If you love sushi but want something quicker and easier than rolling your own, a salmon and avocado sushi roll salad is the perfect solution. It has all the flavors and textures you’d find in your favorite sushi roll, served in a fresh, deconstructed style that’s ideal for lunch or a light dinner.
At the heart of the salad is the classic combination of silky, omega-3-rich salmon and creamy avocado. The salmon can be raw if you’re using sashimi-grade, or lightly seared for a bit of contrast. Either way, it brings a buttery richness that pairs beautifully with the cool, mellow avocado. Together, they recreate that unmistakable sushi taste.
Instead of sushi rice wrapped in nori, this salad scatters seasoned short-grain rice across a bed of mixed greens or shredded cabbage. A sprinkle of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt gives the rice that signature sushi flavor, while the greens add crunch and balance to the soft textures of the salmon and avocado.
Toppings are where things get creative. Cucumber, carrot matchsticks, sesame seeds, nori strips, and a bit of pickled ginger all help round out the dish. A drizzle of soy sauce, spicy mayo, or a light wasabi dressing can tie it all together. For added crunch and flair, some people like to finish it off with crispy fried shallots or tempura flakes.
This salad delivers the satisfaction of sushi without the fuss of rolling or the need for chopsticks. It’s fresh, colorful, and easy to prepare, perfect for sushi lovers who want a faster, more relaxed way to enjoy their favorite flavors. Whether you’re looking for a healthy lunch or a way to impress guests without turning on the stove, the salmon and avocado sushi roll salad is a go-to dish worth adding to your recipe rotation.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sushi rice
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 200 g salmon thinly sliced, fresh
- 1 avocado ripe, sliced
- 1/2 cucumber julienned
- 1 carrot julienned
- 2 Green onions sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook sushi rice according to package instructions. Let cool.
- In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.
- Drizzle vinegar mixture over cooled sushi rice. Gently toss to combine.
- In a large bowl, combine salmon, avocado, cucumber, carrot, and green onions.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, and lime juice.
- Drizzle dressing over salmon mixture. Toss to combine.
- To serve, divide sushi rice mixture among plates. Top with salmon mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Nutrition
The instructions are simple, but I felt like it needed more seasoning. Maybe add a little sriracha or more soy next time.
Yum! I added some spicy mayo and it took it to another level! 🔥
Very tasty! Yummy! Will make it again! ❤️
This sushi salad is delish! My fam loved it! 😋
Delicious! My kids loved it. They usually don’t eat fish, but they cleaned their plates.
Really? Kids like fish? I thought they only eat nuggets and pizza. Maybe I’ll try it but not sure if they’ll like it.
That’s awesome! I’m so glad your kids enjoyed it. It’s always a win when they eat something healthy and tasty!
This sounds like a fun deconstructed sushi situation—fresh, bright, and way easier than rolling. The lime + sesame oil combo especially grabs me. I’m definitely trying it with high-quality salmon.
Ugh! The rice was too sticky, I hate when that happens. Maybe I did something wrong…
Too much mixing involved for my taste. Just give me a whole roll instead.
I totally get what you mean! Sometimes you just want to keep it simple. A whole roll would be way easier!
But the mixing is the fun part! Gotta blend all those flavors right! Whole roll? Nah, not the same!
Salmon + avocado + sushi rice is great, but I’m not convinced that topping rice with raw salmon salad is “safe” unless it’s super fresh. I’d use sashimi-grade or cook it lightly. Otherwise… nah.
Sushi rice is a killer! I prefer the rolls tho. This salad is too messy for me. Sorry!
Sushi rice? Why not use regular rice? I don’t get it…
Not sure about mixing rice on the plate like that… why not just layer it? Also, I think it needs more soy sauce than 1 tbsp.
Made it last night and it was a hit! I added some pickled ginger too. Yum!
So much work for a salad? Honestly, just make regular sushi. Less mess.
I kinda get what you mean! But this salad sounds fresh and delish! Maybe give it a try before calling it work?
Regular sushi is way easier for sure. Who’s got time for all this chopping? 😂
My kids loved it! A fun way to get them to eat fish and veggies!
I was skeptical about “sushi rice mixture among plates” but the vinegar rice step makes it make sense. I’d add a little sriracha next time for heat.
I’m still not convinced. Isn’t it supposed to be rolled or something? Mixing rice with salmon like this feels kinda off to me… but I’ll admit the flavors sound solid.
Totally agree—when you explained the vinegar step, the whole “mixture among plates” thing clicked. Sriracha on top sounds dangerously good.
OMG I can’t believe I can make sushi at home! So easy! My kids loved it!!
That’s amazing! Sushi at home is such a fun activity for kids! 🍣
Great recipe but I added some spicy mayo on top, and it was out of this world! 🥢🔥
Easy to make, but isn’t sushi supposed to be rolled up? This just feels like a deconstructed mess. 🤷♂️
Yummy in my tummy! Will def make again. My friend said to make it with shrimp next time, gonna try that too. 😄
I dunno, shrimp in sushi? Sounds fishy to me! Salmon is the classic choice, why change it?
That sounds delish! Shrimp would be a great addition! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out! 🍤
Salmon thinly sliced as-is worries me a bit—like is it safe if it’s not sushi-grade? Also 200g seems random, but whatever.
5 stars!! This is so good! The salmon is tasty and the avocado makes it creamier. Yum!
I totally agree! The combo of flavors is just out of this world. Can’t wait to make it again!
Pretty good but my rice went kinda sticky even after cooling. Maybe I should’ve rinsed it more before cooking… or I rushed step 1 😅
I’m not a big fan of raw fish. Can I use chicken instead? I mean how would that work?
i dont trust raw fish. not for me. salmon makes me sick always. 😖
I made this for lunch and it was good, but my rice turned out kinda sticky even after cooling. Maybe I needed to fan it or use less vinegar? Still tasted great though—salmon and avocado are a dream.
I tried something similar and the rice got kinda sticky and weird even after cooling. If you don’t let it cool fully, the dressing melts into it. Maybe toast the sesame seeds too?
Looks good!
Thanks! I’m glad it sounds good—this one’s super fresh and flavorful.
I tried this recipe but I’m not a fan of sushi. The rice was too sticky and I wasn’t sure about the sesame oil. Not for me, sorry.
This tastes like a sushi spot but in salad form—so fresh and bright with the lime. I used smoked salmon and it still worked great.
I’m skeptical about raw-ish salmon in something that’s not actually rolled/served immediately. It’s good, but I worry about food safety.
My rice came out kinda sticky even though I followed the package. Maybe I over-tossed after adding vinegar… still edible though.
That sounds like you’re not far off! Sticky sushi rice usually happens if it’s still a little too warm when you toss, or if the vinegar/sugar mix was more than the recipe expects. Next time, fan it or let it cool a bit more before dressing, and be gentle—like fold, not toss.
Maybe you just need less vinegar? I swear if you “toss” it a lot after adding it, it turns like glue. Also sushi rice can be sticky if you don’t rinse it first. Still looks yummy tho 😅
It didn’t taste as good as I expected. Maybe I missed something? 🤷
Maybe you forgot the soy sauce? It really brings out the flavor! 🤔
This sounds like such a fun mash-up—sushi rice salad vibes with all the fresh crunch. I’m definitely trying it with fresh salmon.
Ooh yes—this is exactly the kind of fresh, crunchy mash-up I love. The rice vinegar + lime dressing combo sounds 🔥. I’ll try it with fresh salmon too!
I wasn’t too sure about mixing salad and sushi. But this is surprisingly good!
Tastes like a sushi roll but way easier. I added a little sriracha to the dressing and it was perfect.
This was so good! I loved the fresh flavor of the salmon and avocado. Will make again!
Looks easy. Hmm, lime + soy though… sounds weird but in a good way.
Followed the recipe exactly but it turned out mushy. Not sure what happened…
Maybe the rice was overcooked? I usually check it a bit earlier.
I can’t believe it’s so easy! But is sushi rice different from regular rice? I’m confused.