There is just something about a really good salmon rice bowl that never gets old. It’s fresh, it’s satisfying, and honestly… it feels a little fancy without requiring much effort.
This version is one of our go-to weeknight dinners because it checks all the boxes — quick, healthy-ish, and packed with flavor. The salmon gets tossed in a simple soy ginger marinade, then cooked until perfectly tender and flaky. From there we add delicious spicy mayo, marinated cucumbers and fluffy white rice allows each family member to customize the flavors in their bowl (feel free to swap out regular rice or some crispy rice).
The best part? You can completely make it your own. Swap toppings, adjust the heat, or use whatever you have in the fridge.
If you love meals like our
…this one is absolutely going to be on repeat.
Quick Look at this Salmon and Rice Bowl Recipe
- Time: ~45 minutes total (prep and cook)
- Protein: Salmon
- Flavor: Savory, slightly sweet, a little heat
- Best for: Easy weeknight dinners + meal prep
- Key tip: Don’t overcook the salmon — you want it tender and flaky
Key Ingredients + Easy Swaps
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Salmon – fresh is best, but frozen works great (just thaw first)
- Rice – jasmine, basmati, or brown rice
- Soy ginger sauce – savory, slightly sweet, and full of flavor
- Sriracha mayo – creamy with a little kick (optional, but recommended)
- Toppings – mango, cucumber, carrots, edamame
- Swap quinoa or cauliflower rice instead of white rice
- Swap salmon for shrimp or chicken
- Swap coconut aminos instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option
Prep Ahead Tips
Do yourself a favor and prep some ingredients ahead of time. You could even prep the veggies, which will be a helpful reminder to get the salmon marinading overnight. Washing, slicing, and chopping in advance saves you clean up on the day of and leaves you with just the salmon to cook, which is done in minutes.
How To Make A Salmon Rice Bowl
Step 1: Combine the marinade ingredients in a mason jar. Place the cap on top and tightly close. Shake to combine all the ingredients and set aside.
Step 2: Marinate salmon while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Erin’s Pro Tip
Trust me and double the salmon marinade/sauce. Remember that half of the sauce is used to top the rice bowls at the very end, and it’s so good that you might want a little extra to make your bowl extra saucy.
Step 3: Next, combine the sriracha and mayo in a small bowl and stir to combine. Give yourself permission to add a bit more sriracha if you’re looking for a bit more heat.
Step 4: Marinate your cucumbers, set aside.
Step 5: Remove the salmon from the marinade and place the salmon cubes in a hot skillet in batches, to ensure that the pan doesn’t get overcrowded. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side or until they’re fully cooked.
Step 6: Now it’s time for the fun part. Bowl assembly! Divide equal amounts of rice in each bowl and top it with mango, edamame, green onion, cilantro, carrots, marinated cucumbers, cooked salmon, and a dollop of creamy Sriracha mayo.
Step 7: Top it all off by drizzling the remaining marinade over your salmon and rice bowls and sprinkle with some sesame seeds for that finishing touch.
Different Salmon Cooking Methods
- Easily make this recipe even more simple by making Air Fryer Salmon Bites!
- You can also make Blackstone Salmon Bites if you prefer!
Meal Prep Tips
- Cook the rice ahead of time and store in the fridge (or use an easy bag of microwave rice for busy weeknights).
- Prep toppings and keep them separate.
- Salmon is best fresh, but leftovers will keep for 2–3 days.
- Store everything in airtight containers and assemble when ready.
Other Bowl Recipes You Might Like
Made this recipe and loved it?!
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Ingredients
Marinade/Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon fish sauce
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce, tamari for gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon worstershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- pinch ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- pinch kosher salt
Sriracha Mayo:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha, more to taste
Salmon Bowl:
- 1 pound fresh salmon, skin off and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 cups mango, diced
- 2 cups edamame, shelled
- 1 cup green onions, sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup carrots, julienned
- marinated cucumbers
- 4 cups cooked rice, I used basmati*
Instructions
- Sauce/Marinade: Combine the Marinade/Sauce ingredients in a mason jar. Place the cap on top and tightly close. Shake to combine. Set aside. (Note: about half of this sauce will be used to marinate the salmon, the rest will be used to pour over top the completed bowls).
- Marinate Salmon: Place cubed salmon chunks in a medium-sized bowl or reusable silicone bag. Pour a little less than half of the sauce over the salmon – just enough to coat the salmon. Reserve the rest for later. Toss to coat the salmon and place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Sriracha Mayo: In a small bowl, add ½ cup mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon sriracha; stir to combine. Taste and add any additional Sriracha, as-desired.
- Prep Remaining Ingredients: While the salmon is marinating you can prep the rest of the ingredients: mango, edamame, green onions, cilantro, carrots, marinated cucumbers and rice.
- Cook Salmon: Bring a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon avocado oil; swirl to coat the pan. Working in batches, so you don't crowd the pan, add the salmon pieces to the skillet and let cook approx. 2-3 minutes per side or until fully cooked. Remove and set on a plate to rest 5 minutes.
- Serve: Divide rice between bowls and top with mango, edamame, green onion, cilantro. carrots, marinated cucumbers and then cooked salmon along with some Sriracha mayo. Top salmon with remaining Marinade/Sauce and sprinkle with some sesame seeds if you want and enjoy!
Notes
- Prep Ahead: this is a great recipe to prep ahead of time! Make the sauce, marinate the salmon, make the marinated cucumbers, rice, etc. When it comes time for dinner you can quickly cook the salmon (which only takes a few minutes) and dinner will be ready in no time!
- Extra Saucy: feel free to halve again or double the Sauce/Marinade (it’s SO good) if you want extra sauciness at the end!
- Frozen Salmon: I always say that fresh is best because I feel like frozen tends to cook a little watery, but if that is what you have – use it! Just let it thaw completely and really pat it dry.
- Gluten-Free: to make this recipe gluten-free use Tamari in place of soy sauce.
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Air Fryer Salmon Bites: option to make air fryer salmon bites for this bowl, if you want!
Nutrition
Allie says
This recipe has become a staple favorite in our house for awhile now. Delicious, fresh, healthy. Couldn’t love it more! Must try!
Erin Jensen says
So happy to hear that, Allie!
Coriander says
I made this as written with the marinade, Marinated Cucumbers, and Spicy Mayo, but added avocado and used no mango or edamame. I used just over two pounds of salmon to excellent effect, despite not making extra marinade. Five out of five demolished their bowls with glee. The leftovers were thoroughly enjoyed by two of us today. Thank you for the splendid recipe. This is going into the rotation of favorite salmon recipes, of which there are so far very few. I made the salmon using the oven set to Air Fry at 450ºF.
Katie says
A lot of steps but worth it, even people in my family that don’t particularly like salmon enjoyed this. I can see the advantage to prepping beforehand.
Sarah says
We loved it! I prepped the day before & had forgotten about the cucumbers until sitting it all out. Such a fresh surprise. I would like to try cooking the salmon in an air fryer or oven to cut down on mess. My daughter has one. I know you suggested one. Perhaps I had the heat too high.
Angie says
I just made this recipe a few nights ago and it was a BIG hit in my house. I liked that I could make it all ahead and cook it easily at the end of the work day. I modified my ingredients a bit for my family’s tastes and what I had on hand but the salmon was excellent. You know when the teenagers ask you to add it to the meal rotation, that you’ve found something good!
Stacie says
This is one of my family’s most favorite recipes! We make it on average once every 8 days or so. It is so, so good! The combo of the tangy marinated cucumbers with the sweet mango, spicy salmon … it is the best!