Total Time
40 minutes
Consider this spicy salmon rice bowl recipe your favorite sushi, deconstructed. Using your broiler to cook mayo-coated pieces of salmon keeps the cook time low (and eliminates the need to seek out pricey sushi-grade fish). The direct high heat allows the bite-size salmon pieces to develop a crispy exterior in very little time, without the splatter of a stovetop, for a hearty, easy weeknight dinner.
Pair the cooked salmon bites with sliced avocado, quick-pickled cucumber (if you have trouble finding the Persian variety, a single English cucumber also works), and a shower of flavorful garnishes like nori-studded furikake, chile-flecked shichimi togarashi, toasted sesame seeds, and green onions. Zigzagging spicy mayo over the top (use a zip-top sandwich bag with the corner snipped off or a reusable squeeze bottle) isn’t required but definitely recommended; we like the texture of an oil-based chile crisp (such as Lao Gan Ma) here, but sriracha will do in a pinch. Because each component of the bowl is seasoned, no other adornments are necessary, but a drizzle of salty soy sauce or nutty sesame oil wouldn’t be out of place.
While short-grain sushi rice most closely mirrors the Japanese roll this spicy salmon bowl references, you can substitute another white rice—or use brown rice, cauliflower rice, or even another grain like farro or quinoa if you prefer.
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What you’ll need
Furikake
Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp
$3 At Umamicart
Medium Saucepan with Lid
$36.99 At Amazon
Medium Bowl
$17 At Amazon
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$26 At Amazon
Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil
$12 At Target
Ingredients
4 servings
3
¼
2
3
⅓
12
2
3
Preparation
Step 1
Toss 3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced, ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar, and a big pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally, until ready to use.
Step 2
Bring 2 cups sushi rice or other short-grain rice, a pinch of salt, and 2½ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook until water is completely absorbed and rice is tender, 20–25 minutes; gently fluff rice with a fork.
Step 3
Meanwhile, stir together 3 Tbsp. chili crisp, a drizzle of rice vinegar, and ⅓ cup mayonnaise in a small bowl; set spicy mayo aside.
Step 4
Heat broiler on high with a rack in the upper third of oven. Pat 12 oz. salmon fillet, preferably skin-on, cut into 1" cubes, dry with paper towels and place in a small bowl; season with salt. Add remaining 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise and a pinch of cayenne pepper; toss to coat. Arrange salmon (skin side up if it has skin) in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and broil until lightly browned and flesh is opaque throughout, 8–10 minutes.
Step 5
To serve, scoop cooked rice into bowls. Divide salmon, drained pickled cucumbers, and 2 avocados, thinly sliced, among bowls; spoon some cucumber pickling liquid over. Drizzle with reserved spicy mayo and top with 3 scallions, thinly sliced. Sprinkle furikake, shichimi togarashi, and/or toasted sesame seeds over.
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Leave a Review
Reviews (30)
Back to TopThis was a hit. I loved the method for broiling the salmon skin-on, as well as the spicy sauce. A great example of a filling, flavorful meal that doesn’t require much effort. Perfect for a weeknight. Adding to my rotation!
Meredith
Tennessee
5/1/2024
This recipe blew my mind. I don’t know if I’ll ever make salmon another way again. Thank you!
Abby
Denver
4/18/2024
Absolutely loved this recipe, super easy to put together and a very fresh and flavorful end result.
JD
Greenville, NC
4/13/2024
Easy and delicious! Comes together quickly . Subbed edamame for the avocado, and grilled the salmon. It was very tasty and filling. This is going in the weeknight rotation! The spicy mayo makes this dish.
Annette
Raleigh, NC
4/11/2024
I have been reading about chili crunch and wanting to try it. This was an easy weeknight meal that is over the top. So delicious. This will be on my repetitive list and would be a good lunch meal as well. I didn't have salmon so used Yellow Tail. Also, didn't have any furikake but I did have roasted seaweed with sea salt and just crumbled it on top. My husband loved it.
Faith
Walnut Creek, CA
4/8/2024
I was starting to lose trust for highly rated recipes on this site until I made this one. It's quick, easy and everyone loved it. I used 4 cucumbers, 2lbs of skinned salmon and 3 cups of rice. The salmon was nice and browned and perfectly cooked. I usually like salmon slightly under done so I was worried but I cut the cubes a little over an inch and broiled for 10 minutes.
Joline
Glendale, CA
4/8/2024
Turned out great even though I didn't have enough rice wine vinegar (used some champagne and apple cider vinegar with a little mirin.) I'm terrible with stovetop rice so I made a 1:1 ratio in my instant pot on rice setting, slow released then added a warmed mix of vinegar, sugar, and salt and mixed well. Everything tasted very bright and healthy, but next time I will make extra spicy mayo.
Anonymous
2/5/2024
Really yummy! Used microwavable brown rice and added pre-shelled edamame, splash of soy sauce and toasted sesame oil added a good salty element. The salmon cooked up great - used high broiler, and had it about 2 oven rack spaces away from the broiler.
LSP
1/5/2024
Thank you Kendra for this quick and easy morsel. Added ribboned carrots in the rice vinegar mix for some extra veg which we thought went well with everything.
Brook
Denver, CO
12/20/2023
I cook salmon regularly at least once a week. I tried this method and I have to say I won't cook this way again. The mayo was unnecessary. 8 minutes under the broiler and the fish was slightly overcooked to my liking and the skin wasn't as crispy as I prefer. Overall I'll stick to my tried and true method of pan searing and I'll skip the mayo and cutting it in cubes. The little pickle turned out nicely. I salted and left for 10 minutes then added rice vinegar and a dash of sugar.
Anonymous
12/20/2023
Bravo! I've made this three times now, and it is always good, you can't ruin it as long as the salmon is cooked through. And, as I dial in heat level and crispiness to my liking it is stupendous. It's quickly become a regular addition to our weekly menu as it's easy, satisfying, delicous, and relatively healthy (the mayo drips off the salmon as it cooks, and of course you can control how much you put on the final dish - it doesn't need much to be flavorful).
Chef Johnny
California
12/13/2023
We made this tonight for our gluten-free, no dairy, no egg or soy friends. It was amazing. I made the coconut crisp from another BA recipe for the topper garnish. I used Sriracha because my store bought chili crisp had gluten. Vegan mayo kicked up with rice vinegar and more Sriracha Also I used black rice, its lower glycemic since I am type 1 Diabetic.
Nancy
Fargo, ND
12/4/2023
So yummy! I wasn’t the biggest fan of the cucumbers so, the second time we made this, we left them out. Still amazing! I haven’t been able to find shichimi togarashi, so I combined: chili powder, orange pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt, msg, and sesame seeds. I’ve found a new recipe!
DR Smith
Washington, DC
11/19/2023
This was great! I was surprised at how well the mayo seasoned the salmon. Definitely added more cayenne than the recipe. Also threw in some pickled onions. Would definitely make again.
Saleha
Chicago, IL
11/14/2023
I loved this dish but think the cucumbers were too acidy. A touch of sugar would improve it. But all in all pretty yummy
Anonymous
11/9/2023