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This easy salmon rice bowl recipe features flakey salmon coated in a honey garlic sauce nestled in coconut rice with Asian-inspired toppings. The spicy mayo and coconut rice are what make this salmon bowl stand out from the rest! Did I mention it cooks in 8 minutes? Ideal healthy recipe!
Looking for more salmon recipes? Try this salmon with mango salsa (baked or grilled!), air fryer salmon bites, or herb crusted salmon.
Table of Contents
- Loaded Salmon Rice Bowl
- Ingredients, Brands I Love, and Salmon Buying Tips
- How to Make Salmon Rice Bowls
- Recipe Variations
- Can I Make the Salmon in the Air Fryer?
- How to Store Salmon Bowls
- FAQs and Reader Comments
- More Easy Salmon Recipes
- Honey Garlic Salmon Rice Bowls Recipe
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. This delicious salmon rice bowl is proof that you can pack in healthy fats, protein and veggies and still look forward to a great meal.
Love salmon? Try salmon pesto pasta, teriyaki glazed salmon, herb grilled salmon or blackened salmon next!
Loaded Salmon Rice Bowl
This salmon rice bowl features fluffy rice (my favorite coconut rice) with an assortment of veggies, toppings and of course, salmon. It’ one of my favorite easy meals on my website. And here’s why:
- Perfect balance of sweet and garlicy flavors
- Tons of textures
- 31g of protein per serving
- Salmon cooks in 8 minutes
- Easy to meal prep
- Great served cold for leftover lunches
One of the best parts? There are so many ways to customize a salmon rice bowl. Skip to my recipe variations for tips!
To pack in more greens, try this irresistible salmon arugula salad.
Ingredients, Brands I Love, and Salmon Buying Tips
Get the scoop on my favorite brands I keep stocked in our pantry and tips for purchasing salmon. Jump down to the recipe card for exact amounts and instructions.
- Rice: we used a long grain white rice and subbed some of the water for full fat canned coconut milk (my favorite is Thai Kitchen).
- Honey garlic sauce: soy sauce or coconut aminos, honey, sesame oil, ginger, sriracha, garlic.
- Sriracha: A little spice helps balance out the sweetness. You can use any hot sauce you have on hand.
- Garlic: don’t be intimated by the amount of garlic in this recipe. It is honey garlic salmon after all.
- Salmon fillets: choosing salmon at the grocery store can be overwhelming. I opt for coho salmon from a trusted grocer, like Whole Foods, or a local market, when possible. Seafood watch is an amazing resource for learning the best kinds of salmon to buy.
- Toppings: avocado, English cucumber (so you don’t have to peel it), red onion, lime, and cilantro.
How to Make Salmon Rice Bowls
Use this visual guide to see the recipe at each step. You can skip down to the recipe card for printable instructions or to watch a video guide for this recipe.
Make the Rice
Simmer the rice with coconut milk and salt for 15-20 minutes, until it’s light and fluffy.
Make the Cucumber Salad
Toss together all of the salad toppings quickly in a medium bowl and throw it in the fridge to marinate until you’re ready to serve.
Make the Sauce
Add the sauce ingredients to a small bowl and give it a good whisk.
Cook the Salmon
Cut the salmon into bite sized pieces. Cook the salmon until crisp on one side, 2-3 minutes. Pour the sauce over the salmon and cook for another 2 more minutes. Remove the salmon to bowl or plate simmer the sauce to reduce and thick. You can and a cornstrach slurry to thicken it more.
Remove salmon skin or leave it on? The skin protects salmon from overcooking, but it can be a pain to cut (kitchen shears help with this). You can remove salmon skin easily before you cut it into chunks. Kitchen
Assemble Bowls
Layer the rice, salmon, and toppings. Drizzle with sauce, spicy mayo, and finish with fresh herbs.
Recipe Variations
Here are recipe variations for each element of this salmon rice bowl. Get creative and make your own salmon bowl after you try this one!
- Rice: Try white rice, microwave rice to save time, brown rice, cauliflower rice (low carb option) or even quinoa.
- Salmon: tilapia would work here or even chicken if someone isn’t a seafood fan.
- Honey alternative: try maple syrup or brown sugar.
- Toppings: Try broccoli slaw, pre-mixed cabbage slaw, mango, shredded carrots, edamame, pineapple, brussels sprouts.
- Sriracha mayo: use greek yogurt instead of mayo. For less spice, try the sauce in my bang bang salmon.
Want to try another rice bowl? You’ll love this ground turkey teriyaki rice bowl or my Copycat CAVA Honey Harissa Chicken Bowls.
Can I Make the Salmon in the Air Fryer?
Mix the salmon chunks with half the sauce then add everything to the air fryer basket and air fryer at 390°F for 6 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 125-130°F. Simmer the remaining sauce on the stove to thicken it. You may need to add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch mixed with water to thicken the sauce before you drizzle it on top.
What about the oven? Follow the same instructions as above to toss the salmon in half the sauce and simmer the rest. Bake at 450°F for 6 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 125-130°F.
How to Store Salmon Bowls
Store: place any leftover bowls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (the avocado may not last that long, so add fresh before seerving). I recommend storing the leftover rice and salad separately.
Meal prep: this recipe is a great meal prep option and can be made once to enjoy as quick lunches. The only ingredient that doesn’t prep well is the avocado so save that to add on top right before serving.
“I’ve never left a comment on a recipe before but this one was so good I just had to. Everything about this is perfect.”
Sydney
This section is dedicated to answering any and every question you may have (or other’s have already asked) about this recipe. Hope it helps!
What’s the best salmon to buy?
Choosing salmon at the grocery store can be overwhelming. I opt for coho salmon from a trusted grocer, like Whole Foods, or a local market, when possible. Seafood watch is an amazing resource for learning the best kinds of salmon to buy.
Should I keep the salmon skin on?
Keeping the skin on the salmon is a personal preference. Cutting salmon into cubes with the skin on can be tricky, so try kitchen shears for best results. You can easily run a knife between the flesh and skin to remove it before slicing the salmon into chunks.
You can also buy boneless skinless salmon. Just ask the butcher to take the skin off for you!
What’s the internal temperature of cooked salmon?
The key to tender, flaky salmon is cooking it well. It’s easy to overcook salmon so use an Instant read thermometer to know when it’s done. Remove the salmon when it reaches 125-130°F to allow for carryover cooking.
What type of rice should I use?
The recipe calls for basmati or long grain white rice, but you could use basmati as well. I’ve made coconut rice with brown rice and it doesn’t work as well. No matter the rice, double check the package instructions for cook times.
Why is my sauce thin?
You have to simmer the sauce at the end to reduce and thicken it. If you want a thicker sauce, mix together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with a bit of water then simmer it in the sauce to thicken further.
More Easy Salmon Recipes
- Salmon pesto pasta
- Air fryer salmon bites
- Salmon Caesar salad
- Honey Sriracha Glazed Salmon
- Herb crusted salmon
Honey Garlic Salmon Rice Bowls
Prep: 20 minutes mins
Cook: 8 minutes mins
Total: 28 minutes mins
This easy salmon rice bowl features perfectly cooked, flakey salmon coated in a honey garlic sauce on top of coconut rice with a fresh cucumber avocado salad.
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Molly Thompson
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Molly Thompson
Servings: 4 bowls
Ingredients
Coconut Rice
- 2 cups basmati or long grain white rice
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Honey Garlic Salmon
- 1/3 cup tamari or coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 cloves minced garlic
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 4 (4-6 ounce) skin on salmon filet cut into 1-inch cubes *see notes for skinless
- Toppings: green onion and sesame seeds and spicy mayo
Cucumber Avocado Salad
- 2 avocados diced
- 1 english cucumber sliced into half moons
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1/2 a lime)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Spicy Mayo (Optional)
- 1/2 cup mayo or japanese mayo
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
Coconut Rice
Add the rice to a bowl and fill with water then swish it around and drain it. Repeat this one more time to remove excess starches off the rice. This helps the coconut rice become light and fluffy rather than gummy and thick.
Combine the water, salt and coconut milk in a pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the rice and stir once then reduce the heat too medium-low and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.
Cucumber Avocado Salad
While the rice is cooking, toss together the avocado, cucumber, red onion, lime juice, green onion and cilantro. Set aside or store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Honey Garlic Salmon
While the rice is still cooking, pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel then cut the salmon into bite sized pieces, if you haven’t already. In a large bowl, whisk together the tamari, honey, sesame oil, ginger, sriracha and salt and set aside.
Add the olive or avocado oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the cubed salmon, skin-side-down, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it crisps. Use tongs to carefully flip the salmon over then add the minced garlic and gently stir to cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the prepared sauce and continue cooking for 2 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 135 °F (this allows for 10° of carryover cooking).
Remove the salmon to a clean cutting board, plate or bowl. Turn the heat down to medium- low and add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the sauce and whisk well to bring the sauce back together. Allow it to simmer for 3-4 more minutes to thicken. For an even thicker sauce, mix together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with a bit of water then simmer it in the sauce to thicken further.
The coconut rice should be done at this point so place your desired amount in the bottom of the bowl. Add the honey garlic salmon then spoon a few tablespoons of the thickened sauce on top.
Add a generous amount of the cucumber avocado salad to the top and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.
Optional: Quickly stir together the mayo, sriracha and honey and serve with the bowls for additional spicy flavor.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!
Notes
Salmon Skin: Keeping the skin on the salmon is a personal preference. It’s completely ok to eat, but it’s also really easy to pull the skin off each piece after they’re cooked. However, you can ask the butcher at the grocery store to remove the skin at no additional cost.
Buying salmon: i usually buy frozen salmon filets rather than the salmon at the counter. The salmon at the counter is almost already previously frozen and i don’t know how long it’s thawed so i prefer to do it myself so it’s more fresh. This way, i can keep it in the freezer until I’m ready to use it all.
Air Fryer salmon: Mix the salmon chunks in the sauce then add everything to the air fryer basket and air fryer at 390°F for 6-8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F. Make sure to keep the sauce at the bottom of the air fryer basket to drizzle on top of the bowl before serving.
Salmon in the oven: Toss the cubed salmon with the sauce then spread it out evenly on a large baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Bake at 450°F for 6-8 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 135°F. Again, save the sauce to top!
Storage: Store any leftover bowls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (the avocado may not last that long). This is a great meal prep recipe, just omit the avocado and top right before serving.
Low carb: use cauliflower rice and reduce the amount of honey in the sauce for 18 net carbs and 550 calories.
Video
Equipment
Non-stick Saute Pan
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 708kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 30.7g | Fat: 41.9g | Cholesterol: 57.9mg | Sodium: 1419mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 12.8mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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