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These salmon avocado rice bowls are made with air-fried salmon chunks, fluffy rice, creamy avocado, and homemade spicy mayo. The salmon cooks in just 5 minutes, making this an easy dinner that comes together super quickly.
If you don’t own an air fryer, no worries! I’ll show you how to make it in the oven or stovetop! Love Salmon? Check out this mango salmon bowl and salmon with tomatoes and spinach.
Table of Contents
I love a good rice bowl because you get a little bit of everything in every bite. This one has warm, sticky rice, tender salmon, cucumbers, buttery avocado, and plenty of creamy spicy mayo drizzled over the top.
And while there are a few different components, nothing about this recipe is complicated. I make the rice in my rice cooker while the salmon marinates, then pop the salmon into the air fryer for just 5 minutes. Easy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The salmon is definitely the star here. The combination of soy sauce, honey, sriracha, sesame oil, and fresh garlic gives it that perfect balance of sweet, savory, spicy, and garlicky.
Cooking it in the air fryer is also a game changer. At 400°F, the small pieces of salmon cook incredibly quickly while developing a little caramelization around the edges.
Then there’s the spicy mayo. It’s creamy, spicy, slightly nutty from the sesame oil, and SO good once it starts mixing into the warm rice.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Salmon: Cut the salmon into evenly sized bite-size pieces so they cook at roughly the same rate. I prefer skinless salmon for rice bowls.
- Soy Sauce: This gives the salmon its salty, savory base and balances the sweetness of the honey.
- Honey: Honey adds sweetness and helps the outside of the salmon caramelize in the air fryer.
- Sriracha: You’ll use this for both the salmon and spicy mayo.
- Sesame Oil: A little sesame oil adds a rich, toasted flavor. It’s pretty potent, so you don’t need much.
- Garlic: I highly recommend freshly grated garlic here. Grating it allows the garlic to practically melt into the marinade and coat the salmon evenly.
- Mayonnaise: This is the creamy base for the spicy mayo. Use your favorite good-quality mayo. Hellman’s or Kewpie mayo works perfectly!
- Rice: I prepare my rice in a rice cooker, which makes this recipe even easier. Start the rice first and you can prepare everything else while it cooks.
Homemade Spicy Mayo
Please don’t skip the spicy mayo!! It’s ridiculously simple, just mayonnaise, sriracha, and sesame oil, but once it hits the warm salmon and rice, it brings the entire bowl together.
My ratio is 1 cup mayonnaise to 1/4 cup sriracha, so it definitely has some kick. If you prefer a milder sauce, simply reduce the sriracha.
Top Tips
- Cut the salmon into even pieces. This is important when you’re only cooking it for about 5 minutes. If some pieces are much larger than others, they won’t finish cooking at the same time.
- Don’t overcrowd your air fryer. Arrange the salmon in a single layer so the edges can caramelize instead of steam.
- Freshly grate the garlic. Finely grated garlic distributes throughout the marinade much better than large pieces of chopped garlic.
- Start your rice first. The salmon cooks ridiculously fast, so get the rice going before you start working on the salmon.
- Adjust the spicy mayo to your taste. My version has a noticeable kick. Reduce the sriracha if you’re sensitive to spice.
- Don’t overcook the salmon. Five minutes was perfect for mine, but salmon pieces and air fryers vary. Check it early rather than automatically adding extra cooking time.
FAQs
How do I know when the salmon is done?
The salmon should flake easily and look opaque on the outside. For food safety, the USDA recommends cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Is this recipe very spicy?
I didn’t think so but you can easily make it milder by reducing the amount of sriracha.
Can I make the spicy mayo ahead of time?
Absolutely. Mix it together, cover it, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to assemble the bowls. I used a squeeze bottle!
What kind of rice should I use?
Jasmine rice is fantastic for these bowls, but sushi rice or your favorite white rice will work too. I make mine in a rice cooker for an easy, hands-off option.
Don’t Have an Air Fryer?
Stovetop
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the marinated salmon pieces in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until nicely caramelized and cooked through.
Oven
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the marinated salmon pieces in a single layer and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until cooked through. For more caramelized edges, broil for 1-2 minutes at the end, keeping a close eye on them.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover salmon and rice in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I recommend storing the avocado and spicy mayo separately.
Reheat the salmon and rice just until warmed through, then add fresh avocado and spicy mayo before serving.
The salmon is also delicious cold, so don’t feel like you have to reheat it.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Also, please consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Salmon Avocado Rice Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 Salmon filets , skin removed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- Fresh garlic, grated
Spicy Mayo
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sriracha
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For Serving
- 2 cups Cooked rice
- Avocado
- Cucumbers
- Sesame seeds, optional
- Sliced scallions, optional
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Cut the salmon into evenly sized bite-size pieces and place them in a bowl.
- Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, sriracha, and freshly grated garlic. Toss gently until the salmon is evenly coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange the salmon pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air fry the salmon at 400°F for 5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the size of the salmon pieces and your air fryer.
- Meanwhile, prepare the spicy mayo by combining the mayonnaise, sriracha, and sesame oil until smooth.
- Divide the cooked rice among bowls and top with the air-fried salmon and sliced avocado.
- Drizzle generously with spicy mayo and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Stovetop Instructions
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the marinated salmon pieces in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until nicely caramelized and cooked through.Oven Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the marinated salmon pieces in a single layer and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until cooked through. For more caramelized edges, broil for 1-2 minutes at the end, keeping a close eye on them.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
