Salmon Crispy Rice

Crispy rice salmon is my viral favorite go-to appetizer dish for a balance between crispy and creamy. Pan-fried crispy sushi rice cakes topped with smashed avocado and spicy salmon, are so easy and delicious! Top the crispy rice off with a thin slice of jalapeño, a little dash of sriracha, and sesame seeds for spicy kicks!

This is the best so far because you don’t need to roll the sticky rice. Instead, the rice is crispy and feels lighter for a snack and appetizer. So, let’s make this the ultimate sushi restaurant dish at home, Crispy rice with spicy salmon is the perfect fusion dish to try!

Crispy Rice with a Delicious Twist

Another day another hit viral food, and of course, I’m one of the F.O.M.O people out there. There are countless recipes I have tried from viral social media, and when I blow up the recipe, trust me because it works a.k.a so delicious and worth trying!

If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok or Instagram lately, you’ve probably come across the irresistible crispy rice spicy salmon that makes you wish you could take a bite right off the screen. This dish gives a fresh twist to the classic spicy tuna crispy rice appetizer, originally created at the upscale Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant Nobu. It’s now a trendy favorite on social media, offering a similar vibe to the well-loved spicy salmon sushi roll.

Key components in Crispy Rice Salmon

This crispy rice with salmon is made of two components. The first is the crispy rice and the second one is the spicy salmon topping. Crispy rice is made by frying a thin slice of rice in a skillet with oil. The starch in the rice helps it to stick together and lets us get a round solid shape.

To make crispy rice, start by frying thin slices of seasoned sushi rice in a hot skillet with oil. The rice’s starch helps it stay together, allowing you to shape it into perfect little blocks. For the best results, freeze the rice until it’s firm—ideally, let it chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight. This makes it easier to cut and helps it stay intact while frying. Before cooking, ensure your oil is hot enough by dropping in a single grain of rice; if it sizzles right away, you’re good to go.

Meanwhile, the other component is spicy salmon. For the spicy salmon topping, combine chopped salmon with Kewpie mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and chopped green onions. Adjust the ingredients to suit your taste, but this mix provides a great base. I tell you furthermore in my ingredients list.

If you’re ready to move beyond the traditional spicy tuna, crispy rice with spicy salmon is a must-try. It’s all about the delicious contrast between the crispy rice and the creamy, spicy salmon topping. Enjoy this trendy twist on a classic appetizer! Give it a try and enjoy a fresh take on a classic favorite!

Ingredients of Salmon Crispy Rice

Crispy Rice

• Cooked Sushi Rice short grain rice; I find sushi rice works best for this recipe. known that short-grained sushi rice is plump, firm, and slightly sticky, making it ideal for shaping and frying.
• Rice Vinegar; is a sweeter and slightly salty type of vinegar. It adds a mild flavoring to the rice. It helps flavor the rice cakes along with the salt and sugar before frying.
• Seasoning; Sugar and Salt provide flavor for the rice cakes along with rice vinegar. We’ll mold the rice on a baking sheet before we shallow fry the rice cakes in oil.
• Vegetable Oil for frying

Spicy Salmon

• Sushi-grade Salmon; for safety precautions, use high-quality sushi or sashimi-grade salmon. I like to use sushi-grade salmon. Since we’re consuming this raw,  You must read the label of the packaging to check if it states that it is sushi grade. However, If you can’t find sushi-grade salmon, smoked salmon works well too.
• Kewpie Mayo; prefer to use Kewpie Mayo here. It’s a Japanese mayo and it’s a little more expensive than local brands but it gives the salmon mixture the best flavor. However, regular mayo also works just fine! is a sweeter, umami-flavored mayonnaise that is only made of egg yolks alone for a more custardy texture. It is the best type of mayonnaise to use for this crispy rice with a spicy salmon recipe.
• Sauces; Sriracha, Sesame Oil, and Soy Sauce; To flavor the salmon mixture, you’ll need sriracha, sesame oil, and soy sauce. This is entirely optional but I love the taste of it
• Scallion; I use chopped green onions or scallions in the salmon mixture

Serving

• Sliced Avocado; This is entirely optional and my twist of spicy salmon rice! I love adding a layer of smashed avocados for both color and a bit more flavor. Choose the ripe avocado for the best flavor.
• Jalapeno is thinly sliced; Provides a spicy kick and pretty visualization I top my crispy rice spicy salmon bites with a thin slice of jalapeno as a garnish to give them a little heat –optional!
• Black and White Sesame Seed toasted; Adds texture and nutty flavor.

Let’s Make Salmon Crispy Rice

Prepare Crispy Rice

First thing first, In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved.

Then, Pour the vinegar mixture over freshly cooked sushi rice and stir gently to ensure even distribution.

Transfer the seasoned rice to a baking pan lined with plastic wrap. Press the rice down firmly to create an even layer. Cover with additional plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. This chilling process solidifies the rice, making it easier to handle and fry.

Preparing Spicy Salmon

Now, In a mixing bowl, combine finely chopped sushi-grade salmon with Kewpie mayonnaise, Sriracha, soy sauce, scallions, and sesame oil. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

Next, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the salmon mixture until ready to use. Chilling enhances the flavors and makes the mixture easier to spread.

Assembling and Frying the Crispy Rice

When the chilling time is done, remove the chilled rice from the refrigerator and carefully cut it into 16 equal rectangles.

Then, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the rice rectangles to the pan, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry until both sides are golden brown and crispy. Transfer the cooked rice to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

Now, Place a crispy rice rectangle on each serving plate. For garnish first, top with sliced avocado, Second, a generous spoonful of spicy salmon mixture, and lastly, thinly sliced jalapeno.

Sprinkle with a mixture of black and white sesame seeds. Serve immediately while the rice is still crispy.

Enjoy your homemade Salmon Crispy Rice!

Recipe Notes;

• For extra crispy rice, use a non-stick skillet and avoid overcrowding the pan.
• Adjust the amount of Sriracha to your desired level of spiciness.
• If you can’t find Kewpie mayo, you can substitute regular mayo.
• Be sure to freeze your rice until it’s firm enough to cut through easily. You will need to chill the rice block in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours or preferably overnight. The longer you chill the rice the easier it is to slice into cubes, 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. 
• Make sure the oil is hot before adding the rice. Test the readiness of the oil by dropping one grain of rice and if it rapidly sizzles, the oil is ready.
• Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness. Check with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or appropriate regulatory agencies regarding food safety recommendations. 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.

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Written by Silni Asfia