Salmon Rice Bowls
These easy Salmon Rice Bowls have become a healthy and delicious staple for both lunch and dinner! They’re quick and easy and truly packed with fresh flavors. If you saw those viral TikTok salmon bowls, I can confirm that this recipe is even better!
Cubed salmon gets a quick marinade in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, honey, and sriracha before being roasted in the oven. The result is tender salmon with slightly crispy edges–perfect for serving over steamed rice with veggies and spicy mayo.
Table of Contents
Easy Salmon Rice Bowls
I have realized that I am truly a bowl dinner girl. Give me your CAVA, your Sweetgreens, your Chipotle and I am in heaven.
There is just something that I love about an easy, balanced dinner that has protein, starch, veggies, a sauce or two, and some crunchy textures. I truly live for it!
These easy salmon rice bowls are perfect for a healthy and balanced dinner or lunch and make great meal prep. The salmon is tender and flavorful and you can easily customize these bowls with your favorite veggies and ingredients.
If you love bowls as much as I do, you’ll love these Asian-inspired chicken vermicelli bowls or my tandoori chicken bowls.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Healthy – We love a healthy dinner option! As much as I love an indulgent and decadent dinner, the truth is that 85% of the time we eat healthy and well-balanced meals. That doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing flavor, because these salmon rice bowls have it all!
Customizable – This is great when you have picky eaters in your life. You can prep several toppings and veggies and then add whatever sounds good.
Quick & Easy – Besides a quick marinating time, the salmon cooks up in minutes and then all you have to do is chop up some veggies, whisk up a quick spicy mayo, and dig in!
How to Make Salmon Rice Bowls
While you can cook this salmon up in a skillet, I love the ease of throwing everything on a baking sheet and cooking the salmon in the oven. Then, just steam some rice and add your favorite veggies and toppings. Salmon rice bowls are the perfect easy dinner!
Tools Needed
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Salmon. Use a nice center cut filet of your favorite salmon for this recipe. Remove the skin and cut into cubes.
- Soy sauce. You can use regular, low sodium, or tamari/coconut aminos for a gluten-free option.
- Honey. I love the hint of sweetness and balance that the honey adds.
- Sriracha. You can use sriracha or chili garlic paste or sambal here.
- Garlic. I like to grate the garlic on a microplane to avoid pieces that will burn in the oven. You could also use garlic paste.
- Ginger. Fresh grated ginger or ginger paste works here.
- Spicy mayo. You can use store bought, but I love making my own spicy mayo because it’s so much fresher.
- Steamed rice. Use your favorite here! I am partial to jasmine rice and that’s what I use here.
- Toppings. I like Persian or baby cucumbers, avocado, edamame, and nori but you can swap in all your favorite veggies.
The Process
- Make the marinade. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, sriracha, garlic, and ginger until smooth.
- Prep the salmon. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
- Marinate the salmon. Toss the cubed salmon with the marinade and let it marinate for 20-30 minutes, up to 8 hours.
- Make the spicy mayo. In a small bowl, whisk together the kewpie, sriracha, ginger, soy, and sesame oil until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Bake the salmon. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the salmon from the marinade and spread on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes and broil for 1-2 minutes to get a light char. Remove from the oven.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide rice between bowls, then top with salmon, cucumbers, avocado, veggies, and any other desired toppings. Drizzle with spicy mayo and enjoy salmon rice bowls right away.
Customizing Salmon Rice Bowls
The best part about making these easy salmon rice bowls is that it’s a blueprint for a recipe that you can easily customize to your tastes!
Here are some of my favorite ways to customize salmon rice bowls:
Switch up the starch. I love white rice, but it’s so easy to mix things up by swapping in brown or purple rice, quinoa, couscous, or even cauliflower rice if you’re looking for a low carb option.
Toppings, toppings, toppings. I think one of the reasons I love bowl dinners so much is because I love toppings! The more the merrier, IMO. While I went simple and classic here, you could add: shredded cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, mango, roasted broccoli, fresh herbs, etc.
However you choose to customize these easy salmon rice bowls will be delicious!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
I rarely ever store my bowl dinner recipes already assembled. In my opinion, the best way to store bowl recipes is to store the ingredients separately and assemble them right before you enjoy them. Then everything tastes completely fresh!
In the Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the spicy mayo in a separate airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
To Reheat: Reheat the rice and salmon in the microwave for about 60 seconds or until warmed through. Then, assemble the fresh veggies on top, drizzle with sauce, and enjoy!
If you loved those Emily Mariko Tiktok videos, you could reheat the salmon and rice, mix them together with spicy mayo, and enjoy with little pieces of seasoned nori.
Salmon Rice Bowl FAQs
Can I use frozen salmon for salmon rice bowls?
Fresh is always best, in my opinion! However, if you do use frozen salmon, make sure to defrost it completely and pat it dry with paper towels before marinating the salmon.
Are there alternative cooking methods for the salmon?
Definitely! You could air fry the salmon for 6-8 minutes at 400 f or pan-fry the cubed salmon until cooked to your desired doneness.
Are salmon rice bowls gluten-free?
Because there is soy sauce in the marinade and sauce, these are not gluten-free. However, an easy swap of tamari or coconut aminos for the soy sauce make this recipe gluten-free.
Salmon Rice Bowls are of my favorite weeknight meals! They’re quick and easy while being healthy and packed with flavor. If you do give them a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Bowl Dinner Recipes
Salmon Sushi Bowls
Chicken Vermicelli Bowls
Korean BBQ Beef Bowls
Carne Asada Burrito Bowls
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Easy Salmon Rice Bowls
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1 1/2 lbs center-cut salmon filet, skin removed
- 1/4 cup soy sauce*
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sriracha or chili garlic paste
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger or ginger paste
Spicy Mayo
- 1/3 cup kewpie or mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha or chili garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Bowl Ingredients
- 4 cups steamed rice
- 2 Persian or baby cucumbers, cut into half moons
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 cup shelled edamame, steamed
- sesame seeds
- nori sheets, for serving
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, sriracha, garlic, and ginger until smooth.
- Prep the salmon. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
- Marinate the salmon. Toss the cubed salmon with the marinade and let it marinate for 20-30 minutes, up to 8 hours.
- Make the spicy mayo. In a small bowl, whisk together the kewpie, sriracha, ginger, soy, and sesame oil until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat an oven to 400 F.
- Bake the salmon. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the salmon from the marinade and spread on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes and broil for 1-2 minutes to get a light char. Remove from the oven.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide rice between bowls, then top with salmon, cucumbers, avocado, veggies, and any other desired toppings. Drizzle with spicy mayo and enjoy salmon rice bowls right away.
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