What is Salmon Roe: How to Judge Quality & Serve It Like a Pro

Salmon roe is salmon eggs, and in Japanese cuisine you will often see it called ikura.

It is one of the most instantly recognizable roes because the pearls are larger, the texture is dramatic, and the finish is unapologetically ocean-salty in the best way.

For connoisseurs, salmon roe is simple but unforgiving. When it is great, each egg holds its shape, bursts cleanly, and tastes bright and briny. When it is not, the texture turns soft or the flavor turns harsh.

This guide covers the essentials that shape that experience:

• How salmon roe is typically prepared (including classic soy-marinated ikura styles)

• How to judge quality at a glance

• How to serve it with pairings that let the roe stay crisp, cold, and in control.

Summary

Salmon roe is salmon eggs, often labeled ikura in Japanese cuisine. It is prized for large, translucent pearls and a clean, briny burst. Texture is the tell.

You want firm eggs that hold shape and pop, not soft roe with a harsh finish. Know what you are buying: ikura is separated into individual eggs and seasoned, while sujiko stays in the membrane and eats denser.

Serve it cold and handle it lightly. Add it at the end on warm rice, eggs, potatoes, or toast so the roe stays intact. Store it cold, follow the label, and keep temperature control front and center.

Shop our Seafood and Roe collection and choose a salmon roe that is shipped cold and meant to be served straight from the fridge.

What is salmon roe?

Salmon roe is the egg mass of a female salmon, eaten as food. Roe is often enjoyed after being salted or smoked. Salmon roe is one of the roes that is especially prized in culinary use.

Is salmon roe the same as ikura?

In Japanese cuisine, salmon roe is commonly called ikura. Ikura is frequently served chilled on rice as ikura-don or in sushi styles like temaki and gunkan-style presentations.

Ikura vs sujiko

These two are easy to confuse because both start with salmon roe, but the preparation changes everything.

Ikura is made by taking roe from the sac and separating it into individual eggs. It is then seasoned, often with salt or a soy sauce style cure.

Sujiko is roe that is salted while it is still in the membrane of the ovary. The eggs stay connected. The texture is denser, and it is eaten differently.

If you want that clean, individual “pop,” you are usually looking for ikura.

What salmon roe tastes like

Great salmon roe is about two things: clean brine and controlled texture.

You should expect a bright, ocean-salty finish. The eggs should feel plump, not soft or mushy.

Ikura is often described as having a satisfying “pop” when you bite into the eggs.

How salmon roe is prepared (salted and shoyu-zuke)

Many fish eggs are eaten after being salted or smoked. But for salmon roe in the ikura style, one classic approach is soy sauce marination (shoyu-zuke).

Fresh sujiko is washed in salted water, the roe is separated and rinsed until clean, then it is marinated in sake and soy sauce overnight in the refrigerator.

This matters because the cure does more than add flavor. It also influences the membrane and the final pop.

Serving rules connoisseurs follow

Temperature and restraint do most of the work.

Keep salmon roe well chilled until the moment it hits the plate. If it will sit out, serve it on ice.

FDA consumer guidance for seafood stresses keeping cold foods cold and not leaving perishables out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when temperatures are above 90°F.

Pair it with bases that do not fight the roe:

• Warm rice, but the roe goes on last.

• Buttered toast or blinis with crème fraîche.

• Soft eggs or potatoes, again added at the end.

The goal is simple. You want brine, pop, and clarity.

Salmon roe vs tobiko vs masago

If salmon roe is the “big pearl” experience, tobiko and masago are the finer-grain garnish roes.

Buying and storing salmon roe

Roe is not complicated, but it is sensitive.

FDA guidance for seafood storage is clear. If you will use seafood within 2 days, store it in a clean refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Otherwise, freeze it.

For serving, the same FDA guidance says cold seafood should stay cold. If it will be out longer, put it on ice.

Buy Salmon Roe from Petrusco

If you are buying salmon roe for texture and clean finish, shipping and temperature control matter.

Petrusco ships perishable products by overnight shipping. We use a FreshTag to help ensure caviar is kept at the correct temperature throughout delivery.

Explore the Petrusco Seafood & Roe collection and start with Wild Alaska Salmon Roe. Build the bite simply. Serve it cold. Let the pop do the talking.

FAQs

1. What is ikura?

Ikura is a Japanese term commonly used for salmon roe. It is often seasoned, including classic soy-marinated styles.

2. What is sujiko?

Sujiko is salmon roe that is salted while still in the membrane. The eggs stay connected, which changes texture and how it is eaten.

3. How is soy-marinated ikura made?

MAFF describes washing fresh sujiko in salted water, separating and rinsing the roe until clean, then marinating it in sake and soy sauce overnight in the refrigerator.

4. Is salmon roe raw?

Salmon roe is often cured. Many fish eggs are eaten after being salted or smoked. For specific products, follow the label and seller guidance on whether it is ready to eat.

5. How should I store salmon roe?

FDA guidance says to refrigerate seafood promptly. If you will use it within 2 days, store it at 40°F (4°C) or below. Otherwise, freeze it.