These spicy salmon sushi bowls combine all your favorite sushi fixings in the easiest way to enjoy them. It’s like a giant sushi roll in salad form, and we’re all about it!

This is an easy sushi bowl recipe with lightly marinated fresh, wild salmon, sweet and tangy sushi rice, plus crunchy veggies and avocado chunks. Grab a pair of chopsticks, your favorite sushi roll toppings, and dig in!

Spicy sushi bowl with salmon, avocado, cucumber, rice, green and chopsticks.

Table of Contents

Why you will love it
The Ingredients
Let’s Make Spicy Salmon Sushi Bowls
Tips for the best Salmon Sushi Bowls
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love

If you like our ahi tuna poke bowl or our smoked salmon Philadelphia roll, this spicy salmon sushi bowl recipe will be right up your alley!

It’s a delicious, stand-alone lunch or dinner that only requires 15 minutes of prep time if you have the rice ready to go.

Why you will love it

This salmon bowl recipe is kind of like a sushi salmon salad, but with sweet and tender sushi rice. Our spicy salmon sushi bowls are:

An easy recipe that comes together quickly
Healthy and wholesome, with easy swaps if you need it to be gluten-free or low-carb
Super flavorful and such a treat!

Sure, you can always order out but these spicy salmon sushi bowls will rival your favorite sushi spot.

Whip them up for a special lunch or dinner and skip the takeout altogether!

The Ingredients:

Our make-at-home salmon sushi bowl recipe is so good and the ingredient list is surprisingly simple.

Here’s what you will need:

Sushi rice. To make the rice you will need short grain sushi rice, Nori, rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt. See the instructions in the recipe card and make the rice in advance.
Sashimi-grade salmon. Also known as sushi grade salmon. It simply means the store selling the fish has qualified it as safe to eat raw. Buy from a reputable seller who knows how the fish was handled and processed.
Soy sauce. If you want to make this a gluten free meal, purchase Tamari.
Toasted sesame oil. Toasted sesame oil has has a buttery, toasted flavor and a lot more flavor than regular sesame oil.
White or black sesame seeds. Use one or both. They add a sweet, nutty flavor and a satisfying crunch.
Fine sea salt or plain table salt.
Chili garlic sauce. A spicy, tangy sauce with a big dose of garlic. This is what it looks like.
Fresh ginger root. This is a ‘must’ ingredient! Grated or minced. I like to freeze fresh ginger then grate it with a microplane. It is incredibly easy to grate frozen ginger (I don’t even peel the ginger).
Honey for a touch of sweetness.
Sliced green onion. Only the green part.
Avocado. Cut into 1-inch cubes. The creaminess of avocado is a great contrast to the crunchy veggies.
Japanese cucumber. Thinly sliced
Carrot. Grated, it adds some crunch.
Pickled ginger. The sweet and sour flavor of pickled ginger is one of my favorite condiments for sushi.
Salad greens (for garnish)
Wasabi paste. Wasabi adds an extra kick to sushi.

Let’s Make Spicy Salmon Sushi Bowls:

These spicy salmon sushi bowls are extra easy to make if you already have sushi rice prepared.

Since the rice needs to cool to room temperature before assembling the sushi bowls, you can make the rice hours or even the day before serving.

Here’s how to make spicy salmon sushi bowls:

Make the sushi rice. Rinse the rice then cook it with the nori (see full recipe for all the details). Stir in the seasoning and let it cool to room temperature.
Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients together and set it aside.
Marinate the salmon. Cut the salmon into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Pour half of the marinade over the salmon cubes and toss together. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes. Pour the remaining marinade into a small dish, whisk in wasabi paste, and set aside.
Assemble the salmon bowls. Divide the cooled sushi rice equally into four bowls. Arrange the salmon cubes and all the toppings over the rice. Garnish with pickled ginger and salad greens and serve with the wasabi marinade on the side.

Two servings of spicy salmon sushi bowls

Tips for the best Salmon Sushi Bowls:

When mixing the sushi rice, use a wooden, glass or plastic bowl and non-metal utensils. Vinegar can react with metal and it affects the taste of the rice.
You can use powdered sushi seasoning mix for a shortcut. It only takes vinegar, sugar and salt to make the sushi rice but if you want to use powdered seasoning, some people find that easier.
Don’t let the salmon marinate longer than the recommended time, otherwise it could affect the texture of the salmon and turn into ceviche!
We like using Japanese cucumbers (also known as Kyuri), which are found in local supermarkets or Asian markets. If you can’t find this variety, you can always swap in half a long English cucumber.
Wasabi is found in both paste or powder form. If you only have powder, mix the desired amount in a small dish with enough water to make a paste.

Our spicy salmon sushi bowls are unbelievably easy to make and so delicious!

Crunchy cucumber and fresh carrots, that creamy avocado and tender chunks of sushi come together for a bowl full of YUM that we could certainly enjoy any night of the week!

A bowl of spicy sushi, chopsticks lifting a salmon bite

Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:

Pork Yakisoba: Pork Yakisoba is a Japanese stir-fry dish made with tender noodles, an assortment of vegetables, flavorful pork and bacon. It’s a fantastic noodle dish surprisingly easy to make.

Ahi Tuna Sashimi Salad with Wasabi Emulsion: Bring a little Japanese cuisine into your home with this awesome salad! The buttery texture of the best fresh tuna joins forces with crisp salad greens, creamy avocado, cucumber, red onion, and zesty radishes. We tossed the salad with a light soy-sesame dressing and served it with a spicy wasabi sauce.

Japanese Cucumber Salad: Crisp, crunchy, thinly sliced Japanese cucumbers are the star here! Tossed with dried chopped seaweed and sesame seeds. Add a tangy vinaigrette and you have an awesome side salad!

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close up view of spicy salmon sushi bowl

Spicy Salmon Sushi Bowls

All the flavors of a salmon sushi roll without rolling them in nori wrappers. It is like having a giant salmon sushi roll as a salad. Lightly marinated fresh wild salmon, sweet/tangy sushi rise, cucumbers, carrots, scallions and creamy avocado chunks. This is an easy one-bowl dinner!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 30

Total Time: 30

Servings: Servings

Calories: 755kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

For the Sushi Rice:

2 cups 400g sushi rice
2-1/2 cups water
1/4 piece nori sheet
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package powdered sushi seasoning mix

For the Salmon and Marinade:

1 pound fresh sashimi-grade salmon
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoon white or black sesame seeds or a mix of both
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
3 teaspoons grated or minced fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup sliced green onion green parts only
1 avocado cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small Japanese cucumber thinly sliced
1 long carrot grated
Pickled ginger
Salad greens for garnish
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste

Instructions

For the Sushi Rice;

Place rice in a strainer and rinse with cold running water, stirring with your hands for 10-15 seconds only. Drain well and transfer to a large saucepan with water and nori. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low, cover the pan with lid, set timer and cook for 15 to 18 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
Remove from the heat. Do not remove the lid, and leave it undisturbed for another 15 minutes.
Remove the lid from the saucepan and discard the nori. Transfer the hot rice to a large shallow bowl. Use a wooden or glass salad bowl. (see notes)
Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and whisk until dissolved.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the hot rice and gently fold with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Cover with a kitchen towel and cool to room temperature.

For the Salmon and Marinade:

Cut the salmon into 1-inch cubes and place them into a large bowl.
In a small bowl add the soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt, chili garlic sauce, ginger, honey, and green onions. Whisk to combine.
Pour 1/2 of the marinade over the salmon cubes and gently toss them together. Refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.
Pour the remaining marinade into a small dish, whisk in the wasabi paste until dissolved, and reserve.

Assembling the Salmon Sushi Bowl:

Divide the cooled sushi rice equally into 4 bowls.
Arrange 1/4 of the marinated Salmon cubes on top of each bowl of rice.
Divide and add the cut avocado, cucumber, and carrot between the bowls.
Garnish with pickled ginger and salad greens.
Serve with the dish of wasabi marinade on the side.

Notes

Mix the cooled sushi rice in a wooden, glass or plastic bowl with non-metal utensils. Avoid metal as there will be a reaction from the vinegar that affects the taste of the rice.
If you want to use powdered sushi mix instead of the vinegar, sugar, and salt solution you can find powdered sushi seasoning in most Asian markets.
Be sure to cool the rice before assembling the salmon sushi bowl.
Marinating the salmon too long will affect the texture of the salmon and become ceviche.
Japanese cucumbers, also known as Kyuri, are available in local supermarkets or in Asian markets. If unable to find a substitute with a 1/2 of a long English cucumber.
Wasabi is a Japanese horseradish that is available in powder or paste form. If using the powder, mix the desired amount in a small dish with enough water to make a paste.