15 Minute Salmon Crudo with Citrus Soy Dressing

Easy and elegant salmon crudo recipe that can be made in 15 minutes! It’s hard to believe how simple it is to make with how impressive it looks. Sushi grade salmon get’s thinly sliced and topped with a simple soy-citrus based dressing, Jalapeño, shallot, fresh lemon juice, sesame seeds and fresh herbs. It works as a stunning yet healthy appetizer or light dinner paired with rice, sushi, or another side dish.

I simply can’t say enough good things about this recipe!

My husband brought home some sushi grade salmon after a fishing trip last year and we made so many delicious raw fish recipes. Homemade crudo, salmon sushi, and everything in between graced our table but we kept coming back to this particular citrus salmon crudo combination. It has the perfect balance of flavors and crunchy mixed with buttery textures and just tastes so darn good!

I have tried and tested this raw salmon dish more times than I can count and it’s a winner. If you’re anything like me, I love going out for sushi but also love being home after a long day. This quick salmon crudo is the solution.

Here’s what we love most about it:

• Hello fresh flavors! With yuzu, white miso, salty soy sauce and all of the other ingredients, it’s a flavor party in your mouth
• The mix of textures is so unexpectedly delightful
• Ready in 15 minutes
• The dressing and toppings can be prepped in advance to make it even faster to put together – great if serving as an appetizer!
• It’s cheaper than sushi or ordering fish crudo at a fancy restaurant
• The dish is so beautiful it will impress guests with minimal effort needed to do so
• So versatile since it works as the perfect appetizer or a light dinner main course

A crudo is simply the word for raw in Spanish and Italian. Thinly sliced fish served this way is sometimes called a carpaccio too.

With all of the best Japanese flavors coming together in a non-traditional way, this salmon crudo dish is more delicious than plates I’ve ordered in restaurants. Imagine salmon sashimi but with all of the bold delicious flavors you’d get in your favorite sushi roll.

Ingredients and Substitutions

This recipe may be easy to prepare but some of the ingredients may be new to you. If they are, please read this section and don’t let the new stuff scare you. You won’t regret having yuzu juice and miso paste on hand! They keep for a long time in the fridge and add so much depth of flavor.

Buying Sushi-Grade Salmon

Sushi grade salmon – it MUST be sushi grade to be safely eaten raw. This can be tricky if you don’t have a good fish market or fishmonger nearby. You can get lucky at some grocery stores but it’s worth a visit to a higher end grocer like Whole Foods for sushi grade fish. They typically only have farmed salmon though.

I normally seek out wild caught salmon but finding sushi grade salmon that is also wild can be hard. Look for fish that has a sushi-grade label, smells and looks fresh, and get wild salmon if possible. After buying, get that fish home quickly and into the refrigerator and use as soon as possible to avoid it getting “fishy tasting.”

Also be sure to inspect the fish before you eat it for any worm-like parasites. In sushi-grade fish, any parasites you find should be dead, but are pretty off putting anyways so make sure to look. Most reputable fish markets will reimburse you for fish with parasites so don’t be afraid to bring it back.

Crudo dressing

• soy sauce or tamari – I use tamari to make the dish gluten-free but either works fine here. If you don’t care about it being gluten free and want to up the umami, ponzu sauce can be used instead.
• lemon juice – you’ll need this for both fresh squeezed lemon juice and zest. You can substitute lime if needed.
• white miso paste – Make sure to get white miso instead of red since white is more mild. Yellow miso would be the second best choice. I use the Miso Master brand since it’s gluten-free and so delicious!
• yuzu juice – yuzu is a Japanese citrus juice that has a unique flavor. It would be hard to substitute with anything else.

Crudo garnishes

The salmon gets sprinkled with shallot, cilantro, jalapeño, lemon zest, sesame seeds (white or black sesame seeds are fine), and chili crisp oil. Here are some notes on substitution options:

• shallot is milder than red onion so I definitely recommend using it if you can. Red or yellow onion or even a sweet onion can be substituted but make sure to slice it VERY thinly and use less onion than you would with the shallot.
• cilantro can be replaced with other fresh herbs like parsley or dill.
• jalapeño pepper adds a hint of heat and crunch! Jalapenos are one of the more mild peppers but if you get a spicy one they can have some kick so slice it thinly. I substituted candied jalapeño slices when I made this once and that was divine.

How to Make Salmon Crudo

1. Prep all crudo garnishes. Set aside.
   
2. Whisk crudo dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
   
3. Use a sharp knife to slice salmon against the grain. You want very thin slices of salmon so keep this in mind. If it does not slice easily, place the salmon filet in the freezer for 15-20 minutes and then try slicing again.
   
4. Arrange salmon in a circular pattern on a serving plate. Or, just arrange nicely on whatever plate you’re using, doesn’t need to be round!
   
5. Pour the citrus soy dressing over salmon making sure the sauce gets evenly distributed. Sprinkle shallot, cilantro, jalapeno, lemon zest and sesame seeds and drizzle chili crisp oil evenly over salmon.
   
6. Season fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt flakes to taste if desired and serve immediately with chopsticks.

Recipe Notes, Tips and Tricks

Variations

The recipe is excellent as written but sometimes it’s fun to experiment. Here are a few ideas:

• Swap the cilantro out for fresh chopped dill and replace the chili crisp oil with capers and lemon zest for a whole different flavor profile.
• Change out those raw jalapeños and shallots for some of my pickled red onions and jalapeños for a tangy twist
• Use lime juice and zest instead of lemon and a touch of grated ginger for a ginger punch. You could add a touch of sesame oil and/or mirin and to the sauce too for a little more subtle depth.
• Replace the dressing with this orange vinaigrette salad dressing with a splash of tamari or soy sauce and orange zest for a completely different spin.

What to Serve With Salmon Crudo

Salmon crudo is a show stopper in it’s beauty and bold flavor. Because of this, the sides can be pretty simple. You can serve as either as an appetizer or a main dish.

Serving as an Appetizer

If you’re serving as an appetizer, it pairs well with asian dishes like gochujang fried rice or marinated chicken teriyaki. Or serve with a light meal like miso noodles or Korean lettuce wraps. Even with it’s Japanese flavor profile, it still can act as a fun, surprisingly well suited starter for a vegetarian lemon pasta or something else along those lines.

Serving as a Main Dish

This crudo recipe can easily be a filling weeknight meal when paired with a simple side or two. No need for takeout or an expensive sushi dinner out. You can still get that flavor you crave at home without a ton of work. The recipe makes enough for 2 people as a main dish but can easily be doubled or tripled to feed 4 or more without taking much more time.

If serving as a dinner, here are some easy dishes to go with it:

• A pot of rice or elevate the flavor and serve with coconut rice
• A simple lemon torn kale salad would pair decently but add some yuzu to the recipe to really tie it all together

Does the Salmon Need to be Sushi Grade to Eat it Raw?

Yes, the salmon you use needs to be sushi grade to safely eat it raw. Sushi grade salmon is ocean caught and flash frozen right away at 0° F for 7 days or at -35° for 15 hours. This kills any parasites that may be present in the fish.

How Thin Should I Slice the Salmon for Salmon Crudo?

Slice the fish as thin as possible! Ideally, each slice would be about 1/8 inch thick and definitely not thicker than 1/4 inch.