I love eating salmon sashimi but always eating out for sushi can be quite pricy. If you’re tight on a budget or want to have a sushi night, you can buy a raw salmon fish at the store and make it ‘sushi grade’ which means that it’s safe to consume raw.
I learned this method from my parents’ sushi restaurant. This freezing method is also used at all sushi restaurants to ensure the fish can be eaten raw. To ensure your salmon sashimi is safe to eat or ‘sushi grade,’ follow my recipe below. This is raw salmon so please consume at your own risk and know where your fish comes from. If you’re pregnant, etc. consult a doctor before eating raw salmon.
How to Choose Sushi-Grade Salmon for Sashimi
There are two different types of salmon you can use for sashimi: Farmed Salmon vs. Wild Salmon. My preference is to buy farmed salmon because the salmon is raised in a sizeable contained area so they are able to swim in their natural habitat and eat their own natural diet (Faroe Island Salmon, Sustainably Farmed to be exact). This type of salmon has a lower chance of pesticides compared to wild salmon where I don’t know what foods they have been eating. Wild Salmon may have more parasites and pesticides due to being an eco system and eating small fish, krill, and crustaceans that naturally carry the larval stages of various internal parasites.
Keep in mind that “Sushi-grade” or “sashimi-grade” isn’t an official government stamp — it’s the fishmonger telling you the fish was handled to be eaten raw. I get mine from my local fish market and ask questions, not from the grocery salmon counter like Ralph’s, Costco or Safeway (that fish isn’t meant to be eaten raw). Buy the highest grade you can and know where the salmon (wild or farmed) came from! Then, prepare the salmon according to my recipe below.
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR SALMON SASHIMI:
- fresh farmed salmon (Faroe Island Salmon, Sustainably Farmed)
- salt
- freezer bag (ziplock freezer bags or any that prevent freezer burn is great!)
yuzu aioli (optional):
- yuzu hot sauce
- olive oil
STEPS TO MAKE THE SALMON SASHIMI:
- Get fresh salmon from your local market. I am using 1 pound salmon fillet.
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Add 1 teaspoon salt (per pound) and let it sit for 20 minutes. You will see that water will start coming out
- Rinse salmon with running water.
- Pay salmon dry with a paper towel, and store in a freezer bag.
- Freeze salmon for at least 7 days at -4°F (-20°C) to a month to kill parasites.
- When you’re ready to eat the salmon, defrost in the refrigerator the night before.
- Take salmon out of the refrigerator before eating and pat dry with a paper towel. Slice and serve. I like to eat with sushi rice and dip with wasabi & soy sauce. If you have salmon skin left, don’t throw it away. Fry in some oil for 5-7 minutes until crispy. It tastes like chips!
- Optional: I served the salmon sashimi with yuzu aioli for a slight citrus note. You can also serve the sashimi with lemon, cucumbers, and avocado.
Check Out More Salmon Recipes
- Air Fryer Salmon Bites (Under 15 Minutes!) – the salmon is packed with flavor from the dry seasonings and a spicy mayo marinade (& sauce!).
- Spicy Salmon Sushi with Crab – salmon onigiri topped with avocado, spicy crab, teriyaki sauce (aka unagi sauce), sriracha, and green onions.
- 30 Minute Salmon Poke Bowl – marinated shoyu salmon on top of white rice and served with vegetables.
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Salmon Sashimi
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Get fresh salmon from your local market. I am using 1 pound salmon fillet.
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Add 1 teaspoon salt (per pound) and let it sit for 20 minutes. You will see that water will start coming out.
- Rinse salmon with running water.
- Pay salmon dry with a paper towel, and store in a freezer bag.
- Freeze salmon for at least 7 days at -4°F (-20°C) to a month to kill parasites.
- When you're ready to eat the salmon, defrost in the refrigerator the night before.
- Take salmon out of the refrigerator before eating and pat dry with a paper towel. Slice and serve. I like to eat with sushi rice and dip with wasabi & soy sauce. If you have salmon skin left, don't throw it away. Fry in some oil for 5-7 minutes until crispy. It tastes like chips!
- Optional: I served the salmon sashimi with yuzu aioli for a slight citrus note. You can also serve the sashimi with lemon, cucumbers, and avocado.
Video
@cookwithdana Save your $$$ and eat safely prepared raw salmon at home 🤩🍣 #sushi #salmon #learnontiktok #foodtiktok
♬ Lights Are On – Instrumental – Edith Whiskers
Natalia says
Thank you! I love sashimi and sushi rolls. After trying this technique I enjoyed some delicious salmon sashimi made at home. I’ll be making this regularly!
Dana says
Thanks so much! So glad it was delicious ◡̈
Stef says
Sounds delish! If my salmon is already frozen, can I just go to the salt seasoning step, slice and serve?
Dana says
Yes, you can. I would make sure the salmon has been frozen for at least 7 days. Before you eat, I would do the salt seasoning step to clean the salmon if you can.
Hang Le says
I followed your instructions and made 2 sashimi meals and it was totally delicious 🤩 My daughter and my husband loved it.Thank you so much Dana for sharing the recipe ❤️. I never thought that I could ever made sashimi at home 😍
Cook With Dana says
Ah! I’m so happy it worked out! Glad it turned out delicious.
XLNTMOMMY says
l hav heard for years about freezing salmon by restaurants as the typical anti-parasite preparation, and hav wanted to try it.. but is this the same “smoked salmon” they use for sashimi..? l bet it is and thats just a label.. either way, l cant wait to try this.. lm probably going to hold out until l can find some alaska king salmon.. thank you for posting this..!
Colin Davies says
This is now my go-to recipe for salmon sashimi! It is so simple and also delicious, as well as safe :). I use wild sockeye salmon and occasionally coho, all from west coast Canadian waters. 8 -10 days in the freezer works well.
Thank you so much for this. I’m delighted to have found you ☺
Colin Davies
Cook With Dana says
Thank you Colin for the comment! So glad you tried it!
P says
Hello! Would this work on tuna as well or just salmon?
Cook With Dana says
Hi there ◡̈
This is for salmon only. Fresh tuna does not need to be frozen and prepared like salmon due to the lower risk of parasites.
Selena Jwaied says
I would be so happy to do this and finally have sushi grade salmon without driving a while away to my nearest Asian market but, like other people, I am afraid to incorrectly do it and get sick over unsafe sashimi. But! You’re giving me the motivation to do it! But before I do, does a normal ziplock bag work for freezing the salmon or do I need a vacuum seal one like the one you use in the tiktok?
Cook With Dana says
Hi Selena, I would recommend a vacuum sealed bag or double bag your ziplock so you won’t get freezer burn ◡̈