Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (2024)

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Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (1)

Who loves all things sushi but feels a little intimidated by making sushi at home?(Slowly raises hand.) Solution: this quick and easy salmon sushi bowl! It’s our take on the satisfaction of sushi without the need for sushi-grade fish or assembling rolls! We’re into it.

Just 9 ingredients required, friends. Let us show you how it’s done!

Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (2)

How to Make Salmon “Sushi” Bowls

These EASY salmon “sushi” bowls come together with just three required components, plus a few optional add-ons to step up the sushi vibes! Here’s what’s required:

Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (3)

Cubed salmon marinates in a gingery, savory, garlicky sauce before being cooked to caramelized perfection.

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A super crunchy cucumber salad joins the party for major freshness and flavor!

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Then it’s on to the rice! We love sushi rice for its sticky texture and slightly sweet flavor, but any short-grain rice will do the trick.

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Assemble it all together and get ready to choose your favorite sushi add-ons! Avocado adds richness, sliced green onions give it a kick, sesame seeds add crunch, and wasabi, pickled ginger, and crumbled seaweed speak for themselves!

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We hope you LOVE these salmon “sushi” bowls! They’re:

Gingery
Savory
Fresh
Quick & easy
& SO delicious!

These sushi bowls are easy enough for weeknights and impressive enough to serve to dinner guests! And while plenty filling on their own, they’d also pair well with our Spicy Stir-Fried Green Beans or Spicy Garlic Edamame (The Ultimate Appetizer!).

More Delicious Bowls

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo@minimalistbakeron Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (8)

Easy Salmon “Sushi” Bowls

Savory salmon “sushi” bowls with a crunchy cucumber salad! All the satisfaction of sushi without finding sushi-grade fish or assembling rolls. Just 9 ingredients!

Author Minimalist Baker

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Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (9)

5 from 20 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 (generous servings)

Course Entrée

Cuisine Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Japanese-Inspired

Freezer Friendly No

Does it keep? 1-2 Days

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

SALMON

  • 3 Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce // ensure gluten-free as needed)
  • 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, grated or finely minced (a 1-inch piece yields ~1 Tbsp or 9 g)
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional // for heat)
  • 1 ½ pounds salmon filets (~1 inch thick, skin removed and cut into 1-inch cubes // wild-caught when possible // king salmon for best flavor/texture)

RICE

  • 1 cup dry sushi rice (or sub short-grain white or brown rice and increase water)
  • 1 ¼ cups water
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar

SALAD

FOR SERVING optional

  • 1 large avocado, thinly sliced
  • 2 stalks green onion (scallions), thinly sliced
  • 1 small package seaweed snack chips or nori sheets, crumbled into a “sprinkle”
  • Sesame seeds
  • Pickled ginger
  • Wasabi

Instructions

  • SALMON (MARINATE): In a medium bowl, whisk together the tamari, sesame oil, rice vinegar, grated ginger, grated garlic, maple syrup, and red pepper flakes (optional). Set aside 2-3 Tbsp of the marinade for serving with finished bowls (optional). Add the cubed salmon to the remaining marinade and allow to marinate for ~20 minutes. While it marinates, start your rice and cucumber salad.

  • RICE: Rinse rice with cold water in a fine mesh strainer until water runs clear. Drain and transfer to a small saucepan. Add water and rice vinegar. Bring to a strong simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender (~15 minutes). Turn off the heat and let rice steam with the lid on for 10 minutes.

  • Once your rice is cooking, make the Gingery Smashed Cucumber Salad and prep your desired toppings.

  • SALMON (COOK): Heat a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, gently place the salmon in the pan using a fork or slotted spoon, leaving excess marinade behind in the bowl. Cook the salmon cubes for 5-6 minutes total, flipping occasionally until lightly caramelized and cooked to your preference, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 F (63 C // temperature recommended for food safety).

  • To serve, divide the rice between bowls and add the salmon, cucumber salad, and other toppings of choice — we like it with cubed avocado and garnished with green onion, crumbled seaweed, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, and/or wasabi.

  • Best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. Not freezer friendly.

Notes

*Prefer a vegan version? Try our Vegan Sushi Bowls with Ginger Marinated Tofu.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 sushi bowl Calories: 616 Carbohydrates: 56 g Protein: 44.5 g Fat: 23.9 g Saturated Fat: 4.1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.7 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 77 mg Sodium: 1360 mg Potassium: 1094 mg Fiber: 4.8 g Sugar: 5.4 g Vitamin A: 305 IU Vitamin C: 8 mg Calcium: 107 mg Iron: 2.4 mg

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Tag @minimalistbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #minimalistbaker so we can see all the deliciousness!

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Reader Interactions

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All commentsI made thisQuestions

  1. Kat says

    This looks amazing and I’m excited to try it this week. Do you have a recommended rice vinegar? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (15)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      We use Marukan rice vinegar, but any should work! We cant wait for you to try it!

      Reply

  2. T says

    Made this last night, major hit in my family and definite repeat!!! I added finely shredded carrot and set out lots of different sauce / dip options on the table: sriracha mayo, Japanese barbecue sauce, ponzu, and tamari.

    Reply

  3. Robin Miller says

    This is on a frequent rotation in my house. My daughter (14) loves it. Thank you so much for this!

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (17)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! We’re so glad it’s a hit in your household. Thank you for sharing, Robin! xo

      Reply

  4. Summer says

    This wasn’t what I usually make with salmon, but it was delicious. I air fried my cubes for 5 minutes at 400 F, since I am yet to invest in a cast iron (I can’t wait to!) and it gave a medium rare centre, which was so delicious. I also halved the recipe, used short grain brown rice, and, rather than making a new dressing, reserved 1-2 T of salmon marinade prior to adding the salmon, and added that over the cucumber salad, however, I did add extra ginger to that mixture. I refrigerated it until the salmon was ready to cook and I think that the 10 minutes marinating in the fridge really helped the cucumbers absorb the dressing, but not enough to grow soggy. I topped with avocado, and sesame seeds (rather than adding them to the salad) as suggested, and I will have to try the pickled ginger next time! I loved this recipe and will definitely be making again. Thank you!

    Reply

  5. irene says

    Just made this tonight for my Asian family and everyone loved it. The only thing that I would say is that the rice amount is not enough. 1 cup of sushi rice does not yield enough for 4 (Asian) people. We eat a lot of rice, LOL.

    This is super easy and quick to make, and tasty to boot. Adding this to my regular rotation of salmon dishes!

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (19)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you so much for the lovely review, Irene! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it. xo

      Reply

  6. Neely Carpenter says

    My 2 daughters requested this for dinner and I have made it several times. It is a hit every time and so flavorful! Thanks for such a great recipe!!

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (20)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad it’s a hit in your household, Neely. Thank you for sharing! xo

      Reply

  7. Dana Zia says

    Wonderful mid-week recipe! I used your cucumber salad recipe you recommended with the addition of cilantro and furikake. Loved the dressing! Yum! I used Japanese BBQ sauce and sriracha in the marinade to give it some zing. Also served it with sriracha Mayo. FABULOUS!! Thank you

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (21)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      YAY! Your modifications sound AMAZING, Dana! Thanks so much for sharing! xo

      Reply

  8. Alice Rochow says

    Fantastic and easy recipe! I think I’ll just start doubling the sauce and use half on the veggies, as the two sauce recipes are very similar. Used cucumbers the first time, and the small “snackable” little peppers the second time as they didn’t have any cucumbers. Both times, delicious!

    Reply

  9. Darlene says

    Delicious! I used ahi tuna, and honey as opposed to maple syrup. Could not believe how tasty this was! Will make again! :)

    Reply

  10. Mira says

    I just made this and it was absolutely AMAZING! I used Tuna instead of salmon but the overall flavor of this dish was so impressive; it left a lingering, gingery taste (good!) in my mouth (i love ginger!). The combo of the brown rice, the cuc salad, and the ginger-y tuna was a total winner. Worthy of a repeat for sure!

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (24)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mira! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo

      Reply

  11. Bee says

    Oh my gosh, you know when you make a meal for the first time and the family make loads of ‘mmmm!’ noises as they eat?! They loved it! Teen kids, husband & me – we all scoffed it and they all asked for me to make it again! Thank you! 😋

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (25)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Bee. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

      Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (26)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Deanna, we prefer the salmon and rice to be warm, but even cold it would be delicious :)

      Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (27)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jodi, we liked wild sockeye in this recipe, but found it can get a little dry! We preferred wild king salmon.

      Reply

  12. Meredith says

    This was delicious! First time using pickled ginger, and it was so good! Will definitely be making this again!

    Reply

  13. Janet says

    Made the sushi bowl with cucumber salad and we both loved
    It!! Next time I would probably toast the sesame seeds. That’s because I love the nutty salty taste.
    Thank you once again for a great recipe!! 😀

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (29)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Janet. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

      Reply

  14. Carolyn says

    A delicious meal with the cucumber salad and the extras you suggested. Prepared exactly as per your recipe except for plain jasmine rice instead of sushi rice with rice vinegar. Will definitely make again for the family

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (30)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Carolyn. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

      Reply

  15. Julie says

    What a great recipe! I was not able to use all the ingredients (wasabi, pickled ginger) and it was still very good. I followed the instructions and the rice came out great. I made the smashed cucumber salad and it was so good! Will definitely make this again. I added some cabbage and carrot slaw that I needed to use up.

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (32)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Julie. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

      Reply

  16. Beth Schweigert says

    So so delicious!! I had made coconut rice the night before so I just ended up using that and it was honestly so good. This will now be a weekly staple in our house. So easy and so yummy!

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (33)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Beth. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

      Reply

  17. Hannah says

    I made this dish for my family (including a very picky 14 year old and two year old) and they both LOVED it! The marinade for the salmon was so delicious and easy! This is going to be a staple for our family dinners

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (34)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Hannah. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

      Reply

  18. Maneesha says

    This was delicious! No need to go to a restaurant for sushi bowls anymore! Thank you for this great recipe!

    Reply

  19. Jane says

    Salmon was fantastic! I’m not at all a fan of cucumber but it was a perfect compliment with the salmon and rice. Added to the list!

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (36)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We love to hear it. Thanks so much for the great review, Jane!

      Reply

  20. Deanne says

    This salmon was so good! I wanted really easy, so I just ate it with steamed broccoli, microwave brown rice, avo, and sriracha. It was so filling and delicious! Great recipe, as usual!

    Reply

  21. nancy says

    looks amazing! making for family this weekend. Any suggestions for the vegans in the family? tofu with the same marinade?

    Reply

  22. Sherry says

    I made this tonight following the recipe almost exactly. The only deviation was because my salmon was a 3/4 lb piece with skin, so I cooked it whole and broke it apart for serving.
    The bowl was delicious!! I enjoyed smashing the cucumber for the salad, it was a great way to blow off stress. I served it with avocado, sliced green onion and pickled ginger.
    This recipe was an easy and delicious way to change up our salmon routine. Thanks for all the great inspirations MB, I foresee this becoming a regular in our house!

    Reply

    • Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (40)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sherry. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

      Reply

  23. Susan says

    This is a great bowl idea and easy to scale for one serving but what I especially love about salmon sushi is the texture of the raw salmon. Cooked salmon just isn’t the same “fish”! But cooked salmon is yummy too and I look forward to making this.

    Reply

  24. Joe says

    Hi, I do follow you and thank you for using the term “Sushi” meaning “Rice” I know some get confused when they go out. I myself! love salmon sashimi! Being diabetic is difficult enough, no sushi for me. The bowl looks wonderful. I am a retired chef and had my own restaurant.

    Ciao

    Reply

Easy Salmon "Sushi" Bowls (2024)

FAQs

How many calories are in a salmon sushi bowl? ›

Nutrition Facts
NutrientValue%DV
Calories585
Fats27g34%
Saturated fats4g22%
Trans fats0g
83 more rows

What is the sushi bowl called? ›

A sushi rice bowl, also known as chirashi or sushi donburi, is a Japanese dish that translates to "scattered sushi." It is essentially a deconstructed sushi roll served in a bowl with all the ingredients layered on top of a bed of rice.

Is Salmon Sushi healthy for weight loss? ›

Good: Salmon

One of the foods highest in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a great choice on top of a bit of hand-pressed rice (nigiri sushi), in a roll (maki sushi), or many other ways. You have to watch the sauces and stuff, though. They can hike the fat and calories.

Are salmon poke bowls healthy? ›

Poke bowls are celebrated for their high nutritional value, providing a well-rounded meal that satisfies various dietary needs. At their core, poke bowls consist of lean protein from fish like tuna or salmon, which are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, essential for heart health and cognitive function.

What's the difference between a sushi bowl and a poke bowl? ›

Sushi is typically served in the form of little bite-sized rolls and usually has some rice involved. Poké is in the form of a bowl of multi-colored ingredients, right from fresh fish to raw veggies, all mixed within the same bowl.

What is the crunchy stuff in sushi? ›

Crunchy rolls usually include some sort of tempura (fried batter) which gives the crunchy texture. In this recipe, we are using premade crunchy tempura flakes on the outside for a quick and easy sushi roll.

What are the little balls on sushi called? ›

The mysterious orange balls on sushi do have a name: tobiko. This translates to flying fish roe, which is used in Japanese cuisine and commonly in sushi. Tobiko are small fish eggs in comparison to salmon roe, for example. But Tobiko is larger than masago, which is capelin roe.

Can you eat salmon raw? ›

Raw Salmon Risks You Should Know

Raw or undercooked salmon can be contaminated with bacteria, parasites, and other disease-causing agents. For this reason, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommends cooking all seafood until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.

What kind of salmon to use for sushi? ›

When pondering what salmon is used for sushi, Sockeye salmon often comes as a top choice. It is known for its vibrant red flesh and a strong flavor profile, creating sushi pieces that are visually appealing and incredibly tasty.

What is 1 serve of salmon? ›

A typical serving size for salmon is between 3 oz to 4 oz for adults. The FDA and Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating at least 8 oz of fish per week, which is around two or more servings of salmon or other fish.

How many calories in a salmon poke bowl with rice? ›

Sushi Shop Salmon Poke Bowl With White Rice (1 serving) contains 52g total carbs, 49g net carbs, 23g fat, 22g protein, and 510 calories.

How many calories are in 8 pieces of Salmon Sushi? ›

8 Pieces of salmon rolls, 8 pieces (Edo Japan) contains 280 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 66% carbs, 12% fat, and 22% protein. This is a good source of protein (25% of your Daily Value).

How many calories in a piece of Salmon Sushi? ›

Sushi: Calories
FoodServingCalories
Pickled Ginger 1 tablespoon (8 g)100 g2 cal
Salmon Maki 1 piece (15.2 g)100 g25 cal
Salmon Nigiri 1 piece (35 g)100 g63 cal
Salmon Sashimi 1 slice (28 g)100 g51 cal
13 more rows

How many calories are in a salmon poke bowl without rice? ›

Fast Furious Hawaiian Salmon Poke Bowl No Rice (1 bowl) contains 13g total carbs, 8g net carbs, 20g fat, 30g protein, and 390 calories.

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