Spicy Salmon Poke Salad Recipe

Prepare salmon and vegetables

Pat the sushi-grade salmon dry with paper towels. Trim any connective tissue and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a chilled bowl. Dice cucumber and avocado and thinly slice green onions. Keep avocado separate until ready to combine to avoid browning.

Mix spicy poke dressing and toss with salmon

In a small bowl, whisk together Japanese mayonnaise (3 tbsp), sriracha (1 tbsp), soy sauce (1 tbsp), sesame oil (1 tsp), mirin (1 tsp), rice vinegar (1 tsp), grated ginger (1 tsp) and toasted sesame seeds (1 tsp). Taste and adjust heat or salt. Add the dressing to the diced salmon and gently fold until evenly coated. Refrigerate 5–10 minutes to let flavors meld (do not leave salmon more than 30 minutes).

Finish poke components

Fold in sliced green onion (reserve a few for garnish) and shredded nori into the dressed salmon. Gently fold in diced cucumber. Right before plating, fold in avocado gently to keep it from mashing.

Combine light soy sauce (2 tbsp), rice vinegar (2 tbsp), neutral oil (2 tbsp), mirin (1 tsp), sugar or honey (1 tsp), sesame oil (1 tsp), grated shallot or minced garlic (1 tsp) and black pepper (1 tsp) in a jar. Shake or whisk until emulsified. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness. Set aside.

Whisk together mayonnaise (1 cup), yuzu juice (2 tbsp), grated garlic (1 tsp), toasted sesame oil (1 tsp), sriracha (1 tsp, optional), salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (1/2 tsp) in a bowl until smooth. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or small bowl. Chill until ready to plate; it thickens slightly as it chills. Adjust salt or citrus to taste.

If using steamed sushi rice or mixed grains as a base, portion 1/2 cup per serving into bowls (2 cups total for recipe). Otherwise, divide mixed salad greens (5 cups) among bowls, approximately 2.5 cups per bowl for two servings.

Lightly dress the salad greens with the Japanese dressing: use roughly 1 tablespoon of dressing per serving (about 2 tbsp used total). Toss gently to coat.

Spoon the spicy salmon poke on top of the dressed greens or rice, dividing evenly among bowls.

Drizzle yuzu aioli over the poke and salad in a zigzag or small dots. Use about 1.5–2 tbsp aioli per serving (roughly 3–4 tbsp total).

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, shredded nori, reserved green onion, thin radish slices, pickled ginger, and crispy fried shallots as desired.

Serve immediately after assembly. Because this dish uses raw fish, keep refrigerated and consume within the same day. Ensure salmon is sushi-grade and handled cold. Leftovers: store components separately (poke and aioli refrigerated) and consume within 24 hours.