Sushi salad is easy to make, easy to customize and so flavorful. Perfect for entertaining or for a fun weeknight dinner. This recipe is gluten and dairy-free and can easily be made vegetarian or vegan.
Sushi salad is basically a cross between a deconstructed sushi roll, a sushi burrito, and a poke bowl. No matter what you want to call it, they all consist of a few of the same ingredients.
Many components can be made ahead of time for an even quicker meal come the day you want to eat it. You can also use cooked or raw sushi-grade fish. It all depends on personal preference and availability.
Ingredients
- Salmon - either a large fillet of salmon to bake (included in the recipe card) or sushi-grade salmon.
- Marinade - coconut aminos, rice vinegar, honey, and a pinch of salt.
- Sushi rice - the base for the salad.
- Veggies - I went with shredded carrots and sliced Persian cucumbers for crunch and a pop of color.
- Avocado - an integral sushi ingredient added for creaminess.
- Toasted nori sheets - I love using seaweed snacks for ease.
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional) - for added flavor.
- Crushed-up plantain chips - these add a crunchy, tempura-like topping and are naturally gluten-free.
- Spicy mayo - to drizzle on top.
- Coconut aminos or tamari/soy sauce - for serving.
How to Make Sushi Salad
Step 1. Cook the sushi rice according to the package directions. Have an instant pot? Make half a batch of instant pot sushi rice.
Step 2. Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC. In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, honey, and salt. Put the salmon fillet in a baking dish and pour the marinade over it. Set aside while the oven comes to temp.
Step 3. Cook the salmon for 12-15 minutes. While the salmon cooks, slice the veggies and avocado and make the Japanese spicy mayo.
Step 4. Flake the salmon and discard the skin.
Step 5. Assemble your platter starting with rice, followed by the vegetables, then the flaked salmon, sliced avocado, a drizzle of spicy mayo, toasted sesame seeds (if using), and a sprinkle of crushed plantains. Serve with toasted seaweed, more spicy mayo, and coconut aminos or tamari/soy sauce.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this sushi salad using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No salmon? - you could also use seared tuna, sautéed shrimp, or imitation crab.
- No carrots or cucumbers? - use any vegetable you like, you could also add massaged kale to the rice to add more greens and make it more salad-like.
- No plantain chips? - use crispy onions, wonton strips, or toasted breadcrumbs.
- Make it vegan - use tofu or shelled edamame instead of salmon.
- No mayo? - this dish would also be so good with carrot ginger dressing.
Helpful Tips
Everything can be prepped ahead of time: the spicy mayo, salmon, and rice. If you cook the rice ahead of time and it looks a little dried out, you can nuke it in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds to revive it.
More Dinner Recipes
Sushi Salad
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1 - 1.25 pound salmon fillet
- ¼ cup coconut aminos sub low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- pinch of kosher salt
Salad
- 1 cup sushi rice cooked and cooled
- 2 large carrots, shredded
- 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
Toppings
- toasted sesame seeds
- toasted nori sheets or seaweed snacks
- crushed plantain chips
- spicy mayo
Instructions
- Cook the sushi rice according to the package directions. Have an instant pot? Make half a batch of instant pot sushi rice.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC. In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, honey, and salt. Put the salmon fillet in a baking dish and pour the marinade over it. Set aside while the oven comes to temp.
- Bake the salmon for 12-15 minutes. While the salmon cooks, slice the veggies and avocado and make the Japanese spicy mayo.
- Flake the salmon and discard the skin.
- Assemble your platter starting with rice, followed by the vegetables, then the flaked salmon, sliced avocado, a drizzle of spicy mayo, toasted sesame seeds (if using), and a sprinkle of crushed plantains. Serve with toasted seaweed, more spicy mayo, and coconut aminos or tamari/soy sauce.
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