Crispy Salmon Bowls Recipe (2024)

You'll love the flavor in these crispy salmon bowls with rice! They have the perfect balance of lightly crispy but still tender salmon bites paired with fresh veggies, sushi rice, a little bit of nori, and spicy mayo.

This is a meal the whole family will love! These crispy salmon rice bowls are a filling meal that's easy to pull together.

You'll find that these bowls are similar to a poke bowl (the only difference is that the salmon is cooked) in that you can customize them with your favorite ingredients and sauces.

I love using fresh avocado and chopped cucumber, but you could include chopped fresh pineapple, bell peppers, red onion, corn, black beans, salad greens, broccoli, and so much more!

Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients you'll need to make these delicious bowls.

• Salmon - you can use fresh or frozen salmon for this recipe. If using frozen, fully defrost it first and press out any excess water with a paper towel.
• Rice - you can use Jasmine rice or sushi rice for this recipe. If you'd prefer to keep it lower carb, substitute cauliflower rice.
• Corn Starch - tossed with the salmon, this is what will help to crisp the outside of the salmon pieces.
• Sesame Oil - the sesame oil will crisp up the salmon pieces and add a delicious nutty flavor. You can substitute for olive oil if necessary.
• Soy Sauce - forms the basis of the sweet and savory sauce you'll cook the salmon in. This adds loads of flavor as well as saltiness.
• Honey - adds the sweetness to the salmon sauce.
• Ginger Powder - you can use fresh chopped ginger as well, but the ginger powder adds a delicious aromatic to the salmon sauce. You can sub this for garlic powder in a pinch, if necessary.
• Sesame Seeds - these add a lovely nutty flavor and crunchy bite.
• Sea Salt - used to flavor the rice.
• Cucumbers - fresh chopped cucumbers add some bright, crunchy flavor to the bowl. You can use a large English cucumber instead of the Persian cucumbers if you'd prefer. If you use a regular, hothouse cucumber, be sure to remove the bitter skin before chopping and using.
• Carrots - you can slice baby carrots or shred large carrots for this recipe. They add some bright sweetness to the dish. To make the bowl even prettier, you could use a mix of rainbow carrots.
• Avocado - fresh avocado adds a creamy deliciousness to the bowl. I used a large Hass avocado but any kind will work!
• Green Onions - sliced green onions top the sushi bowls or you can use chopped chives as well!
• Optional Toppings - spicy mayo (or hot sauce), sliced nori paper, fresh herbs (like cilantro or parsley), a squeeze of lime juice, and additional white and black sesame seeds.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Cook the rice according to package directions and combine it with the rice wine vinegar and sea salt.

Meanwhile, gently remove the salmon skin from the fillets by pulling on it with your fingers, then cut the fillets into bite-size pieces.

Place the salmon pieces in a large bowl and toss with the cornstarch to coat.

Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the salmon so that it’s in a single layer. Flip the salmon after 3 minutes of cooking and continue flipping until all sides are crisped, about 5 to 6 minutes.

While salmon is cooking, combine the sauce ingredients - soy sauce, honey, ginger powder, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Whisk to combine until the honey is fully dissolved into the sauce.

Pour the sauce into the skillet with the salmon and toss to coat each salmon piece. Allow the salmon to cook for another minute or two till golden brown and until the sauce sticks to each piece of salmon.

Split the salmon, rice, avocado, cucumbers, carrots, and green onions between four bowls. Top with an optional drizzle of spicy mayo, slices of nori paper, and additional black and white sesame seeds.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Cooking Tips - Make sure the sesame oil is very hot before adding the salmon to the skillet. It's essential that the salmon sizzles immediately upon contact, this will help develop the crispy outside of the salmon while keeping it tender inside.

Recommended Tools - I highly recommend using at least a 13-inch skillet or other large heavy-bottomed pan to cook the salmon.

Alternate Cooking Methods - You can air fry the salmon bites if you'd prefer. Skip using the cornstarch and combine half the sesame oil, the soy sauce, honey, and ginger powder in a bowl and toss with the salmon. Allow the salmon to marinate for 15 minutes. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Place the salmon cubes in the air fryer basket in a single layer (if they don't fit in a single layer, cook in batches) and cook for 5 to 7 minutes till crispy.

Storage

Leftover salmon will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Leftover rice will keep for the same amount of time.

I recommend chopping avocado right before using it as it will brown otherwise, but the rest of the chopped vegetables will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

You can serve the bowls warm or at room temperature but I recommend reheating the salmon at least slightly before serving.

More Tasty Salmon Recipes

Try some of our favorite salmon recipes!

• Teriyaki Salmon Bowl - another delicious bowl recipe that's paired with rice. This sweet and sour salmon is glazed in teriyaki sauce and is super tasty.
• One Pot Creamy Skillet Salmon - an easy one-pot meal with a tasty tomato sauce and plenty of fresh vegetables.
• Salmon Patties - you'll use canned salmon to make these flavorful patties that are filled with aromatics.
• Baked King Salmon Recipe - a delightful, wild salmon recipe with a mustard glaze that's baked till tender.

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