Viral TikTok Salmon Rice Bowl [5 Minute Meal]

Name: Viral TikTok Salmon Rice Bowl
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 fillet cooked salmon; 2 cups cooked rice (any: jasmine, basmati, sushi rice, brown rice, or quinoa); 1/2 avocado; 1 Tbsp soy sauce (reduced-sodium if preferred; use tamari or coconut aminos if gluten-free); 1 Tbsp mayonnaise (Kewpie mayo or regular); 1 tsp hot sauce (or sriracha); 1/4 cup kimchi (optional, or Asian cucumber salad); mini roasted seaweed sheets (a snack pack works great - optional); sesame seeds (toasted, optional)

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Use leftover cooked salmon and rice with avocado, kewpie mayo, soy sauce, and hot sauce to pull together this delicious, nutritious, and super easy TikTok-inspired salmon rice bowl (salmon sushi bowl) in just minutes!

A salmon rice bowl topped with avocado and mayo

As TikTok food trends go, I think the Emily Mariko salmon rice bowl recipe that has been making the rounds may be one of my favorites. So far, a few have caught my attention, including delicious baked feta pasta and frothy dalgona coffee. However, this TikTok salmon bowl is the quickest and simplest yet – and it’s worth the hype!

The leftover protein + rice + veggies with sauce combination may not be a new idea. However, this combination of flaky salmon, tender rice, creamy avocado, seaweed, and sauces like soy sauce, kewpie mayo, and sriracha is like a deconstructed sushi roll or onigiri. And I’m hooked.

Plus, unlike sushi, there’s no rolling or special equipment involved. This viral salmon rice bowl (aka salmon sushi bowl) uses just a handful of ingredients (mostly pre-cooked!). And there’s minimal prep work for an abundance of flavor and texture with minimal time and effort.

Making seaweed wrap with salmon and rice

If you love turning leftovers into a delicious new meal, you might also enjoy my recipes for stir-fried rice, Panzanella salad, and fatteh.

TikTok Salmon Rice Bowl Ingredients

This recipe relies on just a few simple ingredients and leftovers!

Salmon fillets: The simplicity of this TikTok salmon recipe is that you can use leftover salmon like honey-glazed or teriyaki salmon. Or you can use ready-to-eat fillets/cubed salmon from the grocery store. However, feel free to cook up some baked/air fryer salmon.
Rice: Use leftover cooked rice. I prefer white rice like jasmine rice. But you can use any: short-grain sushi rice, brown rice, basmati rice, or even quinoa. If you don’t have leftovers, you could use minute rice to keep prep time low.
Ice cube: This will turn to steam while in the microwave for tender rice.
Toppings: I used diced avocado on top and kimchi (optional, or use Asian cucumber salad) on the side. This adds creamy and crunchy textures and tang. Refer to FAQs below for other topping options.
Sauces: The sauces take this Tik Tok salmon bowl to the next level. You’’’ll need:
- Mayonnaise – Japanese Kewpie mayo is best, but regular mayo works in a pinch,
- Regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce, or tamari/coconut aminos if gluten-free,
- Hot sauce/sriracha.
Seaweed: (Optional) The mini snack packs of roasted seaweed/nori work well for this salmon and rice bowl. They’re a perfect size.
Sesame seeds: To garnish. Green onions and/or red pepper flakes or furikake seasoning will also work over the salmon rice recipe.

For extra flavor, you could use “eel sauce” in place of soy sauce.

How to Make The Tiktok Salmon Rice Bowl

Follow just a few simple steps for this delicious dish.

First, use two forks to shred the cooked salmon into flakes in a bowl/deep dish.

Then, add the rice over it and an ice cube on top. Cover the bowl with parchment paper (or paper towel) and microwave on high for 2—2 ½ minutes.

Water from the ice cube will become steam to help keep the rice moist when reheating it.

Discard any remaining ice, add all the sauces, and mix well to combine.

Then top with diced avocado (or avocado slices) and drizzle over more sauces, if desired.

Enjoy it as is or serve ot with a small bowl of kimchi. You can also spoon the salmon avocado rice onto the nori sheets and eat like mini tacos. Enjoy!

FAQs

Can you reheat a salmon bowl?

If you made the salmon and rice fresh for the salmon rice dish, then leftovers will store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Then it can be reheated once.
However, if you’re already using leftovers, the salmon rice and seaweed won’t store or reheat well. So it is best to enjoy them immediately.

Why do they put ice in the salmon rice bowl?

Leftover rice will dry out while it sits. By adding an ice cube to the bowl (or a sprinkle of water over the rice), it will become steam. This helps to ensure you don’t end up with really dry rice while it reheats.

Does the viral TikTok salmon and rice live up to the hype?

If you like the ingredients involved, what’s not to love? It’s a great way to use up leftovers and there’s no cooking involved (except a quick stint in the microwave). Plus you could even technically enjoy it cold, like a sushi bowl.

What else could I add to this salmon bowl recipe?

Like other bowl meals (like bibimbap and burrito bowls), I love to make variations with extra veggies. For example, I like adding crunchy cucumber slices, shredded carrot and/or cabbage (or coleslaw mix), edamame, corn, sliced radishes, steamed broccoli, and more.
Fruits like pineapple and mango would also work. You can also swap out the salmon for another protein like white fish, shrimp, or chicken pieces!

Can I eat the salmon sushi bowl cold?

If you’re using leftover sushi rice and/or don’t mind enjoying the leftover rice cold, then it tastes delicious chilled as well as warm!

Making a seaweed wrap with rice and salmon

More Quick Meal Recipes

If you try this salmon and rice recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!