Food Ingredients Seasonings 15 Citrusy Yuzu Recipes to Try This Summer Incorporate the floral, tart citrus into any course of a meal from starter to dessert and drinks. By Ashley Day Ashley Day Ashley Day is Food & Wine's associate editorial director. She's edited and directed food and travel content at USA TODAY, the Institute of Culinary Education, and Chef & Restaurant magazine, and contributed to The Food Institute, The Daily Meal, and the recipe app meez. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 29, 2024 Close Photo: Hugh Davison Yuzu is a tangy citrus fruit most often grown in Asia and commonly used in Japanese cuisine. In the U.S., you can find fresh yuzu in California as early as late September through February at farmers markets or in Asian and specialty food stores. Yuzu is available year-round sold as a juice or the pepper paste called yuzu kosho, a fermented condiment that brings distinct flavor and spice to anything from butter to salad dressing, mayo, and pesto in the recipes below. While yuzu is often compared to elements of every other citrus fruit — sour like lemons, sweet like oranges, bitter like grapefruit, tart like lime — its specialty status is all about intensity. Ayako Yuki, the Japanese founder of House of Umami, says the "bold aromatic flavor of the peels" enhances dishes like raw or grilled fish in Japan and even pasta. Yuki sources ingredients for chefs and says every household in Japan has a yuzu kosho, which can be used on any dish. Here's how to use yuzu to infuse the citrus flavor and aroma into anything from cake to cocktails and caviar. 01 of 15 Kabocha Squash Fritters with Yuzu-Garlic Dipping Sauce Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Recipe developer Anna Theoktisto blends bright yuzu juice, fresh garlic, and silky Kewpie mayo for the dipping sauce to accompany these crispy two-bite appetizers. Get the Recipe 02 of 15 Trout Tartare With Fennel Remoulade, Tobiko Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Chicago chef Larry Feldmeier tops buttery soft fresh trout with a mayonnaise dressing infused with yuzu juice and yuzu tobiko, a caviar infused with the citrus. The beautifully plated entrée brings bold flavors and intriguing textures. Get the Recipe 03 of 15 Yuzu and Lemon Cake with Buttercream Frosting Hugh Davison Kat Turner infuses this cake batter with yuzu juice and the frosting with lemon zest for this citrusy dessert topped with candied kumquats. Get the Recipe 04 of 15 Yuzu Kosho–Honey Butter Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Chef Joe Kindred makes this sweet and spicy dip with yuzu kosho, the Japanese condiment comprising fermented fresh chilis and fresh yuzu juice. It's irresistible with hush puppies, sashimi, steak, and grilled chicken. Get the Recipe 05 of 15 Namasu Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Pickle delicately sliced vegetables with rice vinegar for namasu, a ritual from a Japanese monastery. Shinobu Namae lightens this version with floral, sweet, acidic yuzu juice. Get the Recipe 06 of 15 Japanese-Style Chili Burgers with Yuzu Mayo Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Charles Namba stirs together Kewpie mayonnaise, ketchup, and yuzu juice for this mayo you can refrigerate until using on any burger, but it especially balances this one. Get the Recipe 07 of 15 Chilled Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing Emily Kordovich Lucas Sin punctuates this chilled noodle bowl with yuzu's lively fruit flavors by using yuzu honey concentrate, yuzu kosho, and ponzu in the versatile dressing. Get the Recipe 08 of 15 Yuzu Amaro Spritz Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon A bit of yuzu adds a floral quality that's paired with herbaceous amaro, rosemary, and honey in this citrus-forward summery spritz from Alan Wither from New York restaurant Principe. Get the Recipe 09 of 15 Oysters with Yuzu Kosho Mignonette Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Karin Olsen Justin Chapple pairs citrusy and slightly spicy yuzu kosho with briny oysters on the half shell for this 20-minute chilled appetizer. Get the Recipe 10 of 15 Yuzu Ponzu Eric Wolfinger Eric Wolfinger incorporates tart and fragrant fresh yuzu juice in this ponzu sauce made with umami-rich soy sauce, and sweet sake and mirin, then steeped in kombu and katsuobushi for even more depth. Use it as a marinade or dipping sauce. Get the Recipe 11 of 15 Cauliflower Okonomiyaki Gregory DuPree Greg Baxtrom makes a simple yuzu kosho mayo to drizzle over this fun, savory pancake, a Japanese tradition often prepared tableside. Get the Recipe 12 of 15 Yuzu Shandy Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis F&W's Lucy Simon shares a fresh take on the popular beer cocktail using tart and floral Japanese yuzu juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice for a more complex medley of citrusy notes than the standard lemonade or lemon-lime soda. Get the Recipe 13 of 15 Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Yuzu Kosho Pesto © Anna Williams Chef Ricardo Zarate of Mo-Chica in Los Angeles turns the hot, spicy and aromatic Japanese condiment into a super-simple and utterly delicious pesto for summer seafood with ginger, garlic, lemongrass, cilantro, and olive oil. Get the Recipe 14 of 15 Salmon with Pea-Wasabi Puree and Yuzu © Chris Court Iconic chef Eric Ripert drizzles a yuzu emulsion over his salmon trifecta, featuring salmon poached, smoked, and in the form of roe. Get the Recipe 15 of 15 Sparkling Yuzu Gimlets © Christina Holmes Top Chef season 12 winner Mei Lin brightens this big-batch gimlet with yuzu juice for summer entertaining. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit