How to Make and Use Yuzu Kosho: Ingredients, the Difference Between Green and Red, and Matching Dishes

Just a little dab beside a hot pot or yakitori and yuzu kosho tightens up the dish with a spicy kick. Store-bought is easy too, but making it by hand with in-season green yuzu, the freshness of the aroma is on a whole different level. Many people wonder "what ingredients do I need?" "how do green and red differ?" "what dishes does it go with?"

This page centers on how to make and use yuzu kosho, organizing the ingredients and prep, the difference between green and red yuzu kosho, dishes it goes with, and storage methods. From our standpoint working in dried-vegetable processing, we also share tips as makers for enjoying the yuzu aroma year-round.

What is yuzu kosho?

Yuzu kosho is a garnish-seasoning made by combining yuzu peel, chili pepper, and salt. Beloved mainly in Kyushu, it's now used on tables nationwide. First, let's cover the name and ingredients.

"Kosho" means chili pepper

The "kosho" in yuzu kosho refers not to ordinary pepper but to chili pepper. It derives from the Kyushu-regional dialect calling chili pepper "kosho," and as the name suggests, it's a seasoning where the aroma of yuzu and the heat of chili pepper come together. Its spicy heat and refreshing yuzu aroma go well as a garnish for Japanese cuisine. In Kyushu it has long been a beloved household staple seasoning.

The ingredients are three: yuzu peel, chili pepper, and salt

The ingredients for yuzu kosho are very simple — just three: yuzu peel, chili pepper, and salt. Made with green yuzu and green chili pepper it becomes green yuzu kosho; made with fully ripened yellow yuzu and red chili pepper it becomes red yuzu kosho. Because it uses the peel's aroma, the peel — not the juice — takes the lead, which is the difference from other yuzu dishes.

. For a seasoning that makes use of yuzu peel,

Yuzu kosho can be made at home too, when in-season yuzu is available. The appeal of making it by hand is the fresh aroma you can't get from store-bought. Let's look at the flow of how to make it.

Ingredients and prep

What you'll prepare is yuzu, chili pepper, and salt. For the yuzu peel and chili pepper, a weight ratio of about 2:1 is a guide if you emphasize aroma, or about 1:1 if you want the heat to stand out. Add salt at about 10–20% of the combined weight of yuzu and chili pepper. Wash the yuzu and chili pepper well and pat off the moisture thoroughly. Chili pepper is very hot, so when handling it, wear gloves and take care not to touch your eyes or face.

柚子は、香りの強い新鮮なものを選ぶのがポイントです。柚子の名産地として知られる京都のように、香りの濃い産地のものが手に入れば、仕上がりの香りが格別です。乾燥野菜の加工でも、柚子は皮の香りをいかに残すかが要になります。柚子胡椒づくりでも、皮の香りを飛ばさないよう、手早く仕上げるのがコツです。

The steps for making it

1. Thinly peel the yuzu peel. The white pith is a source of bitterness, so try to leave as little as possible.
2. Remove the stem and seeds from the chili pepper and mince it.
3. Combine the yuzu peel, chili pepper, and salt in a mortar or food processor.
4. Don't make it a complete paste; leaving a little texture keeps the aroma and texture alive.

Not grinding it too smooth, leaving a little texture, is the trick to making the most of the aroma. Freshly made, the aroma is sharp, so leaving it a few days rounds off the edges and lets it mellow and settle.

Foolproof tips

The biggest point is to remove the white pith thoroughly. Too much pith brings out bitterness. Slicing the peel off with a knife or peeling it thin with a peeler makes it easier to leave less pith. Also, the amount of chili pepper can be adjusted to taste, but since you can add heat later but can't take it away, it's safer to start small and taste as you go. Using yuzu and chili pepper after patting off the moisture thoroughly makes it less prone to spoilage and last longer. Sterilizing the storage container with boiling water makes it last even longer. As for how much to make, first try a small amount and find your preferred ratio.

Ratio and finish to match the dish

Even the same yuzu kosho suits a different ratio and finish depending on the dish it's paired with. Use the table below as a guide and adjust by use.

The finish texture changes the impression too. Leaving texture makes the aroma and texture stand out, suiting a garnish for sashimi or chilled tofu. Making it a smooth paste dissolves easily into dishes, making it easy to mix into hot pots or sauces. Freshly made the aroma is sharp, so leaving it a few days to about a week rounds off the edges and mellows the flavor into place. The more the maturing advances, the more depth it gains, so adjusting the resting to match the use is recommended too.

The difference between green and red yuzu kosho

Yuzu kosho comes in green yuzu kosho and red yuzu kosho. The difference in the yuzu and chili pepper used changes both the color and the flavor.

Green yuzu kosho's strength is a fresh, bold aroma, suiting sashimi, chilled tofu, and light dishes when you want to add a spicy accent. Red yuzu kosho has the mellowness of ripe yuzu and also blends well into miso-based hot pots and rich simmered dishes. Store-bought tends to carry more green yuzu kosho, but if you spot red, do give it a try. Use green for light dishes and red for rich ones, and it settles well into the food.

How to use yuzu kosho and dishes it goes with

Yuzu kosho is a versatile seasoning that changes a dish's impression with a small amount. It shines mainly in Japanese cuisine, and even in Western-style variations. When you're unsure what to put it on, use the quick-reference table below as a guide and start with the classics.

For hot pots, soups, and sashimi

The classic use for yuzu kosho is hot-pot dishes. Just dissolving a little into mizutaki or chanko nabe adds a spicy heat and refreshing aroma. Dropping a little into miso soup or clear soup is recommended too. Served with sashimi or chilled tofu, it makes a clean garnish different from wasabi.

For yakitori, tempura, and meat dishes

Serving it with yakitori is a classic use. Adding a little to salt-grilled chicken or tsukune brings out the richness of the fat. It goes superbly with meat dishes too — serve it in place of salt with tempura, or knead it into a sauté of pork or chicken. Mixing a little into the marinade for karaage also becomes an aromatic accent.

Western-style variations like pasta and dressings

Yuzu kosho isn't only for Japanese cuisine. Combine it with olive oil or mayonnaise for a Japanese-style dressing or dip. Adding a little to peperoncino or cream pasta finishes it as a fragrant plate. Dissolve it into ramen, use it as a garnish for shumai — it works from meat dishes to pasta, Japanese and Western alike.

A product catalog that shows around 100 items we handle

Agriture, flexibly handling everything from small lots to large lots

• Available from small lots of 100 g
• We handle heirloom vegetables from across Japan
• Dried fruit and herbs also supported

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How to store yuzu kosho

Homemade yuzu kosho, put in a clean container and stored in the fridge, can be enjoyed for a long time. Because it contains salt, it has good shelf life, and as it matures the edge of the heat rounds off and the flavor gains depth.

Refrigerated and frozen storage

Put in a jar sterilized with boiling water and stored refrigerated, it can be enjoyed for a few months to about half a year. When you want to store it long-term, dividing it into portions and freezing keeps the aroma relatively well. Taking it out each time with a clean spoon makes it less prone to spoilage. For store-bought, prioritize the date shown.

Enjoying the yuzu aroma year-round

Yuzu kosho is best made with in-season yuzu, but yuzu's season is short, and the time when fresh green yuzu is on the market is limited. When you want to enjoy the yuzu aroma even after the season, dried products and powder are options.

Dried yuzu and yuzu powder as options

Powdered whole with the peel,Yuzu powder (Kyoto-grown)lets you add yuzu aroma quickly without adding moisture. Combine it with salt for yuzu salt, or sprinkle it over a dish at the finish — you can use it in ways different from yuzu kosho. Sliced and dried,Dried yuzuis handy for flavoring tea and dishes. For ways to make use of yuzu peel,ideas for using yuzu peelare introduced here too. For how it differs from other sour citruses,The types and differences of citrus fruits, and please also see how to useSudachi, popular as a garnish.

A maker's view: retaining the yuzu aroma

柚子は果皮の香りがいのちの柑橘です。柚子胡椒づくりでも乾燥加工でも、見るべきは果実の大きさより皮の状態です。皮にハリとつやがあり、香りが立つものほど、仕上がりの香りが豊かになります。表面に傷の少ないもの、ワタが厚すぎないものを選ぶと、苦みを抑えて香りを生かせます。乾燥や粉末加工では、加熱しすぎると香りが飛んでしまうため、いかに香りを残すかが腕の見せどころです。Agritureでは京都府内産の柚子などを低温でじっくり乾かし、香りをできるだけ閉じ込める方法をとっています。

In season, make yuzu kosho by hand with fresh yuzu, and once the season passes, supplement with dried products and powder. Being able to use them by situation that way lets you enjoy the yuzu aroma year-round.

Frequently asked questions

Summary: enjoy the aroma with homemade yuzu kosho

Yuzu kosho is a versatile seasoning you can make easily at home too. Made with green yuzu it becomes a refreshing green yuzu kosho; made with fully ripened yuzu it becomes a mellow red yuzu kosho. Removing the white pith and not grinding it too smooth are the tricks to making the most of the aroma. It works Japanese and Western alike, from hot pots and yakitori to pasta and dressings.

The aroma of making it by hand with in-season green yuzu is exceptional. When the season has passed and fresh yuzu is out of reach, try supplementing the yuzu aroma with yuzu powder or dried yuzu. Enjoy yuzu's refreshing aroma at the table all year round.