Salmon Sushi Bowl

Try this insanely easy salmon sushi bowl next time you’re craving sushi. Slightly tangy, sweet and spicy, these flavors blend together seamlessly to create the perfect combination.

This teriyaki salmon sushi bowl was born because I was craving sushi and decided to finally tackle it at home. Let’s just say that my first attempt at sushi rolls looked so sad. Quickly I decided to pivot and do more of a deconstructed bowl until I felt more comfortable rolling sushi. 

SALMON SUSHI BOWL VS. RICE BOWL

You may be asking what is the difference between a salmon sushi bowl vs. a salmon rice bowl. Well the difference is in the rice. We are making a (somewhat) traditional sushi rice that has the same tangy flavor you find in your favorite sushi roll. 

Traditional sushi rice is simply short grain white rice. This can tend to have the same affects as white rice where it spikes your blood sugar levels. To amp up the nutritional value of this dish, I opted to use a short grain brown rice. Cooked the same way as sushi rice, it still creates a wonderful sticky rice.

TERIYAKI SALMON SUSHI BOWL

To deepen the flavors of the salmon bowl, a teriyaki marinade sauce is used for the salmon. Teriyaki has a slightly sweet flavor which helps offsets the spicy mayo used to top the sushi bowl. Teriyaki marinade is simple to make, you can try this homemade version in my 5 best marinades to use. Or you can pick one up at your local grocery store, I opted to use this one found at my local Whole Foods. 

WHAT’S IN THIS SALMON SUSHI BOWL

Finding the ingredients needed for this teriyaki salmon sushi bowl will be a breeze. Most of these are fridge or pantry staples with only a few special ingredients needed. 

Sushi rice – short to medium grain rice. I used this short grain brown rice for additional nutritional value. Since this was my first time making sushi rice, I used this simple sushi rice recipe https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/sushi-rice/

• Salmon – Salmon pieces cut into medium sized chunks 
• Cucumber – any kind will do! I used regular cucumbers diced 
• Carrots – I took a shortcut and used pre-shredded carrots which worked really well
• Avocado – Ripe is always best and thinly sliced. If you aren’t sure how to choose ripe avocados, my Youtube video may help!
• Green onions – fresh green onions add some additional texture and flavor. Use both the green and white parts
• Nori sheets – Typically used to wrap sushi in, it is thinly sliced and used more as a topping in this recipe
• Black sesame seeds – totally optional and used as additional garnish

If you’re a sauce lover, I made a quick spicy mayo to top the bowl. This is totally optional but definitely adds a bit of creaminess to the dish!

SPICY MAYO

• Mayo 
• Greek Yogurt
• Sriracha

ALTERNATIVES FOR THIS SALMON SUSHI BOWL

I love this dish because it’s so easy to make some swaps to fit within your personal eating style:

Low Carb – you can easily make this dish low carb by using cauliflower rice. For an easy shortcut, check out your local freezer section for ones already pre-riced for you.

Meatless – going meatless or plant based? Swap firm tofu for the salmon or imitation crab meat works as well. 

Nori – not a huge fan of the mineral, ocean like taste of nori? You can try kelp seaweed sheets instead. These may be slightly harder to find but they have a more smoky flavor to them. Some even say certain types of kelp taste like bacon. 

LET’S MAKE TERIYAKI SUSHI SALMON BOWLS

For this dish to be prepared smoothly, I suggest following these directions in order listed.

Prep the sushi rice – If you are opting to use brown rice, note this can take anywhere from 45minutes to an hour to cook on the stovetop. You will want to start preparing the rice first to give it enough time to cook. 

Next, prepare the salmon. Remove the skin and cut into chunks. Season with old bay and set aside.

Now you can prep your remaining ingredients. Chop your cucumbers, carrots (if not pre-sliced), and green onions. Peel and slice your avocado and you can sprinkle with some lime juice so that it doesn’t brown. Slice your nori sheets or tear them up into small pieces. 

Pre-heat a skillet and sear your salmon on all sides and cook until desired doneness. 

Once your rice is cooked, you will be ready to assemble your sushi bowls. 

Top with spicy mayo, black sesame seeds and additional teriyaki sauce if desired.