Salmon Sushi Bowls

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Salmon Sushi Bowls are a quick, easy, and healthy recipe perfect for any night of the week! Bake the salmon in a teriyaki-style marinade, then serve it with fluffy sushi rice, crunchy vegetables, buttery avocado, savory nori, and a creamy Sriracha mayo.

610 CAL 42g CARBS 37g FAT 29g PROTEIN 9
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Salmon Sushi Bowls allow you to enjoy Japanese-inspired flavors at home while skipping the expensive takeout! This modern twist on traditional sushi takes maki rolls and deconstructs them into a bowl. No more struggling to roll sushi or needing specialty utensils in your kitchen.

Each bite is filled with sticky Sushi Rice, salty nori sheets, and either teriyaki-glazed salmon or raw salmon. Add fresh vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, and avocados.

Or, try building your own Sushi Bowls! One thing is for sure, we always top ours with homemade spicy mayo.

The real highlight here is the simplicity of the recipe. All you have to do is steam the rice, bake the salmon, and assemble the bowls. On busy nights, bowl recipes are seriously the best. 

You can have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes, meaning sushi bowls are perfect for busy weeknights.

Why you’ll love salmon sushi bowls

  • Healthy: Salmon sushi bowls are packed to the brim with nutritious ingredients. Enjoy a healthy dose of Omega-3s, unsaturated fats, and protein.
  • Customizable: This recipe is completely customizable! Swap in your favorite vegetables, replace salmon with shrimp, make a vegetarian bowl with tofu, and adjust the spice level up or down to suit your taste.
  • Easy: It doesn’t matter what your level of proficiency is in the kitchen. This recipe makes preparing a restaurant-quality meal a breeze! The instructions are simple to follow, and the results are consistent every time!

Ingredients for homemade salmon sushi bowls with rice, salmon, seaweed, vegetables, and spicy mayo.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here is everything you need to make these delicious sushi bowls with salmon.

  • Salmon: Known for being a fatty fish, salmon adds an ultra-rich and luscious flavor. We suggest sourcing high-quality fish from a reputable fishmonger. It makes a huge difference, especially with salmon. This dish uses a baked preparation, but it is also delicious with raw, sushi-grade salmon.
  • Salmon marinade: To enhance the salmon flavor, bake it in an umami-rich, nutty, tangy, and sweet sauce. Use low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari), honey (or agave), rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar), fresh garlic, sesame oil (make sure it’s 100% pure sesame oil), and fresh ginger (or a quarter of the amount of ground ginger).
  • Sushi rice: Creates a traditional sushi flavor in this bowl. If you’re looking for a lower-carb option, use Cauliflower Rice. For more complex carbs, swap in brown rice.
  • Vegetables: We love the combination of cucumber and carrots for a vibrant and refreshing crunch in every bite. Feel free to experiment with other vegetables (you can find options in the toppings section).
  • Avocado: For the ultimate buttery smooth texture and creamy flavor, use Hass avocados. If you don’t have those available, use any local variety or omit them.
  • Nori: Provides a sweet and salty flavor. Look for nori in the international section of grocery stores or at Asian food markets. You can buy nori sheets or roasted nori snacks.
  • Spicy mayo: The combination of mayonnaise, rice vinegar, and Sriracha adds a velvety, tangy, and spicy element. For a richer sauce, use Kewpie mayo (Japanese-style mayo). For a lighter option, replace some of the mayo with Greek yogurt.

Easy salmon sushi bowls with nori, cucumbers, carrots, sushi rice, sesame seeds, and spicy mayo.

How to Make Salmon Sushi Bowls

These bowls are so easy to make and super versatile. 

1. Season the salmon

Baking the salmon with soy-based marinade adds so much flavor to the sushi bowls. Add the raw salmon to a piece of foil, and fold up the sides. Stir together the sauce, then brush it generously over the fish.

If you prefer, you can use sushi-grade raw salmon for your bowls. Just make sure to let the fishmonger know you will be eating the fish raw. Instead of baking the salmon, you can marinate it in your favorite sauce before moving on.

2. Bake the salmon

We recommend baking the salmon in a foil packet so it evenly cooks. The baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the salmon, so keep a closer eye on it after the 10-minute mark.

For a perfectly browned top, open the foil and broil the salmon for the last couple of minutes.

If you prefer to cook your salmon in a skillet, use the method in these Crispy Salmon Rice Bowls.

3. Mix the spicy mayo

Combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha, and rice vinegar. Make sure to taste-test the sauce as it can easily be customized to suit your preferences. To pack in more umami flavors to your salmon sushi bowls, mix some soy sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos into the mayo.

4. Assemble the bowls

Build your bowls by adding a scoop of sushi rice followed by fresh vegetables, avocado, baked salmon, and nori. Sometimes we make ours pretty, and other times we just throw it all in there!

Whatever the case, we never forget a generous drizzle of spicy mayo.

Salmon Sushi Bowl Toppings

We make sushi bowls a lot in our house, so we’re always playing around with the garnishes and vegetables to make each one unique. Try topping your salmon sushi bowls with sesame seeds, furikake (rice seasoning), pickled ginger, wasabi, green onions, or edamame.

You can also use additional vegetables like daikon radish slices (fresh or pickled), shredded cabbage, eggplant, steamed asparagus, bell peppers, sprouts, beets, or mangoes.

Storage and Leftovers

Salmon sushi bowls are ideal for meal prep and make for great leftovers. Here are our top storage tips to keep them fresh:

  • Fridge: Once the salmon has fully cooled, store it separately from the other ingredients. It’s best kept in a glass container. It will last up to 2-3 days. Store the other ingredients in separate containers as well, building the bowls on an as-needed basis.
  • Freezer: You can freeze cooked salmon by transferring it to a freezer-safe bag or container. Store it for up to 3 months this way. Additionally, sushi rice can be frozen for up to 1-2 months.

Deconstructed salmon sushi roll bowls with seaweed, cucumbers, carrots, green onions, and sushi rice in a bowl with a hand.

Variations

There are so many different ways to customize these bowls and make them your own. 

  • Different protein: Change up the flavors with different protein options like shrimp, tuna, chicken, or eel. For a vegetarian option, use tofu, tempeh, or edamame.
  • Raw: Make a poke bowl by using raw salmon or tuna instead of baked salmon. Just don’t forget to make sure it’s sushi-grade!
  • Sauce: Instead of teriyaki, try soy sauce, ponzu, yuzu, or miso sauce. If you’re looking for something other than Sriracha mayo, try wasabi mayo or garlic mayo.

Tips for Making Salmon Sushi Bowls

Follow these tips to ensure the sushi bowls come out delicious every time. 

  • Eat them immediately: Salmon sushi bowls are best enjoyed immediately, so prepare them right before you are ready to eat!
  • Cool the rice: Give the sushi rice time to cool down after it’s mixed with the seasoned rice vinegar. If it’s too warm, it can end up par-cooking the vegetables.
  • Use quality salmon: For the best flavors in your sushi bowl, opt for wild-caught salmon. Not only does it taste better, but it contains more vitamins and nutrients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the most common questions about making these sushi bowls with salmon.

You can add as much or as little rice as you want to your salmon sushi bowl. Typically, we recommend about 1/2-1 cup of rice per serving. You can always add a little more or a little less. It just depends on how hungry you are!

Yes, you can use raw salmon in this recipe, but remember to use sashimi-grade (sushi-grade) salmon from a trustworthy fishmonger.

Since the salmon is raw, it’s especially important to serve the bowls right away and to use proper storage techniques.

This salmon sushi bowl recipe is not gluten-free because we use soy sauce in the teriyaki-style sauce. To make it gluten-free, substitute soy sauce for tamari, liquid aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce.

Sushi bowls with salmon, seaweed, spicy mayo, sushi rice, and vegetables.
The Recipe
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Salmon Sushi Bowls

610 CAL 42g CARBS 37g FAT 29g PROTEIN 9
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 25 Min
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1 lb wild salmon (or farm raised)
  • 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (for salmon)
  • 2 tbsp honey (for salmon)
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar (more to taste, spicy mayo)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced (for salmon)
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame oil (for salmon)
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise (or half Greek yogurt, for spicy mayo)
  • 2 tsp Sriracha (adjust to taste, for spicy mayo)
  • 2 cups cooked sushi rice
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 avocado, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 2 sheets nori seaweed, cut into strips

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Instructions

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1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger.

Soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger mixed together in a bowl.
2

Place the salmon on a piece of foil on a baking sheet. Fold the foil up around the salmon, not covering it. Brush the salmon with the honey-soy mixture. Close the foil to create a “packet” to bake the salmon.

3

Bake the salmon for 13-16 minutes, depending on thickness. Open the packet and broil for 1-2 minutes to brown the top.

4

Make the spicy mayo by combining the mayonnaise, Sriracha, and rice vinegar. Taste and adjust to your liking. Some people also add a splash of soy sauce.

5

Assemble the bowls with cooked rice, vegetables, and toppings. Drizzle the spicy mayo on top. Add any additional toppings.

Salmon sushi bowls being assembled with baked salmon, rice, and seaweed.
Diets:
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 610
Calories from Fat 269
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 37g
46%
Saturated Fat 6g
23%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 16g
0%
Cholesterol 64mg
0%
Sodium 735mg
32%
Total Carbohydrate 42g
14%
Dietary Fiber 4g
13%
Sugars 15g
Protein 29g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

Notes

Optional: If using plain cooked rice instead of sushi rice, make sushi vinegar by combining 1/4 cup rice vinegar with 1.5 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp sea salt. Add 1 tbsp of this mixture to every cup of cooked rice.

Optional toppings: sesame seeds, furikake, pickled ginger, wasabi, green onions, edamame, more veggies

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
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