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Bang bang salmon bowls are full of fresh, sweet, and spicy flavors. Rice is topped with chunks of baked salmon, a cucumber edamame salsa, and the most delicious homemade bang bang sauce. They’re great for dinner and excellent for meal prepping!
If you love salmon rice bowls, be sure to try my spicy salmon bowls and southwest salmon rice bowls.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Bang Bang Salmon Bowls
- What is Bang Bang Sauce?
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Make Bang Bang Salmon Rice Bowls
- Recipe Tip
- Substitutions and Variations
- Storage and Reheating
- More Bowl Recipes
- Did you make these bang bang salmon bowls? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
- Bang Bang Salmon Bowls Recipe
Why You’ll Love Bang Bang Salmon Bowls
Balanced and healthy – These bowls include a good balance of carbs, protein, fat, and fiber. Combined together they’ll leave you feeling satisfied, but not stuffed, until your next meal.
Fresh and full of texture – The fresh and crunchy cucumber salsa compliments the sweet and spicy salmon and bang bang sauce.
Meal prep – If you enjoy meal prepping, these bang bang rice bowls are a good option. They keep for up to 4 days.
What is Bang Bang Sauce?
Bang bang sauce is a mayonnaise based sauce that is combined with sweet chili sauce. Some recipes also use ingredients such as sriracha, chili paste, and vinegar.
The condiment can be used as a dipping sauce for shrimp and chicken or even french fries. You can also use it as a salad dressing or drizzle it on top of a rice bowl like I did with these salmon rice bowls.
Ingredient Notes
Salmon fillets – Fresh or frozen salmon fillets can be used. Remove the skin or have your fishmonger remove the skin before cutting it into cubes.
Soy sauce – Always use low sodium and for gluten-free low sodium tamari.
Sweet chili sauce – Sweet, spicy, and a little tangy. Use your favorite brand. I use the brand Sky Valley.
Rice vinegar – A mild flavored vinegar often used in Asian cooking.
Garlic powder – Keep it easy and use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic for the salmon.
Cucumbers – I like Persian cucumbers for the salsa because they’re extra crunchy and you don’t need to peel or remove the seeds. An English cucumber would also work.
Edamame – Use shelled edamame to save time. A good source of plant protein and fiber.
Green onions and cilantro – Add lots of fresh flavor to the salsa.
Sesame seeds – White or black sesame seeds can be used. Toast them for extra flavor.
Lime – Fresh lime juice acts as the acidity for the cucumber salsa.
Mayonnaise – Use a good quality mayonnaise for the bang bang sauce. I always use Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Mayo.
Greek yogurt – Plain Greek yogurt is combined with the mayo in the bang bang sauce to cut down on some of the fat and calories and it adds protein.
Sriracha – A spicy, tangy, garlicy, Asian condiment.
Rice – I used jasmine rice, but sushi rice, long grain white rice, or brown rice can all be used.
Avocado – Creamy, full of fiber and healthy fats.
How to Make Bang Bang Salmon Rice Bowls
Cook the rice. While the rice cooks make the bang bang sauce. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Combine soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic powder in a mixing bowl. Add in the cubes of salmon and toss them together in the marinade.
Dump the salmon onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread it out. Bake for 7-10 minutes.
While the salmon is baking make the salsa. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir them together. Taste and add extra salt or lime juice if needed.
Assemble the rice bowls. Add a 1/2 cup of rice to a bowl and top it with some of the salmon and cucumber salsa. Drizzle with bang bang sauce and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.
Recipe Tip
- Center cut salmon fillets work best. The thickness of center cut fillets is fairly even so the salmon will cook evenly.
- Save time and use pre-cooked microwavable rice pouches. Perfectly cooked rice in 90 seconds!
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap rice for quinoa or farro. You could also use rice noodles or for a low carb option, cauliflower rice.
- This bang bang sauce uses Greek yogurt. If you don’t like Greek yogurt you can omit it and replace it with additional mayonnaise.
- If you want a different salsa to pair with the salmon, try making this mango cucumber salsa that used for these Asian Steak Bowls. You can also use this Cucumber Avocado Salad.
Storage and Reheating
Storage – The salmon and rice can be stored together or separately in airtight containers. They’ll keep for up to 4 days.
The cucumber salsa and bang bang sauce should be stored in separate containers. The salsa keeps for up to 4 days and the sauce for up to 5 days.
Reheating – Reheat the salmon and rice in the microwave for 45-60 seconds or until warm. You can also store the salmon separately and reheat it in a 275° F. oven for 10 minutes or until warm. Be careful not to reheat it for too long or it will dry out.
More Bowl Recipes
If you love bowl recipes, you’ve come to the right place. I love creating recipes for them!
If chicken is your go-to protein, try my Honey Chipotle Chicken Rice Bowls, Chicken Fajita Bowls, and Thai Peanut Chicken Bowls.
Beef lovers, you’ll love these Beef Bulgogi Bowls and Southwest Steak Bowls.
For the fish and seafood lovers, these Spring Roll Bowls and Greek Salmon Bowls will hit the spot!
Did you make these bang bang salmon bowls? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Bang Bang Salmon Bowls
Ingredients
Bang Bang Sauce
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, any fat content
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- Pinch of salt
Salmon
- 1 pound salmon fillets, skin removed and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Cucumber Salsa
- 2 cups diced Persian or English cucumbers
- 1/2 cup shelled edamame
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- Juice of a lime
- Salt to taste
Other Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 avocado peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Cook the rice.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the bang bang sauce. Taste for seasoning then refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl combine ingredients for the salmon marinade. Add in the cubes of salmon and toss them until they’re coated. Dump the salmon out onto the baking sheet and spread it into an single layer. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until it’s opaque.
- While the salmon bakes, add all of the ingredients for the cucumber salsa to a mixing bowl. Stir together and taste for seasoning.
- To assemble, add a 1/2 cup of rice to a bowl. Top with some of the salmon, cucumber salsa, and a few slices of avocado. Drizzle with the bang bang sauce and garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
