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These sweet and spicy salmon bowls are an easy and healthy weeknight dinner full of protein, healthy fats, and carbs. Rice bowls are topped with honey sriracha baked salmon, a fresh and crunchy cucumber avocado salad and spicy mayo. They’ll quickly become your new favorite salmon bowl!
Love rice bowls? Try my teriyaki chicken and rice bowls!
Why I Love This Spicy Salmon Bowl Recipe
Sweet and spicy – I love the combination of sweet and spicy! The baked salmon is a combination of sriracha and honey, as is the mayo drizzled on top. The cucumber avocado salsa is super fresh and balances out the spicy flavors.
Healthy balanced meal – This spicy salmon bowl recipe is the perfect combination of carbs, protein, and healthy fats. It’s a meal that will fill you up and give you plenty of energy.
Easy to make – It may seem like there are a few steps to these bowls, but none of them are difficult or take long to do. The salad and spicy mayo can be made while the salmon bakes and the rice can be cooked ahead of time if needed.
Meal prepping – If you meal prep, these salmon bowls are a great option. The salmon and rice can be stored together, but keep the cucumber avocado salsa and spicy mayo in separate containers since you won’t be heheating them. You may want to omit the avocado or slice it fresh the day you plan to eat the bowls so that it isn’t brown.
The ingredients
- Salmon – Center cut fillets work best for this recipe so that they bake evenly.
- Sriracha – A spicy Asian condiment similar to hot sauce.
- Lime – Give the sauce a fresh citrus flavor.
- Rice wine vinegar – A mild vinegar often used in Asian cooking.
- Soy sauce – I always use low sodium and if you need a gluten-free option get tamari.
- Cilantro – Don’t like cilantro? Leave it out. Their really isn’t a substitution that has the same flavor.
- Honey – Balances out all the spicy flavors in the salmon marinade and spicy mayo.
- Mayo – If you don’t like mayo substitute with full fat Greek yogurt. The flavor won’t be quite the same, but it still makes for a nice drizzle on top of the salmon and salsa.
- English cucumber – No need to peel these cucumbers, but do scrape out the seeds if there are a lot so that the salsa doesn’t get too watery.
- Avocado – Creamy, rich, and a good source of healthy fat and fiber.
- Jalapeño – Gives the salsa a nice spicy kick.
- Green onion – More mild than red or yellow onions and works well in the salsa.
- Rice – I used jasmine rice, but sushi rice or brown rice would be good alternatives. For a low carb option, use cauliflower rice.
How to remove salmon skin
You can always ask your fish monger at the seafood counter to remove the salmon skin, but if you want to do it yourself here’s how.
- Place the salmon fillet(s) skin side down on a cutting board. Remove any pin bones from the center of the flesh.
- Use a sharp chef’s knife or boning knife and start at the corner of the fillet. Cut between the flesh and the skin about an inch into the fillet. This will give you something to hold onto while you continue slicing.
- Cut with the knife at a slightly downward angle so that you’re as close to the skin as possible.
- Use slow sawing motions as you cut all the way down the fillet until the skin and flesh are separated.
How to make sweet and spicy salmon bowls
Make the spicy mayo – Whisk together the mayo, sriracha, honey, and Greek yogurt in a small bowl. Season with salt and additional sriracha and honey as needed.
Cut the salmon – Remove the skin from the salmon fillets if needed using the method above. Once you’ve removed the skin, cut the salmon into 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes.
Toss the salmon in the sauce – Combine all of the ingredients for marinade/sauce. Reserve a few tablespoons of it to brush over the salmon after it’s baked. Add in the salmon cubes and toss them around until they’re coated.
Bake the salmon – Spread the salmon out into a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 7-12 minutes switching the oven to broil during the last couple minutes of cooking. The cook time will vary depending on the size of your salmon chunks. Remove the cooked salmon from the oven and brush on the reserved sauce.
Cook rice and make salsa – While the salmon bakes, cook the rice if you didn’t do that in advance and make the salsa.
Assemble – Add your desired amount of rice to a bowl. Top with the salmon bites, cucumber avocado salsa, and drizzle on the spicy sriracha mayo. For garnish, add toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro if desired.
Make ahead and storage tips
Make ahead – The marinade/sauce for the salmon can be made a day in advance and the rice can be cooked a day in advance. The spicy mayo can also be made 1-2 days in advance.
Storage – The salmon bowls will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat the salmon and rice in the microwave for 30 second increments until warmed through.
The salsa is best the day it is made, however it will keep for a couple days. If the avocado browning bothers you, make the salsa without it and add it in the day you plan to eat the rice bowls.
More salmon recipes
If you’re a salmon lover like me, I know you’ll enjoy these other salmon recipes!
If you’re into rice bowls like this one, try my Salmon Roll Sushi Bowls or Southwest Salmon Rice Bowls.
Sheet pan dinners are perfect for busy nights and this Sheet Pan Pesto Salmon and Potatoes couldn’t be easier to make and it only takes 30 minutes to get it on the table.
Want to incorporate more healthy fats into your diet? This Walnut Crusted Salmon is packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
During the summer months I like to grab a fresh pineapple and grill this Honey Sriracha Salmon with Pineapple Avocado Salsa.
Did you make these spicy salmon bowls? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Spicy Salmon Bowls
Ingredients
Cucumber avocado salsa
- 1 English cucumber, seeded and diced
- 1 avocado, peeled and diced
- 1/2 of a jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salmon
- 1 1/4 pound salmon fillets, skin removed and cut into 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sriracha
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari, or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sriracha mayo
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 teaspoons honey
Other ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups cooked rice
- Green onions cilantro, sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° F.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the sriracha mayo in a small bowl. Season with salt and additional sriracha and honey as needed.
- Remove the skin from the salmon fillets if needed. Cut the salmon into 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes.
- In a bowl whisk together the olive oil, sriracha, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, rice vinegar, cilantro, salt and pepper. Reserve a couple tablespoons of the marinade then place the salmon into the bowl and stir until coated. Dump the salmon onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan and spread them out into a single layer.
- Bake for 7-12 minutes switching the oven to broil during the last couple minutes of cooking. Remove the salmon from the oven and brush on the reserved sauce.
- While the salmon bakes, make the cucumber avocado salsa. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir together. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
- To assemble, fill a bowl with desired amount of rice and top with some of the salmon, salsa, a drizzle of sriracha mayo, plus sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro for garnish.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoyed the flavor
Thanks for making the bowls Carla!
We made this last night and it was a huge hit!! Even my husband said it was his new favorite way to eat salmon. I did a lot ahead of time (cucumber salsa, sauces), it comes together quickly. Added avocado at serving for those that wanted it. I also made with brown rice. The flavors are amazing, no leftovers!! We’ll be making it again soon!
There’s a few typos in this article. “Their” refers to ownership and is possessive while “there” refers to an item or place.
Just like yours should say, “There ARE…typos…” since typos is plural you should use ‘are’ rather than ‘is’… 👍🏼
what is the serving size for this?
You can make 4 bowls with this recipe.
Does the cucumber avocado salad hold up for leftovers or should it be made and eaten same day?
It’s best the day it’s made. You can eat it for a day or 2 after, but the avocado will likely turn brown.
I made this and was so impressed with myself. Thank you for sharing, your recipes do not disappoint! Love all the detail that you put in.