour the mentaiko sauce onto the beef.

Pro tip: Like most beef bowls, this one goes great with eggs. Try it with onsen tamago!

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How to Make Mentaiko Salmon

Here’s a dish that combines three of Japan’s favourite things: salmon, mentaiko, and mayo. 

Level of difficulty: 
Average

Estimated prep time:
At least 10 mins

Ingredients required:

  • 150 g salmon
  • 1 tsp mayonnaise
  • 1 sac mentaiko
  • Olive oil, to taste
  • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 150 g salmon
  • 1 tsp mayonnaise
  • 1 sac mentaiko

 

  • Olive oil, to taste
  • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Yields:  1 serving

Steps:

  • Mix the mayo and the mentaiko in a bowl.
  • Season the salmon with olive oil, salt, and the pepper.
  • Cook the salmon. You can bake it for 6 minutes in an oven preheated to 220C or sous-vide it for 40 mins.
  • Put the mentaiko mayo mixture on the salmon once cooked. 
  • Serve and garnish as desired.
  • Put salt in aMix the mayo and the mentaiko in a bowl.large pot of water and bring it to a boil.
  • Season the salmon with olive oil, salt, and the pepper.
  • Cook the salmon. You can bake it for 6 minutes in an oven preheated to 220C or sous-vide it for 40 mins.

  

  • Put the mentaiko mayo mixture on the salmon once cooked. 
  • Serve and garnish as desired.

Pro tip: Want something a bit different in terms of flavour? Try using aburi or flame-searing techniques on the salmon instead. Some people even blowtorch the mentaiko sauce to brown it.

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