We eat a lot of salmon in this house, and it almost always leans Asian-inspired.
Sometimes it’s a pan-seared filet, sometimes cubed and baked, sometimes broiled — but no matter how it’s cooked, it ends up in a rice bowl with salmon and a really good sauce.
That sauce is what makes it. Creamy, a little sweet, a little spicy — and the reason this dinner is always on repeat!
Why You’ll Love This Salmon Rice Bowl Recipe
- Fresh, balanced, and actually satisfying
- Weeknight easy (but doesn’t feel like it)
- Flexible with whatever’s in your fridge
- High-protein and filling
- The sauce is what makes it
What You Need
- Salmon: I usually use skin-on fillets for better texture when searing, but skinless works too.
- Jasmine rice: Light, fluffy, and slightly sticky, perfect for bowls. You can swap for brown rice or quinoa if you prefer.
- Spicy mayo (bang bang sauce): This is the star! It’s creamy, a little sweet, and a little spicy. Definitely don’t skip it.
- Veggies: I like a mix of creamy (avocado) and crunchy (cucumber, carrots, radishes), but this is very flexible.
- Furikake & sesame seeds: Adds texture and that extra savory, umami flavor that makes the bowl feel complete.
How to Make the Best Salmon Rice Bowls
This recipe comes together quickly by cooking the salmon while prepping your toppings and sauce. The key is getting a good sear on the salmon so you get crispy skin and tender, flaky fish. From there, it’s just building your bowl! Rice first, then salmon, then all the toppings, finished with a generous drizzle of spicy mayo.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Don’t rush the salmon. Let it cook undisturbed so the skin gets crispy and releases easily from the pan. If it sticks, it’s not ready to flip yet!
- Don’t overcook the salmon! While you don’t want to rush the searing process, you also want to be careful to not overcook the salmon. The easiest way to tell salmon is done is by how it looks and flakes. When it’s ready, the flesh turns from translucent to opaque and flakes easily with a fork, but still looks slightly moist in the center. If you prefer using a thermometer, it is fully cooked through right around 130°F to 135°F. Don’t let it go too much higher than that, or it will be overcooked!
- Break the salmon into big chunks. Instead of flaking it too small, keep it in larger pieces so you get those buttery, tender bites throughout the bowl.
- Warm rice makes a difference. Fresh or reheated warm rice helps everything come together and slightly melts the sauce into the bowl.
- Go heavy on the sauce! This isn’t the time to be shy, the spicy mayo is what brings everything together in these salmon rice bowls and adds so much flavor!
Recipe:
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Easy Salmon Rice Bowls with Spicy Mayo
Description
These Salmon Rice Bowls with Spicy Mayo are a quick, flavor-packed meal made with tender salmon, fluffy rice, crisp veggies, and a creamy, slightly spicy sauce. It’s an easy, customizable dinner that comes together fast and satisfies every time.
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
For serving:
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced or diced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 3–4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup edamame
- Sesame seeds
- Furikake
- Seaweed, for serving
- Spicy mayo (bang bang sauce) — see notes for full recipe
Instructions
- Pat the salmon dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Place the salmon skin-side down and cook for 4–5 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the salmon is mostly cooked through. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes, until just done.
- While the salmon cooks, prepare the sauce. I use my bang bang sauce here — it’s creamy, a little sweet, and a little spicy.
- Divide the rice between bowls. Top with the salmon, breaking it into large pieces, then add avocado, cucumber, carrots, radishes, and edamame.
- Drizzle generously with the spicy mayo and finish with green onions, sesame seeds, and furikake. Serve with seaweed on the side.
Notes
- Use whatever you have for toppings — this is one of those bowls that works with whatever’s in the fridge. I usually go with avocado, cucumber, carrots, and radishes, but it’s flexible.
- For the sauce, use my bang bang sauce — it comes together in a couple minutes and really makes the bowl.
- You can bake the salmon at 400°F for 10–12 minutes or broil it for a quicker option.
Salmon Rice Bowl FAQs
Yes! Baking works great for salmon rice bowls with spicy mayo. Cook at 400°F for about 10–12 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily.
You can swap in a simple sriracha mayo, teriyaki sauce, or even soy sauce, but the spicy mayo really gives these bowls the best flavor, if you ask me!
How to Store
Storage: Store each of the components separately in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat the rice and salmon gently, then assemble fresh with toppings and sauce!
More Dinner Recipes to Try
If you love this salmon rice bowl recipe, you’ll definitely love other dinner recipes like my Southwest Chicken Salad, Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos, or my Miso Butter Salmon!
