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Crispy Rice with Spicy Salmon is the ultimate sushi restaurant dish to make at home. Seasoned sushi rice is pan-fried and topped with a spicy salmon mixture, creamy avocado and sweet chili sauce. Serve this alongside my Pork Katsu, Teriayki Chicken recipe and Matcha Tiramisu for a delicious dinner.
Welcome to my favorite appetizer…maybe ever? I always order this at Nobu, along with their rock shrimp and a passion fruit martini, of course.
The crunchy texture of the rice with the spicy salmon is SO good. Feel free to swap in ahi-tuna if you’re feeling more of a crispy rice with tuna vibe. Let’s dig in!
What is Spicy Salmon
Spicy salmon is chopped salmon mixed with Kewpie mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and chopped green onions. You can adjust the ratios according to your preference, but that is the general base.
What is Crispy Rice
Crispy rice is seasoned sushi rice that has been pressed into a block, frozen then sliced, and fried in high-heat oil until golden. The result is a block that is crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. It’s the perfect vehicle for spicy salmon or any other topping you desire.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sushi rice. This is a short grain rice. No basmati or jasmine rice here. We want short grain rice. This is what helps it stick together.
- Salmon. I like to use sushi-grade salmon. (Similar to what you would find in a Poke Bowl.) Since we’re consuming this raw, I go for the highest quality I can get.
- Rice wine vinegar. We’re making the rice flavorful. And to do so we need to add a touch of sugar, salt and rice wine vinegar.
- Kewpie mayo. This mayonnaise is slightly different than your regular American mayo. It has more egg yolks, yielding a richer flavor.
For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe index card below!
How to Make Crispy Rice with Spicy Salmon
- Cook the rice as directed on the package then season with a sauce made of rice vinegar, sugar, and kosher salt that has been heated until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Let the rice cool and then press into a plastic wrap-lined 8-by-8-inch pan. Cover the rice with another layer of plastic wrap and freeze the pan until the rice is frozen through.
- Make the spicy salmon by finely chopping the salmon and mixing it with the kewpie mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, and green onion. Mix everything together well and cover the bowl. Chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
- Cut the rice into 18 pieces and fry in a pan with a ½-inch of high-heat oil heated over medium until the rice blocks are golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate as you go.
- To assemble the crispy rice with spicy salmon, top each block of crispy rice with avocado followed by spicy salmon. Finish with a jalapeno slice, a touch of sesame oil, a little sweet chili sauce, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Tips and Tricks
- Be sure to freeze your rice until it’s firm enough to cut through easily. This not only helps with the cutting process but also helps when frying. If it’s not cold enough, the rice blocks fall apart when you’re frying them.
- If your salmon is fresh but not previously frozen, please freeze your salmon before using it. Raw salmon sometimes has parasites. Freezing the salmon kills the parasites while also making it easier to cut. Defrost until it’s still very cold but not frozen anymore. If you’re not sure your salmon is sushi-grade, ask your fish monger.
- If you can’t find Kewpie mayo, you can substitute regular mayo.
Recipe FAQs
If salmon isn’t your favorite, you can absolutely substitute raw, sushi-grade ahi tuna. Sushi-grade hamachi is another option.
You absolutely can use canned salmon or canned tuna. They’d both be delicious.
Make sure you’re using sushi rice (very short grain). Also another user added oil to the rice. Don’t do this! This will make it so the rice granules won’t stick together.
More Cozy Appetizers
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If you tried this Crispy Rice with Spicy Salmon Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Crispy Rice with Spicy Salmon
Equipment
- 1 skillet or sauté pan
- 1 8×8-inch baking pan (or something comparable)
- 1 pair of tongs
Ingredients
Crispy Rice:
- 2 cups short grain rice, (sushi rice)
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Neutral, high-heat oil, for frying
Spicy Salmon:
- 1 pound sushi-grade salmon, skin removed
- 2 tablespoons Kewpie Mayo, (or regular mayo)
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 stalk green onion, finely chopped
For Serving:
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- Toasted white sesame seeds, for sprinkling
- Sweet Chili Sauce, for drizzling
Instructions
To Make the Rice:
- Rinse and cook rice according to the package.
- While the rice is cooking, prepare the sushi vinegar. In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, and kosher salt and heat until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour over the cooked rice and fan with a rice paddle to evenly coat the rice.
- Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with a piece of plastic wrap. Gently and evenly press the rice into the pan then cover with another piece of plastic wrap. The goal is an even layer that is bound together but not squished and mushy. Place the pan in the freezer for 3 hours to firm up.
To Make the Spicy Salmon:
- While the rice is chilling, make the spicy salmon mixture. Chop the salmon into small, ¼-inch cubes and place them in a bowl. Mix the salmon with the mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and green onion, and toss until well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
To Fry Up the Crispy Rice:
- Once the rice has firmed up enough to slice easily, cut into 18 rectangles, 6 columns by 3 rows.
- Set a wide-rimmed pan or pot over medium heat and fill with oil until about ½-inch depth. When hot, in three or more batches, fry the rice blocks until golden brown and crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. If the rice is browning too quickly, reduce the heat. Use a spider or a slotted spoon to remove the rice blocks and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
To Assemble:
- Once the rice has cooled to room temperature, top each block with a slice of avocado, a spoonful of spicy salmon, a jalapeño slice, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, a drizzle of sweet chili sauce, and some toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Be sure to freeze your rice until it’s firm enough to cut through easily. This not only helps with the cutting process but also helps when frying. If it’s not cold enough, the rice blocks fall apart when you’re frying them.Â
- If your salmon is fresh but not previously frozen, please freeze your salmon before using it. Raw salmon sometimes has parasites. Freezing the salmon kills the parasites while also making it easier to cut. Defrost until it’s still very cold but not frozen anymore. If you’re not sure your salmon is sushi-grade, ask your fish monger.Â
- If you can’t find Kewpie mayo, you can substitute regular mayo.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this be made ahead or will the crispy rice not keep? Looking to prep a couple hrs ahead of time.
unfortunately no. this needs to be made and then eaten right away.
This looks yummm!! Just wondering if you think avocado oil work work to fry the rice? It should, right? Just want a second opinion.. Thanks
yes avocado oil should work just fine!
I am looking forward to making this as I saw you suggest canned salmon as an option. Fresh fish in these mountains is a far and few luxury. How would you suggest I do it with canned? Thank you