One of the most delicious ways to use up that leftover rice sitting in your fridge is by making a salmon rice bowl. More specifically, the one that went viral, and yes, it's worth the hype.
There have been several viral food trends coming out of Tiktok. And although I find many things way over-hyped, this salmon and rice bowl isn't one of them.
What Is The TikTok Salmon Rice Bowl?
Emily Mariko, a Japanese American Tiktok creator, introduced it to the platform by flaking up leftover cooked salmon that she tops with leftover rice from the fridge. She then nestles an ice cube into the rice, covers it with parchment paper to create a steamed effect, and then reheats it in the microwave.
Once the rice and salmon are reheated, she mixes in soy sauce, kewpie mayo, and sriracha and adds avocado, kimchi, and roasted nori (seaweed) sheets.
Ingredients
- Leftover rice. This bowl works best with leftover rice in the fridge but you can always use freshly cooked rice if you don't have any already made.
- Cooked salmon. The ease of this meal is using already cooked salmon, but you can also use salmon you just cooked.
- Soy sauce or tamari. This seasons the rice and salmon before you add the toppings.
- Japanese spicy mayo. This flavorful sauce gets drizzled over the rice bowl and is what we'll use instead of just mayonnaise and sriracha. It's so good and really easy to make!
- Toppings for added color, texture, and flavor: avocado, kimchi, and roasted nori.
How To Make A Salmon Rice Bowl
Place your salmon fillet in the bottom of a bowl and use a fork to flake it.
Add a large scoop of cold rice from the fridge onto the flaked salmon and nestle one ice cube into the middle of the rice.
Place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the bowl, pushing it down a little around the rice so it stays in place.
Microwave until warm then remove the parchment paper and what's left of the ice cube, then mix in the soy sauce or tamari.
Top with avocado, kimchi, toasted nori, and a generous drizzle of spicy mayo.
Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this salmon rice bowl using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No salmon? - You can use just about any other protein here. I've also made it with scrambled eggs, and it was delicious!
- No kimchi? - Kimchi is a bit of an acquired taste, so any crunchy vegetables would be great instead such as Persian or English cucumbers, carrots, or even quick-pickled vegetables.
- Soy-free? - use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce/tamari.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, especially if you like Asian food such as sushi. It has a lot of those similar flavors and is a great way to use up leftovers in your fridge. Which also makes it really easy and comes together quickly.
You only need the ice cube if you're using cold, leftover rice and already cooked salmon. Using the combination of the ice cube with the parchment paper adds moisture by creating a steaming effect. This helps keep your leftovers tasting fresh instead of completely dried out once reheated.
More Salmon Recipes You'll Love
Salmon Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cooked salmon fillet, skin removed about 4 ounces
- 1 cup leftover rice
- 1 ice cube
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari use coconut aminos for soy-free option
- Japanese spicy mayo
- ½ avocado, diced or sliced
- kimchi or another crunchy vegetable
- roasted nori sheets (optional)
Instructions
- Place your salmon fillet in the bottom of a bowl and use a fork to flake it.
- Top your salmon with cold rice from the fridge and nestle one ice cube into the middle of it.
- Cover the bowl with parchment paper and microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and discard the remaining ice cube.
- Mix in soy sauce or tamari and top with avocado, kimchi (or vegetables of choice), toasted nori (optional), and a generous drizzle of spicy mayo.
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