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This salmon crudo recipe is a fresh take on the Japanese-inspired crudos, featuring a bright yuzu soy dressing and a touch of spicy mayo. Serve it as a light appetizer or a show-stopping starter for any occasion!
Self-admittedly, I may have a tiny addiction to crudos! Seriously though… my love for them never runs dry. This recipe for chive-crusted salmon crudo with yuzu soy dressing and spicy mayo is everything you’ve ever wanted in a crudo bite! Whether you’ve had salmon crudo at a restaurant and always wondered how to make it, or you’re trying it for the first time, this is the salmon recipe you’ll keep coming back to.
Why You’ll Fall For This Yuzu Salmon Crudo
This is a dish that will make you stop mid-bite and try to savor it a little longer… you know the bite! Lightly cured salmon, crusted in fresh chives, set over an amazing umami yuzu soy dressing, and finished with a dollop of spicy mayo and crispy shallots. I’m all about chasing that perfectly balanced bite – and this one delivers!
Table of Contents
Prep Your Ingredients: Salmon Crudo
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this amazing Salmon Crudo with Yuzu Soy & Spicy Mayo:
Crudo
- Sushi-Grade Salmon | Kosher Salt | Cane Sugar – This is the ingredients you will need to do a light cure on the salmon. Doing this will draw moisture from salmon, resulting in a firmer, more savory flavor while keeping the texture relatively soft and sashimi-like
- Chives | Serrano – This is the main prep work of this recipe. You need to chop up the chives to prep for chive-crusted the salmon. Then, thinly slice your serrano for topping later.
Pro Tip: ALWAYS get sushi-grade salmon – If you can’t find it near you, you can always find it at places like Catalina Offshore Products, Yama Seafood or Riviera Seafood Club.
Crispy Shallots
- Shallot: thinly sliced – These are sooo good. They add a crunchy texture that is vital for a perfectly balanced bite.
- Oil: neutral with a high heat point – Make sure you don’t get an oil that has much taste to it. A neutral oil is best because we don’t want to mess with the balance of the other flavors.
Yuzu Soy Sauce
- Light soy sauce| Yuzu Juice| Mirin – Mix these three together for an amazing sauce! It’s just as easy as that. You can use this sauce to dip anything sushi related in – it’s amazing!
Spicy Mayo
- Japanese Mayo| Wasabi | Agave Syrup: Combine for a spicy mayo! This will be what you dollop on each shasimi-style slice of salmon.
Substitutions and Variations
Ingredient Swap
Make this salmon crudo with yuzu soy & spicy mayo your own:
- Fish Swap → You can use sushi-grade tuna, yellowtail, or even scallops instead.
- Chives → Swap this out for some sesame seeds or toasted nuts if you’d like.
- Serranos → You can use jalapeños or Fresno chilis if you can’t find serranos to top this salmon crudo. If you don’t want the spice, just use Fresno, make sure to remove all the seeds, or you can even omit the peppers completely.
- Japanese Mayo → Feel free to use regular mayonnaise as opposed to Kewpie mayo. If you want to try making your own Japanese mayo (Kewpie mayo) for these long fries, try adding a splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar to regular mayo.
Flavor Twist: Similar Salmon Crudo Recipes
Are crudo’s your love? Here’s a few more to try:
- Tuna Crudo → Silky | Bright | Perfectly Balanced: This tuna is sesame-crusted and served with a white soy ponzu.
- Spicy Orange Salmon Crudo | Lightly cured rolled in a nutty sesame coating set on top of a spicy orange sauce and topped with Sesame Nori Mayo.
- Sesame Crusted Salmon Crudo | Silky salmon with a perfectly balanced sauce that is slightly sweet with a pop of acidity. Topped with crispy shallots for that needed crunch.
- Hamachi Crudo | Silky hamachi slices in a truffled yuzu sauce and topped with crunchy leeks.
The Perfect Pairings
Cucumbertini: This is a bright and fresh cocktail that would pair perfectly with this chive-crusted salmon crudo
Crispy Chicken Thighs in a Sake Butter Sauce: Another Japanese-inspired recipe, these crispy chicken thighs would be a great follow up to this appetizer.
Arugula Fennel Salad: Every dish needs a fresh salad, and this is my go-to! It’s super easy and so delicious.
Passion Fruit Panna Cotta: This is a light and silky dessert that would end the night on a great note.
Salmon Crudo with Yuzu Soy & Spicy Mayo: Questions Answered
Locally, I get it at AJ’s. I also order it online sometimes at places like Catalina Offshore Products, Yama Seafood or Riviera Seafood Club.
You can prep some of this ahead. The yuzu soy sauce and spicy mayo can be made the day before. The crispy shallots can be made the day before and stored at room temperature, the re-crisp in a dry pan right beforehand. Don’t cure the salmon for longer than 30 minutes. The actual assembly needs to be done right before serving.
It’s not bad. The wasabi in the spicy mayo part of the recipe is mellowed out by the agave, but if you want to skip it you can. The Serranos that you top this with can have some heat, but you can always take them off.
Not quite. Sashimi is served plain while crudo is dressed with a sauce adding more flavors and textures.
Chef Nadia’s Tip
ALWAYS get sushi-grade salmon – If you can’t find it near you, you can always find it at places like Catalina Offshore Products, Yama Seafood or Riviera Seafood Club.
Salmon Crudo with Yuzu Soy and Spicy Mayo
Equipment
- baking sheet
- wire rack
- pan
- 2 small bowls
- serving plate
Ingredients
Crudo
- 8 oz sushi-grade salmon
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- ¼ cup chives, chopped
- 1 serrano, sliced, for topping
Crispy Shallots
- 1 large shallot
- oil, neutral and high heat point for frying
Yuzu Soy Sauce
- 2½ tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp yuzu juice
- 1 tbsp mirin
Spicy Mayo
- 2 tbsp Japanese mayo
- 1 tsp wasabi
- ½ tsp agave syrup
Instructions
- Cure the Salmon: Mix your salt and sugar. Place your salmon on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath and sprinkle the salt/sugar mixture all over both sides of your salmon. Place the salmon on the cooling rack and put in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to cure. When done, rinse and dry well.8 oz sushi-grade salmon, 2 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp cane sugar
- Chive Coat: Add chopped chives to a plate and firmly press all sides of the salmon into the chives. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.¼ cup chives
- Prepare the Components:• Crispy Shallots: Thinly slice the shallot and pat dry. Add to a cold pan and coat with oil. Turn on to medium heat and fry until golden.• Yuzu Soy Sauce: In a bowl, mix light soy sauce, yuzu and mirin.• Spicy Mayo: In a bowl, mix mayo, wasabi and agave.1 large shallot, oil, 2½ tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp yuzu juice, 1 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp Japanese mayo, 1 tsp wasabi, ½ tsp agave syrup
- Assemble: Slice the salmon into about ½-inch pieces. On your serving plate add the yuzu soy sauce. Arrange the sliced salmon neatly on top of that. Place a dollop of spicy mayo and a serrano slice on top of each salmon. Sprinkle with the crispy shallots. And that is it!1 serrano
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
