Name: Salmon Rice Bowl
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin-on; 2 cups cooked sushi rice, warm; 1/2 cup kimchi, chopped; 1 avocado, sliced; 2 sheets nori, cut into strips; 2 green onions, sliced; Sesame seeds; 1 Tbsp vegetable oil; Diamond Crystal kosher salt and black pepper; 3 Tbsp Kewpie mayo; 1 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp sriracha; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1/2 tsp sugar

Salmon Rice Bowl

The viral salmon bowl, seared fresh instead of microwaved.

WORTH ITThe sauce carries it - make double and put it on everything.

tested 2026-07 Dropped the false 'crispy rice' claim (nothing crisped the rice), added a salmon pull temp, and credited Mariko's actual method.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min Serves: 2

Instructions

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Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Season skin side with salt. Season flesh side with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place salmon skin-side down. Press gently with a spatula for the first 30 seconds to prevent curling.
Cook until skin is deeply crispy and releases easily. Flip and cook - pull at 125°F internal for medium (or 145°F if you want USDA-done).
Divide rice between two bowls. Top with kimchi, avocado slices, and nori strips.
Place salmon on top, skin-side up so it stays crunchy. Drizzle generously with sauce.
Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Notes

The crispy skin is the point. Bone-dry salmon, hot pan, don't rush the skin side.

Kewpie mayo is richer than regular mayo (extra yolk, MSG) - Asian grocery or the international aisle.

Add a jammy egg (6½-min boil) for extra protein.

The original: Mariko flakes leftover salmon into rice, microwaves it with an ice cube on top for steam, then adds the same sauce. Works great with leftovers - this recipe is for when you're starting fresh.

When it goes wrong

Skin stuck to the pan → fish was wet or pan wasn't hot; dry hard, heat until the oil shimmers, and don't move it early.

Skin crisp then turned soggy → sat skin-side down in the bowl; always plate skin-up.

Sauce tastes flat → regular mayo missing the Kewpie richness; add a pinch of sugar and a drop of sesame oil.

Salmon Rice Bowl

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

When it goes wrong

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