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.
All products featured on Bon Appétit are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through the retail links below, we earn an affiliate commission.
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
$30 At Amazon
Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil
$12 At Target
Recipe information
Total Time
40 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
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.
Head this way for more of our favorite salmon recipes →
Leave a Review
Reviews (30)
Back to TopAuthor failed to share the rack level for broiling.
Jeff Winett
Sherman Oaks, California
9/29/2023
This tasted pretty good. But between the broiled salmon, mayo and avocado the dish came off as a little oily/fatty. Some more vegetables (besides just lots of cucumbers) might help. Maybe some fresh herbs and lime too.
Anonymous
9/30/2023
Classic, Easy, and Delicious. Perfect weekday meal.
Abi B.
Kentucky
10/2/2023
Delicious! Did it last night for dinner when our other plans fell through and this came together very quickly and was very good. Already looking forward to having it again. My chili crisp doesn't have much heat to it so added a bit of sriracha in, but otherwise followed exactly. There are a few things missing from the recipe, though. Where should the grates be for broiling, and broiling on high or low? Also, Step 5 calls out "reserved spicy mayo" but there was no spicy mayo that was supposed to be reserved. It was not used anywhere else in the recipe and had me re-reading to make sure that I was doing it correctly and hadn't missed something.
Sarah J
MD
10/3/2023
My hubby said it’s the best thing I’ve ever made. That’s saying something, as I’m an accomplished cook!
Fox_mom
St. Louis, MO
10/4/2023
LOVED this. Easy to make, will be a new addition to the weekday rotation. Great with a little sprinkle of sriracha and we did a side of kale- mixed lightly with equal parts sugar, rice vinegar and sesame oil. A great side veg that balances out the richness of the salmon.
J Allen
New York/London
10/4/2023
Loved this recipe! The salmon skin got nice and crispy. The balance of flavors and textures makes for a delicious meal. I might make making extra pickled cucumbers next time because I kept wanting to pile on more of them.
Hungry
New Haven, CT
10/4/2023