Teriyaki Salmon Sushi Hand Rolls with Spicy Mayo

Teriyaki salmon sushi doesn’t have to mean a bamboo mat and a steady hand. These hand rolls take everything you love about a salmon teriyaki roll and lay it out flat: bite-sized cubes of salmon, marinated in soy, mirin, garlic and ginger, then seared in a hot pan until the edges catch and caramelise. Spoon them over warm rice on a sheet of crisp nori, add slices of avocado and long strips of spring onion, and finish with a drizzle of sriracha mayo.

It’s a relaxed, hands-on way to eat sushi at home, and a clever use for leftover rice. Long grain works perfectly well here, reheated in the oven until piping hot, though sushi rice gives a stickier, more traditional result. The marinade needs just 30 minutes, and the salmon cooks in a few, so the whole dish comes together in under an hour. Serve it as a weekend lunch or light supper alongside a bowl of mushroom miso soup, and let everyone fold their own.

Lunch & Light Bites

Teriyaki Salmon Sushi Hand Rolls with Spicy Mayo

Seared salmon teriyaki cubes, warm rice, avocado and sriracha mayo on crisp nori. An easy, no-roll teriyaki salmon sushi for two.

Prep Time10 mins + 30 mins marinating

Cook Time10 mins

Serves2

StyleJapanese-inspired

Ingredients

For the salmon

• 1 large salmon fillet, or 2 thick-cut salmon steaks (about 2.5cm/1in thick)
• 60ml (¼ cup) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp agave syrup
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or finely sliced
• A little neutral oil, for the pan

For the wraps

• 2 sheets of nori
• 2 portions cooked long grain rice (leftover is ideal)
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 2 spring onions, cut into long strips

For the spicy mayo

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1–2 tsp sriracha, to taste

Method

1. Remove the skin from the salmon and cut it into bite-sized cubes.
2. Mix the soy sauce, mirin, agave syrup, garlic and ginger in a bowl. Add the salmon, turn to coat and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, warm the rice. If using leftover rice, place it in a covered ovenproof dish with a splash of water and reheat in the oven at 180°C (160°C fan) for 15–20 minutes, until piping hot. For sushi rice, see the sushi rice recipe and video tutorial.
4. Stir the mayonnaise and sriracha together and set aside.
5. When the rice is almost ready, heat a lightly oiled frying pan over a medium-high heat. Lift the salmon out of the marinade and add it to the pan, leaving the marinade behind. Cook for 3–4 minutes, turning, until browned and caramelised on the outside and just cooked through.
6. Lay each nori sheet flat on a plate. Spoon the warm rice down the centre, then add the avocado, spring onion and salmon.
7. Drizzle with the spicy mayo and serve straight away, folding the nori around the filling to eat.

Cook’s note: Assemble just before eating. Nori softens quickly once warm rice goes on, so it’s best kept crisp until the last moment. Discard the leftover marinade, as it has been in contact with raw fish.

Optional variation: Swap the salmon for cubed firm tofu or chicken thigh, or add a scatter of toasted sesame seeds and a few slices of cucumber for crunch.

Serve It On

How to Serve It

Hand rolls look best on a plain, matt surface that lets the nori and glossy salmon stand out. These were served on Royal Doulton’s Urban Dining plates in Lid White, speckled stoneware with a raw sandy rim, wide and flat enough to hold a whole sheet of nori without the edges curling over the side. The warm, natural tones suit Japanese-inspired food, picking up the colour of the rice and the caramelised salmon. Set them out with small dishes of extra sriracha mayo, pickled ginger and soy, and let everyone build their own at the table. Served this way, they also make a relaxed opening course for a Japanese-themed dinner party.

Royal Doulton

Urban Dining Plate, Lid White, Set of 4

Speckled stoneware dinner plates with a natural sandy rim.

Under £50

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Teriyaki Salmon Sushi FAQs

Does salmon go with teriyaki?

Yes, it’s one of the best pairings there is. Salmon is rich enough to stand up to the salty-sweet glaze, and the natural oils in the fish help the sugars caramelise in the pan, giving those dark, sticky edges. The ginger and garlic in the marinade cut through the richness, so it never tastes heavy.

What goes in teriyaki sushi?

Teriyaki sushi uses cooked rather than raw fillings, usually salmon or chicken teriyaki glazed in a soy, mirin and sugar sauce. Avocado is the classic partner, adding creaminess against the savoury glaze. Spring onion, cucumber and sesame seeds bring freshness and crunch, and a spicy mayo made with sriracha adds gentle heat. Everything sits on seasoned sushi rice and is wrapped in nori, either rolled or folded by hand as in this recipe. For a no-cook, high-protein alternative, try this fiery canned tuna sushi.

Do I put teriyaki sauce on salmon before or after cooking?

Both approaches work. Here, the salmon sits in the marinade for 30 minutes before cooking, which seasons the fish all the way through. It then goes into the pan without the liquid, so it sears and caramelises rather than stews. For an extra-glossy finish, simmer a fresh batch of soy, mirin and agave in a small pan until syrupy and brush it over the salmon at the end. Don’t reuse the marinade, as it has been in contact with raw fish.

How do you make salmon teriyaki rolls?

Lay a sheet of nori shiny side down on a bamboo mat and spread a thin layer of sushi rice over it, leaving a 2cm strip clear along the top edge. Arrange a line of cooked teriyaki salmon, avocado and spring onion across the centre. Lift the mat and roll away from you, pressing gently as you go, then dampen the clear edge to seal. For a quicker version, skip the mat entirely and make these hand rolls instead, or try baked salmon sushi cups, which are ideal for parties.