Spicy Salmon Bowls (Easy Recipe in 20 Minutes)
Salmon bowls are unbeatable as a quick, easy, nutritious and highly customizable meal. The secret of this recipe lies in the spicy, delicious double-purpose sauce, which not only coats the salmon but also dresses the salad mix.
The salmon rice bowls are made with fresh ingredients and packed with protein and nutrients. They are super easy to make in about 20 minutes or so. Just a simple and delicious meal in a bowl.
In a nutshell:
- Cook the rice (or if you’re lazy like me, buy cooked rice)
- Mix together the 4-ingredient sauce, using half to coat the salmon
- While the salmon is baking, dice the salad ingredients.
- Assemble the salmon bowls and drizzle on the remaining sauce.
If you are cooking your own rice, the salmon bowl recipe will take almost the same amount of time because you will cook the rice while the salmon bakes.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
- Salmon: Use fresh salmon fillets, skin on or off. Thaw them if frozen. I buy centre cut Atlantic salmon for even cooking. I don’t bother cubing the salmon – less fuss and less likely to dry out when cooked. You can break it into chunks after cooking if you like.
- Rice: Use long grain rice (Basmati, Jasmine rice) or a stickier medium-grain rice or even sushi rice.
- Spicy sauce: This is a no-cook sauce made with mayonnaise, chili crisp and a dash of honey and lemon juice. Make it as mild or fiery as you like.
- Salad mix: I use mini crunchy cucumber, tomatoes (cherry tomatoes if not in season), a ripe mango and green onions. The mango adds a lovely silky sweet contrast to the spicy salmon.
- Garnish: extra chili crisp and green onions
Substitutes and Variations
- For the rice: Instead of rice, try rice noodles.
- For the sauce: I highly recommend using chili crisp (see FAQs below), but you can replace it with red pepper flakes or a hot sauce which will add the heat you need but not the crunch. You can also substitute the sauce with a teriyaki sauce, sriracha sauce, Japanese ponzu sauce, a spicy mayo or aioli, or a citrus vinaigrette. Or add a teaspoon of sesame oil to the recipe sauce.
- Salad options: Add or replace some of the fresh veggies with avocado, radishes, shredded carrots, diced red pepper, edamame. You can also substitute the mango with peaches or grapes.
- Garnish options: sesame seeds, pickled ginger, seaweed
- Lower calorie version: use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise and cauliflower rice instead of white rice.
Step by step instructions
Tips
Don’t overcook the salmon! This is the most important tip for all salmon dishes. The rule of thumb is 10 minutes per inch (2.5 cm) of thickness. The salmon should be moist, warm pink inside, not light, dry, and flaky.
Balance the flavors: You will need to adjust the sauce ingredients to your preferences – spicier, tarter, sweeter, or saltier.
Shortcuts
- Buy cooked rice or use leftover rice.
- Replace the sauce with a store-bought spicy mayo or sweet Thai chili sauce (mixed with a little mayo if you like). But keep in mind the sauce takes 1 minute to prepare if you have the ingredients on hand!
- Use frozen mango, thawed.
Make Ahead
One of the best things about these spicy salmon bowls is that the sauce, rice and salad components can be made a day ahead.
If you are planning to serve the salmon bowls cold or at room temperature, you can also cook the salmon ahead of time and refrigerate it until using. If not, I like to make it just before serving since reheating salmon is tricky – it’s too easy to overcook.
What to serve with salmon bowls
Salmon bowls like this one are complete meals in a bowl.
For a more substantial meal or when I serve them to guests, I sometimes pair the dish with egg drop soup with vegetables, a miso soup or some spring rolls.
Another nice option is a side of this easy tropical fruit salad.
Chili Crisp FAQs
Chili crisp, also known as chili oil flakes are a popular Asian condiment typically consisting of chili peppers, garlic, shallots, and various aromatic spices infused with oil and fried until crispy. They add heat, flavor, and texture to stir-fries, noodles, soups rice bowls and dipping sauces.
Bon Appetit editors recommend the top 10 chili crisp in a jar. A few of their favorites are Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisps (crunchy and spicy but not too spicy), Mẹ’s Way Chili Sauce (includes fish sauce), Momofuku Chili Crunch (very hot, crunchy, umami with some sweetness). Check the ingredients if you are vegetarian (some contain fish sauce, anchovies or dried shrimp).
More quick and easy salmon recipes
- pecan crusted salmon
- teriyaki salmon
- salmon and rice with creamy dill sauce
- panko crusted salmon
- salmon bites with spicy chili crisp sauce
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Spicy Salmon Bowls (Easy Recipe in 20 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice, Note 1 to cook the rice
- 1 1/4 pounds salmon fillets, with or without skin (I buy centre cut for even cooking)
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon each, kosher salt and black pepper
Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise regular or light
- 3 tablespoons chili crisp, Note 2
- 2 teaspoons honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or rice vinegar (or more to taste)
Salad Mix, Note 3
- 1 tomato
- 2 mini cucumbers
- 1 small mango eg. Ataulfo, peeled and pit removed (or half large mango)
- 1 -2 green onions
Garnish
- chili crisp, chopped green onions, sesame seeds
Instructions
- HEAT OVEN TO 425F/218C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with oil for easy cleanup. If you are cooking the rice, start it now, Note 1.
- MAKE SAUCE: Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. Taste and adjust to your preferences.1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons chili crisp, Note 2, 1 teaspoon lemon juice or rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey
- PREPARE AND BAKE SALMON: Cut salmon filet into 6 ounce (170 gram) portions – about 2 inches (5 cm) width. Or leave them larger if you prefer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon half the sauce over the fillets. Top with chopped green onions. Place salmon pieces skin side down on pan. Bake for 8-12 minutes depending on thickness. Don't overcook (bake about 10 minutes per 1 inch/2.5 cm of thickness) just until warm pink inside.
- MAKE SALAD MIX: While salmon is baking, dice tomato, mini cucumbers, mango and green onion finely – about 1/4 inch (6 mm).
- ASSEMBLE: In each of 2-3 bowls, place cooked rice at the bottom, then top with a salmon fillet and salad mix around it. Drizzle remaining sauce on salad. Garnish with extra chili crisp and green onion. Serve immediately.If you have salmon skin, easily remove it by sliding a spatula between the flesh and the skin. The salmon will lift right off.
Recipe Notes
- Rice: Use your favorite long grain rice (basmati or jasmine), medium grain or sushi rice. Brown rice is good too. You will need about 1 cup cooked rice per person.
- To make about 3 cups cooked rice on the stovetop: Place 1 cup (180 grams), 2 cups (473 ml) water, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt in pot. Bring to boil, stir, cover tightly, lower heat to medium-low heat and cook for about 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Let sit for 5 minutes and fluff with fork. (Or cook rice in a rice cooker).
- Here is the yield if you are making your own:
- 1 cup of raw long-grain white rice yields ~ 3 cups of cooked rice.
- 1 cup of raw medium-grain white rice yields ~ 2 1/2 cups of cooked rice.
- 1 cup of raw short-grain white rice yields ~ 2 cups of cooked rice.
- Chili Crisp: I don’t like things overly spicy but I am hooked on chili crisp! It adds so much flavor and texture – typically made with chili peppers, garlic, shallots, and aromatic spices infused with oil and fried until crispy. Buy it from an Asian grocery store, some mainstream grocery stores, or on Amazon. Here are Bon Appetit recommendations for the top 10 chili crisp in a jar.
- Recipe variations and substitutes:
- For the rice: Instead of rice, try rice noodles. For a lower calorie version, use cauliflower rice.
- For the sauce: I highly recommend using chili crisp, but you can replace it with red pepper flakes or a hot sauce which will add the heat you need but not the crunch. Start with a teaspoon or two of chili flakes and go from there. You can also substitute the sauce with a teriyaki sauce, sriracha mayo, Japanese ponzu sauce, a spicy aioli or a citrus vinaigrette. Or add a few drops of sesame oil to the recipe sauce.
- Salad options: Add or replace some items with avocado, radishes, shredded carrots, diced red pepper, edamame. You can also substitute the mango with peaches or grapes.
- Lower calorie version: use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise and cauliflower rice instead of white rice. Or reduce the amount of rice in the bowls.
- Make ahead: You can make the sauce, rice and salad components a day ahead for quick meal prep. If you are planning to serve the salmon bowls cold or at room temperature, you can also cook the salmon ahead of time, cool and refrigerate it until needed. If not, I like to make the salmon just before serving since reheating salmon is tricky – it’s easy to overcook. Store leftovers in an airtight container for a day or two (the salad can get a bit watery).
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