If you've spent any time on TikTok in the last few years, you've likely come across a few (or, in my case, hundreds and thousands of) videos re-creating Emily Mariko's salmon rice recipe. A leftover meal commonly eaten in Japanese and Korean households, the content creator's version of the easy lunch has been a staple of the app for some time.
Mariko's TikTok sharing the salmon recipe has garnered over 34 million views in less than two weeks back in 2021, and unlike the famous baked feta pasta or Gigi Hadid's spicy vodka pasta, this trend is beyond simple and can be whipped up in 10 minutes flat using leftovers. After "hearting" so many TikToks of the meal, I finally gave into the hype and ordered some Kewpie mayo (a delicious Japanese mayonnaise made of egg yolks) to try it for myself.
The dish really only requires six ingredients, although you can easily customize your own salmon rice however you'd like. Mariko famously microwaves her leftover salmon and rice with an ice cube - which I've since learned steams the rice - but since I was impatient, I quickly made rice and cooked a piece of salmon right before putting together the bowl.
The process was even easier than expected, and the result was a filling, tasty lunch that I'll definitely be adding to my meal rotation. My final takeaway? The viral salmon rice bowl deserves all the attention it's getting. Ahead, see exactly how I made the viral meal and a breakdown of the full recipe.
Yerin Kim is the features editor at PS, where she helps shape the vision for special features and packages across the network. A graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School, she has over five years of experience in the pop culture and women's lifestyle spaces. She's passionate about spreading cultural sensitivity through the lenses of lifestyle, entertainment, and style.
Ingredients
- White rice
- Salmon fillet
- Soy sauce
- Sriracha
- Kewpie mayo
- Roasted seaweed
- Half an avocado (optional)
- Kimchi (optional)
Directions
- Gently flake your salmon and spread it across a plate.
- Add a serving of rice on top of the salmon.
- Add a dash of soy sauce, sriracha, and Kewpie mayo on top.
- Mix all the ingredients together.
- Optional, but top your bowl with half a sliced avocado, kimchi, and any other sides to your liking.
- Wrap a chopstick-full of the rice with a piece of roasted seaweed for the perfect bite, and enjoy.
