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What is Salmon Don?
Salmon don/donburi (サーモン丼) is a simple dish traditionally made with slices of sashimi-grade salmon served over rice. It is a variation of “Kaisendon,” a rice bowl dish topped with a mixture of raw seafood.
This is actually one of my go-to recipes when I don’t feel like cooking. It’s refreshing and filling and a great way to enjoy the natural flavors of fresh ingredients. Whether it’s summer or winter, for lunch or dinner, this is a perfect dish for any time!
How I Developed This Recipe
Crafting this salmon rice bowl recipe, I was inspired to blend the creamy richness of avocado with the dish. Cucumbers are a perfect addition—they add a crisp, refreshing touch.
My focus then shifted to creating a unique marinade that would tie all these flavors together seamlessly.
I’ve found this recipe to be pretty simple yet incredibly flavorful. Definitely worth a try!
Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Sashimi-Grade Salmon: Ensure it’s labeled “sashimi-grade” for raw consumption. Look for shiny, vibrant orange salmon and minimal cellular fluid. Avoid salmon that appears dull or has excess liquid in the package.
- Avocado: Opt for just-ripe avocados to prevent them from becoming mushy when mixed in the donburi.
- Cucumber: Japanese cucumber is ideal, but any fresh cucumber will do. For varieties with soft flesh, scoop out the center before cubing to prevent the rice from becoming watery.
- Japanese Short-Grain White Rice: Essential for authentic donburi. A rice cooker simplifies the process, but stovetop cooking is also an option (see “How to Cook Perfect Japanese Rice on Stove” for instructions).
- Soy Sauce: I prefer Japanese dark soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu). For brand recommendations, visit my Soy Sauce 101 post.
- Mirin: High-quality, affordable “hon mirin” like Hinode Hon Mirin is recommended over “mirin-style” substitutes.
- Sake: Enhances the salmon’s taste and texture, reducing fishiness. If unavailable, dry sherry or white wine are suitable alternatives.
- Dried Kelp (Kombu): A small sheet added to the marinade brings depth and umami. In its absence, a pinch of instant dashi powder can substitute.
- Topping ideas: Toasted white sesame seeds, Shredded nori (kizami nori), Chili threads, Wasabi paste, Perilla leaves (shiso/ooba)
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Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsVisual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Marinated Salmon Donburi at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
Tip: If you’re cooking fresh rice, I recommend washing it and soaking it for 30 minutes before making this recipe.
Pour soy sauce, mirin and sake into a small pan and boil it over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. This step is to burn off the alcohol in the mirin and sake.
Allow the marinade to cool to room temperature. You can speed up the process by transferring it to a container and placing it over an ice bath or cool surface.
It is very important that the marinade is cool before pouring it over the salmon, we don’t want to accidentally cook it!
Use a sharp knife to cut the salmon and avocado into cubes. This is my personal preference, but if you prefer it sliced, you can arrange the dish any way you like. Be creative!
Place them in a container with a small sheet of kombu.
Pour the marinade over the avocado and salmon, you might need to turn some pieces so that they’re all evenly coated. Then place a piece of plastic wrap over the top so that its in contact with the surface of the salmon, this will ensure it is evenly marinated.
Place a lid on top and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. While you wait, I recommend cooking your rice using your preferred method.
Prepare a bowl of rice for each portion. Cut the cucumber into cubes and scatter them on top of the rice along with the marinated salmon and avocado.
For an added touch, I like to sprinkle the top with sesame seeds, shredded nori or a few chili threads for a little heat.
Mix well before eating and enjoy!
Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsFAQ
Use fish labeled as “sushi-grade” or “sashimi-grade,” available at Japanese supermarkets or online, for eating raw. “Sashimi grade” fish is safely stored at low temperatures to be parasite-free. Sashimi-grade salmon is farmed, making it safe for raw consumption, unlike wild salmon. For more information, refer to my detailed article on salmon sashimi.
Japanese short grain white rice is essential for various dishes like sushi, rice balls, curry rice, and donburi. It’s slightly sticky, making it chopstick-friendly. Rice cookers simplify donburi preparation. For stove-top methods, see my detailed post on cooking Japanese rice.
I hope you enjoy this Salmon Donburi recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Fish Donburi Recipes
Marinated Salmon Sashimi Bowl (Salmon Don)
Ingredients
- 200 g sashimi grade salmon
- 1 avocado(s)
- 50 ml soy sauce
- 50 ml mirin
- 50 ml sake
- 5 g dried kelp (kombu) kombu
- 2 portions cooked Japanese short-grain rice see how to cook Japanese rice on the stove here
- 100 g Japanese or Persian cucumber(s) Japanese or Persian
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
- shredded sushi nori seaweed “kizami nori” optional
- chili threads optional
- wasabi paste optional
Instructions
- Pour 50 ml soy sauce, 50 ml mirin and 50 ml sake into a small pan and bring it to a boil on a medium-high heat. Boil for 1 min to burn off the alcohol in the mirin and sake.
- Remove the pan from heat and allow the sauce to cool down to room temperature. (You can speed up the process by transferring the sauce to a heatproof bowl and placing it in a bowl of ice.)
- Cut 200 g sashimi grade salmon and 1 avocado(s) into cubes and place them in a container along with 5 g dried kelp (kombu).
- Pour the cooled marinade over the salmon and avocado until evenly coated, then cover it with plastic wrap. (The plastic wrap should be in direct contact with the surface of the salmon.)
- If your container has a lid, secure it on. Store in the refrigerator for 30 mins. Use this time to cook your rice using your preferred method.
- After 30 mins dish up the rice and cut 100 g Japanese or Persian cucumber(s) into cubes. Scatter the salmon, avocado and cucumber over the rice.
- Pour 1/2 tbsp of the leftover marinade over each bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds, kizami nori and/or chili threads (optional).
- Enjoy!
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