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    Home » Family Style Dinners

    15 Minute Sesame Salmon Sushi Bowl

    Published: Mar 11, 2022 » Modified: May 21, 2023 » By: Kylie » This post may contain affiliate links. » 1 Comment

    1.0K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    You can have this sesame salmon sushi bowl prepped and ready in just 15 minutes for the perfect quick and easy lunch! It's filled with sesame soy sautéed salmon, tangy pickled veggies, fresh avocado, and roasted seaweed sheets combining all of the delicious sushi flavors you love into a filling bowl.

    White bowl with a homemade sesame salmon bowl garnished with Furikake.
    Table of Contents show
    1 You Will Love This
    2 Ingredients and Substitutions
    3 Instructions
    4 Tips
    5 FAQ
    6 Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
    7 More Easy Dinner Recipes
    8 Recipe
    9 Sesame Salmon Sushi Bowl

    You Will Love This

    • The flavors are amazing! Bite-sized pieces of salmon are sauteed in a delicious sesame soy sauce mixture that coats the fish beautifully - adding just the right amount of umami flavor. Then it's paired with sticky sushi rice, quick pickled veggies, creamy avocado, and seaweed! Lastly, it's drizzled with a creamy sesame sauce that ties all the delicious flavors together.
    • If you loved this salmon rice bowl recipe, be sure to check out my:
      • 30-Minute Sushi Casserole
      • 25-Minute Sesame Noodle Salad
      • Easy Vegan Dumplings
      • Easy Greek Salmon Bowl
    White marble countertop with bowls of ingredients to make a salmon sushi bowl

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Salmon - A good, fresh salmon should not smell like fish. I opt for wild caught over farmed when possible and remember that frozen salmon can be just as good as fresh! I love to get my sockey salmon from ButcherBox!
    • Seasme Oil - Sesame oil has a great nutty flavor that accentuates the other flavors beautifully. You can use olive oil in its place but you'll miss out on a TON of flavor!
    • Soy Sauce - I typically opt for low-sodium soy sauce but regular will work just fine.
    • Garlic - I like to mince fresh garlic for the best flavor but garlic powder would work in its place. Try ½ a teaspoon or so.
    • Ginger Paste - Fresh ginger adds a ton of flavor, but it can be a bit of a pain to mince finely and no one wants to bite down on a big chunk of ginger! So I like to use this ginger paste. It's got just the right amount of flavor and it's paste-like consistency blends right in with the other ingredients.
    • Sushi Rice - Most grocery stores sell sushi rice - it's a short grain white rice. Check the cooking instructions on your package. Different brands call for different amounts of water.
    • Seasoned Rice Vinegar - This is going to give the rice that signature sweet tangy sushi rice flavor. Opt for seasoned rice vinegar instead of just plain rice vinegar for the best flavor.
    • Pickled Veggies - My quick pickled veggie recipe adds some delicious crunch to this sushi bowl and takes just minutes to throw together!
    • Nori Sheets - Nori is dried seaweed that comes in sheets. You can typically find this in the International Foods section at the grocery store or at our local Asian market. For this bowl I like to use those little roasted seaweed snack sheets - they are the perfect size to easily cut into strips.
    • Furikake - Furikake is a fantastic and absolutely delicious blend of toasted sesame seeds, nori, salt, and sugar that makes the perfect topping and seasoning for this sushi bowl. Look high and low for it, because it’s worth having on hand to make these sushi bowls and once you try it you'll want to add it to everything!
    • Kewpie Mayo - Unlike American mayonnaise, kewpie mayo uses just egg yolks (instead of whole eggs) to create more of a custard-like texture and a rich in flavor. Honestly, we don't even buy regular mayo because kewpie mayo is just better on everything!

    Instructions

    Sauté bite-sized salmon pieces in sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

    Sautéed salmon chunks in a large white pan

    Add soy sauce, garlic, and ginger to the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.

    Sautéed salmon in sauce in a large white sauté pan

    Assemble bowls with rice, pickled carrots and cucumbers, sliced avocado, seaweed, and seared salmon. Add mayo, soy sauce, and sesame oil to a small bowl or measuring cup and whisk until well combined. Drizzle soy mayo sauce over the bowls, sprinkle with Furikake, and enjoy!

    White bowl with a homemade sesame salmon bowl garnished with Furikake.

    Tips

    • Make your own pickled vegetables! My quick pickled veggies recipe is super easy to throw together and adds a ton of tangy flavor to this salmon rice bowl. You can prep them in advance and keep them in the fridge for snacking so throwing these sushi bowls together will take just minutes! The recipe works best with carrot, cucumber, and radish.
    • Make sure the salmon is cut into large bite sized pieces (about 1" or so) to ensure that the salmon doesn't overcook and dry out in the pan. Small pieces of salmon will cook quickly which means they'll dry out quickly too. So opt for larger chunks of salmon and just let them kiss the pan before adding the sauce!
    • If you're looking for a traditional sushi rice recipe, check out this one! Shihoko shares her tried and true recipe for sushi rice and also her tips for making it perfectly every single time!
    • If you prefer a spicy mayo with your sushi bowl, combine equals parts kewpie mayo and sriracha for a sriracha mayo!
    • If you want to make this into a vegan sushi bowl, replace the salmon with extra-firm pressed, cubed tofu instead and skip the kewpie mayo sauce!
    Close up of sesame salmon in a sushi bowl

    FAQ

    What is the difference between a sushi bowl and a poke bowl?

    Sushi bowls are sometimes called poke bowls and while they do contain similar ingredients, they are slightly different. A sushi bowl has a Japanese influence and is basically deconstructed sushi ingredients in a bowl format. The fish can be cooked or not, or you can even use imitation crab meat for a California roll sushi bowl! While a poke bowl is made with raw fish and has a Hawaiian influence. Both contain rice, veggies, and some type of sauce.

    How much rice do you put in a rice bowl?

    This is totally up to you! But I recommend about 1 cup of cooked rice per bowl. You can always add more or less based on your personal preference and what other ingredients you're including in the bowl.

    White bowl with a homemade sesame salmon bowl garnished with Furikake.

    Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

    • Make-Ahead: You can make this salmon bowl ahead of time as part of weekly meal prep, or have everything ready to go a day before you want to assemble the bowl and eat. It’s very adaptable and a great make-ahead option.
    • Storage: Store salmon sushi bowl leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
    • Reheating: Pop the bowl in the microwave for a few seconds until the fish and rice are warmed. I don't recomend put the veggies in the microwave as they are meant to be eaten cold. Then drizzle with the soy mayo sauce and sprinkle with Furikake!

    More Easy Dinner Recipes

    • Easy 15-Minute Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
    • 30 Minute Creamy Salmon Pasta
    • The Easiest Chicken Alfredo Recipe
    • The Very Best Italian Meatballs Recipe (Ready in 30 Minutes!)

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    Print

    Recipe

    Sesame Salmon Sushi Bowl

    Print Recipe
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    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 review

    You can have this sesame salmon sushi bowl prepped and ready in just 15 minutes for the perfect quick and easy lunch! It's filled with sesame soy sauteed salmon, tangy pickled veggies, fresh avocado, and roasted seaweed sheets combining all of the delicious sushi flavors you love into a filling bowl.

    • Author: Kylie
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 5 minutes
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
    • Category: Main Dish
    • Method: Stove
    • Cuisine: Asian, Japenese

    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    Salmon

    • 1 lb. salmon, skin removed, diced into 1" pieces (or larger)
    • 1.5 tablespoons sesame oil
    • ⅓ cup soy sauce
    • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
    • 1 teaspoon ginger paste

    Sushi Rice

    • 1.5 cups uncooked sushi rice (makes about 4 cups when cooked)
    • 2 cups water
    • ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar

    Bowl

    • 1 cup pickled sliced cucumbers
    • 1 cup pickled matchstick carrots
    • 1 avocado, thinly sliced
    • 2 sheets seaweed, cut into strips
    • 1 tablespoon Furikake

    Soy Sauce Mayo

    • ¼ cup Kewpie mayo
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • ½ teaspoon sesame oil

    Instructions

    1. Cook sushi rice according to package instructions. 
    2. Drizzle rice vinegar over the warm cooked rice and use a rice paddle or large spoon to gently incorporate the rice vinegar into the rice until well combined.
    3. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    4. Season salmon on all sides with salt and pepper.
    5. Add salmon to the pan and cook on all sides until a dark golden-brown crust forms.
    6. Add soy sauce, garlic, and ginger to the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
    7. Assemble bowls with rice, cucumbers, carrots, avocado, seaweed, and seared salmon.
    8. Add mayo, soy sauce, and sesame oil to a small bowl and whisk until well combined.
    9. Drizzle soy mayo over the bowls, sprinkle with Furikake, and enjoy!

    Equipment

    measuring cup

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    large saute pan

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    Notes

    • Make your own pickled vegetables! My quick pickled veggies recipe is super easy to throw together and adds a ton of tangy flavor to this salmon rice bowl. You can prep them in advance and keep them in the fridge for snacking so throwing these sushi bowls together will take just minutes! The recipe works best with carrot, cucumber, and radish.
    • Make sure the salmon is cut into large bite-sized pieces (about 1" or so) to ensure that the salmon doesn't overcook and dry out in the pan. Small pieces of salmon will cook quickly which means they'll dry out quickly too. So opt for larger chunks of salmon and just let them kiss the pan before adding the sauce!
    • If you're looking for a traditional sushi rice recipe, check out this one! Shihoko shares her tried and true recipe for sushi rice and also her tips for making it perfectly every single time!
    • If you prefer a spicy mayo with your sushi bowl, combine equals parts kewpie mayo and sriracha for a sriracha mayo!
    • If you want to make this into a vegan sushi bowl, replace the salmon with extra-firm pressed, cubed tofu instead and skip the kewpie mayo sauce!

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 425
    • Sugar: 2.6 g
    • Sodium: 585.7 mg
    • Fat: 18.2 g
    • Saturated Fat: 2.8 g
    • Carbohydrates: 43.5 g
    • Fiber: 2.7 g
    • Protein: 22.2 g
    • Cholesterol: 42.5 mg

    Keywords: salmon rice bowl, poke bowl, salmon sushi bowl

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Luke

      March 11, 2022 at 11:51 am

      This is SO GOOD. That sesame soy drizzle is amazing!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    HELLO FROM THE MIDWEST - I'm Kylie and as a mom and blogger, I understand how hard it can be to get a wholesome dinner on the table at the end of a long day. Here at Midwest Foodie, I focus on sharing simple recipes that make it easy to feed your family real food.

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