Save to Pinterest I discovered this bowl during a late-night scroll, watching someone on TikTok assemble salmon and rice with such casual confidence that I had to try it myself. The first time I made it, my kitchen smelled like sesame oil and ocean brine in the best way possible, and I realized I'd been overcomplicating weeknight dinners for years. What struck me most was how something so simple could taste genuinely craveable, like I'd unlocked a secret my taste buds had been waiting for.
My roommate came home to find me eating this straight from the bowl with nori sheets, making little hand-rolled bites, and she asked if I'd lost it or found enlightenment. Ten minutes later she was making her own, and we ended up debating whether sesame oil or sriracha was the real MVP. That's when I knew this recipe had staying power.
Ingredients
- Salmon fillet (about 170 g): Use cooked salmon, whether you've pan-seared it fresh or grabbed rotisserie from the store—the key is flaking it gently so you get tender, substantial pieces.
- White rice (2 cups cooked, chilled): Leftover rice works beautifully because the grains stay separate; if your rice is warm, the bowl becomes mushy.
- Soy sauce (1 tablespoon): This is your umami backbone, so don't skip it, though tamari works if you need gluten-free.
- Sesame oil (1 teaspoon): A little goes a long way—this stuff is liquid gold and makes the whole bowl taste intentional.
- Japanese mayonnaise (1 tablespoon): Kewpie has a tanginess that standard mayo doesn't, and it binds everything with a creamy touch that feels almost luxurious.
- Sriracha or chili sauce (1 teaspoon, optional): I add this for heat and complexity, but leave it out if you prefer your bowl mild.
- Avocado (1, sliced): Fresh, ripe avocado adds creaminess and keeps the bowl from feeling too heavy or rice-heavy.
- Nori sheets (1): Cut into squares before serving so you can scoop and wrap each bite—it transforms the whole eating experience.
- Toasted sesame seeds (1 teaspoon): Don't use raw seeds; the toasted version gives you that nutty depth you're actually tasting.
- Spring onions (2, thinly sliced): These add brightness and a sharp bite that keeps the bowl interesting.
- Pickled ginger and citrus (optional): These are your flavor punctuation marks, waking up your palate with every few bites.
Instructions
- Flake and layer:
- Place your cooked salmon in a microwave-safe bowl and use a fork to gently break it into tender flakes, then pile the chilled rice on top. If the rice feels dry or clumpy, sprinkle it lightly with water to help it rehydrate.
- Warm everything through:
- Cover the bowl loosely with a microwave-safe plate and heat on high for 1 to 2 minutes until the rice is steaming and the salmon is heated through. You want it warm enough to meld, but not so long that the salmon dries out.
- Season and bind:
- Drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil over the hot rice and salmon, then stir everything together until the rice is coated and the flavors start to marry. This is when the bowl begins to smell like actual restaurant food.
- Build your toppings:
- Dollop the mayonnaise and sriracha across the top, then arrange the avocado slices, spring onions, sesame seeds, and pickled ginger in little piles. The goal is a bowl that looks intentional, not chaotic, so each bite has something to it.
- Serve and enjoy:
- Place the nori sheets on the side and use them to scoop and wrap the rice mixture, treating each bite like a tiny hand roll.
Save to Pinterest There's something quietly perfect about eating this bowl alone on a Tuesday night, realizing that great food doesn't always require effort or fancy ingredients. It was the moment I stopped thinking of salmon and rice as separate things and started seeing them as a team.
The Nori Factor
The nori sheets changed my entire relationship with this bowl. At first I thought of them as an afterthought, but then I realized they're actually a textural and flavor contrast that makes every single bite interesting. Wrapping little portions forces you to slow down and eat mindfully, which sounds cliché but honestly matters when you're trying to taste what you're eating.
Playing with Customization
One of the best parts about this recipe is how forgiving and flexible it is. I've thrown in kimchi, crispy chickpeas, shredded carrots, and even a squeeze of lime juice without anything feeling wrong or out of place. The salmon and rice hold their own, so your toppings and extras become the story you're telling with that particular bowl.
Timing and Shortcuts
The magic of this recipe is that it respects your time. Most of the work is assembly, not actually cooking, so if you keep cooked salmon and chilled rice on hand, you're always 5 minutes away from dinner. I've started batch-cooking rice on Sunday just so I can have this ready whenever the craving hits.
- Use rotisserie salmon or canned salmon if you don't have fresh cooked fillets on hand.
- Brown rice works if you want extra fiber, though white rice has a texture that feels more authentic to the original.
- Make a bigger batch of mayo-sriracha drizzle and keep it in the fridge for quick assembly.
Save to Pinterest This bowl has become my answer to the question 'What's for dinner?' on nights when I'm tired but hungry for something that tastes intentional. It's proof that the best meals don't have to be complicated.