Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice is one of my (and my daughter’s) all-time favorite dishes to enjoy at home. You can absolutely order this out at your favorite Japanese restaurant, but it’s so fun to make. I’ll often fry up extra crispy rice and top it with other fresh seafood, like raw sea scallops or yellowtail, though spicy tuna crispy rice is always a good idea!
These are such a hit when entertaining (who doesn’t love finger food?!) and disappear quickly. Something about the crunch from the crispy sushi rice and the cool, creamy, spicy topping that is completely irresistible.
If you love sushi as much as I do, be sure to give my Spicy Kani Salad Sushi Bake a try, as well as this Easy Hamachi Crudo. If you’re looking for a cooked seafood dish with similar flavors, we are absolutely loving these spicy shrimp rice bowls and salmon and crispy rice paper roll-ups. Yum!
What You’ll Need
- Sushi rice that’s seasoned with rice vinegar, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Once it’s cooled and sliced into squares or rectangles, we’ll fry it in neutral oil.
- Sushi-grade salmon (finely chopped) and thinly sliced green onion.
- Spicy mayo, made with Kewpie (Japanese mayonnaise), Sriracha, and a splash of ponzu. You can omit this if you don’t have ponzu sauce.
- For serving, you’ll want some sesame seeds (black or white sesame seeds are fine) and thinly sliced jalapeño pepper.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Fresh sushi-grade tuna, raw sea scallops, yellowtail, or even my spicy kani salad would be great. Honestly, use any sushi-grade seafood you love.
- If you simply don’t like to eat raw seafood, you can cook the salmon first for a different flavor and texture. Alternatively, try using cooked and flaked white fish like cod or halibut. Or top it with something different like shoyu chicken.
- For a fun twist, add a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil to the sushi rice while seasoning for extra nutty flavor.
- Kewpie can be substituted for regular mayo if needed, but it won’t have the same tang or richness as Japanese mayo.
Directions
- Make the sushi rice. I like to do this the day before so that the rice can cool completely. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the vinegar mixture until thoroughly mixed. It’s best to heat this up in a small saucepan first to help the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Cool completely. Transfer the rice to a tupperware or baking dish that’s lined with plastic wrap, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Chop the salmon finely. Add this to a large bowl along with sliced scallions. Next, make the spicy mayo, then pour as much as you like on top, stirring well to combine. Refrigerate until needed.
- Fry the rice. Turn the cooled rice out onto a cutting board (this is why we use plastic wrap — so helpful!). Cut into bite-size pieces, any shape you like. Heat ½ cup neutral oil in a large pan until hot. Carefully add a few of the cut rice pieces then cook for about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Assemble, then serve! Generously scoop spicy salmon right on top of the crispy rice, then garnish with sesame seeds and sliced jalapeño. Enjoy!
If You Can’t Find Sushi-Grade Salmon
It’s important to use sushi-grade salmon for safety reasons. If unavailable, you can use high-quality salmon that was frozen (which kills bacteria). Just be sure to thaw completely, pat dry, and use within 1 day of defrosting. If the fish smells off putting at all, do not use it.
Ari’s Best Tips!
- For extra crispy rice cakes, double fry them. Fry them for 2 minutes per side, then let them cool slightly. Refry them for another 1-2 minutes per side until even crispier.
- To air-fry: Cook at 400F for 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- If the rice is too sticky to handle, dampen your hands slightly before forming the rice cakes.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying the rice cakes. This will lower the oil temperature and prevent them from crisping properly.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the garnishes thinly for a professional look.
- Be sure to fry in neutral oil so as not to over power the flavor of the rice.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: You can prepare the seasoned sushi rice up to a day in advance. Wrap according to instructions, then pan-fry when ready to enjoy. While you can mix the spicy salmon mixture a day in advance, I strongly recommend eating the salmon the same day it’s prepared.
- Leftovers and storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Even better if they’re not yet assembled, as the rice will never be as crispy as it is when it’s first pan-fried. Topping it with salmon will contribute to it becoming soggy over time.
- To freeze: Do not freeze the spicy salmon. You can, however, freeze individual portions of the rice before frying. Freeze in a single layer on a sheet pan, then transfer to a bag or storage container once frozen. Defrost completely, then pan fry when ready to enjoy.
How To Serve
For the simplest presentation, top with thin slices of jalapeño (either matchsticks or rounds) and a sprinkling of white or black sesame seeds.
If part of a larger Japanese-inspired meal, consider enjoying this with a bowl of classic miso soup or my miso soup with mushrooms, or alongside one of these other small plates:
- Scallop crudo
- Shoyu tamago (soy sauce eggs)
- Miso salmon bites
- Beef tataki
- Miso eggplant
- Beef negimaki
The perfect combination of hot and cold, with a little sweet and a little heat, this is truly a top 10 appetizer for me — I can never stop after one!
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Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the sushi rice
- 1 cup sushi rice
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1½ tsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed, canola, or avocado oil
For the spicy salmon
- ½ lb (8oz) sushi-grade salmon
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, for serving
- Black sesame seeds, for serving
For the spicy mayo
- ½ cup Kewpie mayo
- ¼ cup Sriracha
- 3 Tbsp ponzu sauce, if you're gluten-free, be sure to check the label!
Instructions
- The day before, make the sushi rice. Place rice in a fine mesh strainer, then run under cool water to thoroughly rinse. At first, the water will look cloudy or murky, but after 1 minute, the water should run clear. Cook the rice according to package or rice cooker instructions.
- Make the sushi vinegar. In a small saucepan, combine 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1½ tsp sugar, and ½ tsp Kosher salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then whisk until dissolved. Set aside until the rice is cooked.
- Season the rice. Pour sushi vinegar on top of rice, directly in the pot it was cooked in. Use a rice spoon or spatula to gently toss the rice with the vinegar, being careful not to squish the rice.
- Cool overnight. Transfer the rice to a small ¼ sheet pan or a small rectangular Tupperware lined with plastic wrap. Press the rice into a flat even layer, about ½” tall. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate overnight, or at least a few hours. (You can freeze for 2 hours if you want to speed up the process.)
- Finely chop the salmon. Cut the raw salmon into a small dice, then run a knife back and forth over it repeatedly until very finely chopped. Transfer the salmon to a large mixing bowl. To this, add 3 thinly sliced scallions.
- Make the spicy sauce. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup Kewpie, ¼ cup Sriracha, and 3 Tbsp ponzu. Whisk well. Pour as much of the spicy mayo on top of the salmon as you like (reserve the rest for serving!), then mix well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate until needed.
- Make the crispy rice. Heat ½ cup of neutral oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet with enough to coat the bottom with a thin layer. While the oil heats, use a sharp knife to cut the rice into bite-size rectangles about 2-inches by ¾-inch, making sure the rice is compact. It can be helpful to lightly wet your hands with water if the rice is too sticky. When the oil is hot, add 7 or 8 pieces of rice, making sure not to crowd the pan. Cook for ~2 minutes per side, or until the rice is a light golden brown. Carefully transfer the crispy rice to a cooling rack lined with a paper towel. Repeat with remaining rice, adding more oil between batches, if needed.
- Assemble and serve! Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of spicy salmon on top of each crispy rice. Sprinkle with a pinch of sesame seeds, then top with a slice of jalapeño. Drizzle with a little additional spicy mayo, if wanted, then enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Make ahead: seasoned sushi rice can be cooked, cooled, and stored in a fridge for up to 5 days. Pan fry fresh to order.
- Raw salmon should be consumed within 24 hours.
- To cook in an air fryer, cook at 400F for 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
Nutrition
Photography by: Jo Harding.
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