How to Make Salmon Nigiri in an Ice Cube Tray
Today, I will show you how to make salmon nigiri sushi at home using a surprisingly easy trick — an ice cube tray! Follow this easy step-by-step guide and enjoy the most delicious homemade sushi in no time. This recipe is truly revolutionary. 😁
⏱️ In a hurry? Use the Jump to Recipe button above. If you’ve got a minute, you’ll find my best tips, step-by-step photos and serving ideas below.
Do you like sushi? I do! And so do my kids. But sushi isn’t exactly a cheap family meal anymore, especially when everyone wants more than a couple of pieces. So, what should we do? Make homemade sushi, of course!
I have to add a little disclaimer at this point: this salmon nigiri recipe is probably not the most authentic one. The art of making sushi is a skill that requires precision, creativity and perseverance, and becoming a really good sushi chef takes years.
However, this recipe will show you how to make salmon nigiri at home that you and your family will enjoy without paying a fortune at a Japanese restaurant. And furthermore, it uses an amazing trick to make them fast — an ice cube tray!
Let’s dive in.
Why You’ll Love This Salmon Nigiri Recipe
Let’s explore what makes this recipe so good:
- Easy to make: If you’re not a sushi chef, making nigiri can seem intimidating. But fear not! This cheat recipe is quick and requires no special sushi-making skills.
- No hand-shaping required: The ice cube tray does the hard work for you and makes it easy to create individual pieces of salmon nigiri.
- Family-friendly: My kids love sushi, and they’ll enjoy being part of making their own nigiri. It’s a fun recipe to make together.
- Gluten-free: Restaurant sushi can contain hidden gluten, particularly in sauces. Making sushi at home means you can use tamari and keep the whole meal gluten-free.
- Budget-friendly: Making salmon nigiri at home is much more cost-efficient than ordering takeaway or dining out, especially when you’re feeding the whole family.
📝 Ingredients for Salmon Nigiri
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this easy salmon nigiri:
- Japanese sushi rice: Cooked and seasoned with sushi vinegar. You can follow my [How to Make Sushi Rice] recipe for step-by-step instructions.
- Sushi vinegar: You can use ready-made sushi vinegar or make your own — I’ll show you how below.
- Salmon: Make sure to use very fresh, high-quality salmon suitable for eating raw.
- Ripe avocado: You’ll want it nice and ripe so it’s easy to mash.
- Nori: I like adding shredded nori to the sushi rice.
- Mayonnaise: Just a little goes between the salmon and avocado.
- Tamari: For serving. Regular soy sauce contains gluten, so I use tamari to keep the recipe gluten-free.
- Pickled ginger and wasabi: To serve.
See the full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card below.
A Word About Salmon
Because the salmon in this recipe is eaten raw, use the highest-quality fish you can find. Buy it from a reputable fishmonger, tell them that you are planning to eat the salmon raw and ask for salmon suitable for sushi or sashimi.
What You’ll Need
There are many different kinds of sushi in Japanese cuisine, and traditional sushi-making takes a lot of practice. But this doesn’t mean we can’t make delicious sushi at home. And for my variation of salmon nigiri, you don’t need any fancy sushi equipment. You will need:
- A medium-sized saucepan or rice cooker to cook the sushi rice
- A large bowl for mixing the rice with sushi vinegar
- A cutting board
- A very sharp knife
- A large rectangular ice cube tray
- Plastic wrap
And yes, the ice cube tray is the secret!
How to Make Salmon Nigiri at Home
Here comes the most exciting part: we are making sushi!
And as promised, this salmon nigiri recipe is a little bit of a cheat recipe. If, like me, you don’t have any idea how to make perfectly hand-formed sushi, this method is for you.
Make the Sushi Vinegar
If you don’t have ready-to-go sushi vinegar, you can easily make it yourself.
Simply combine ⅓ cup of rice vinegar with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved completely. Your sushi vinegar is ready to use.
Prepare the Sushi Rice
Start by cooking the sushi rice. You can use a rice cooker or follow my How to Make Sushi Rice recipe.
1. Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature. Add the sushi vinegar and shredded nori, then mix gently using a wooden spatula or spoon.
2. Prepare the Ice Cube Tray. Line the ice cube tray with plastic wrap, gently pressing the wrap down into each section.
3. Using a sharp knife, slice your salmon into small rectangles.
4. Place one thin slice of salmon into each ice cube tray section, pressing it gently into the bottom of the tray. Add a little mayonnaise and mashed avocado over the salmon, then top with about one teaspoon of sushi rice. Press down gently to flatten.
5. Carefully turn the tray upside down onto a cutting board and slowly lift the ice cube tray, allowing the sushi to come out.
6. Carefully turn the tray upside down onto a cutting board and slowly lift the ice cube tray, allowing the sushi to come out.
📝 Recipe Tips
- Choose your salmon carefully. Look for salmon suitable for sushi or sashimi.
- Use a very sharp knife. It will make it much easier to cut clean, thin slices of salmon.
- Cool the sushi rice. Let the rice cool before assembling the nigiri rather than putting hot rice against the raw salmon.
- Don’t overfill the tray. Press each layer gently into the ice cube tray so the nigiri holds together when you turn it out.
- Use a large rectangular ice cube tray. This will give you a shape much closer to traditional nigiri.
Variations
- To make tuna nigiri, replace the salmon with tuna suitable for eating raw.
- Use smoked salmon to make smoked salmon nigiri.
- Use cooked prawns to make prawn nigiri.
- Add a small amount of wasabi to each slice of salmon before placing it in the ice cube tray if you like some heat.
How to Serve Salmon Nigiri
Serve salmon nigiri on a nice chopping board or serving plate with the fish side up. Add a small amount of wasabi and some pickled ginger, and serve with tamari for dipping. If you’re making a larger Japanese-inspired meal, my Gomae – Japanese Spinach Salad is a great side to serve with it.
❄️ Storage
Salmon nigiri is best eaten fresh. If you would like to prepare it in advance, make it only a couple of hours before serving. Cover it well with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until you’re ready to eat. I don’t recommend freezing salmon nigiri.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Sushi nigiri, in its traditional form, is gluten-free. However, some sauces, such as soy sauce, may contain gluten. If you have celiac or are sensitive to gluten, it’s important to use gluten-free soy sauce such as tamari.
I don’t recommend freezing sushi nigiri. It’s best to enjoy nigiri fresh.
Absolutely! Vegetarian and vegan sushi nigiri options are very popular. You can use ingredients like marinated tofu, grilled vegetables, pickled radishes, or even fruit slices to create delicious vegetarian or vegan variations.
How to Make Salmon Nigiri in an Ice Cube Tray
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Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked sushi rice See my recipe on how to cook sushi rice without rice cooker.
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon organic raw sugar (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoons free-range mayonnaise
- 1/2 ripe avocado, mashed
- 1 salmon fillet, approximatelly 300 grams, sliced
To serve
- 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari if glute-free
- 1/2 teaspoon wasabi
- 1 teaspoon pickled ginger
Instructions
Sushi rice
- Prepare sushi rice vinegar by combining 1/3 cup of rice vinegar with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir the vinegar with a spoon until the sugar has dissolved completely. Set aside.
- Cook sushi rice according to instructions. Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and add sushi rice vinegar followed by shredded nori sheets. Mix the rice gently using wooden spatula or spoon.If you need help read HOW TO MAKE SUSHI RICE.
Preparation
- Mash ripe avocado, set aside
- Slice salmon fillet
Making salmon nigiri in an ice cube tray
- Line the ice cube tray with some plastic wrap and push down the plastic wrap into each ice cube section
- Add a little amount of your favorite mayonnaise on top of the salmon. Place some smashed avocado onto the mayo. Finish with a teaspoon of cooked rice. The tray now should be filled with sushi ingredients. Press gently to make it flat.
- Carefully turn the tray around on a cutting board and slowly lift the ice cube tray.
- Remove the glad wrap, and carefully transfer salmon nigiri onto a serving plate or board. Salmon nigiri are ready to be served.
Video
Notes
- Replace the salmon with tuna suitable for eating raw.
- Use smoked salmon for an easy alternative.
- Use cooked prawns to make prawn nigiri.
- Add a small amount of wasabi to the salmon before placing it in the ice cube tray for a little heat.
If you make this salmon nigiri recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below — it really helps other readers too.
What To Cook Next
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What a great idea!! This really is easy to make and tastes amazing!
So quick and easy 😊
So schöne Erinnerungen !!!!
This is very delicious.. thank you for sharing.
What a great way to make sushi! Delicious!
such an easy recipe!
this is a great recipe. I never imagined delicious Sushi could be so easy! Thank you for the beautiful step-by-step pictures and instructions! Yum 5 Stars!