Rice Bowl with Salmon
This Rice Bowl with Salmon is a fresh, nourishing meal made with flaky salmon, fluffy rice, crunchy vegetables, and a creamy sesame-lime sauce. A customizable salmon bowl perfect for lunch or dinner.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This Rice Bowl with Salmon is a simple, nourishing meal built around easy pan-seared salmon, fluffy rice, crunchy vegetables, and flavorful sauces. It’s customizable, quick to assemble, and perfect for lunch or dinner. Because salmon bowls are so flexible, they’re easy to repeat without getting bored.
You can mix and match the vegetables and toppings you include with a strong base of rice and a perfectly pan-seared salmon filet. It’s balanced, colorful, and endlessly adaptable based on what you have on hand.
When I’m making Salmon with Pesto Sauce, I often bake extra filets of salmon to use in bowls like this. Whether pan-seared or baked, flaky salmon is the star of this hearty rice bowl.
Why YOu’ll Love This Recipe
- A high-protein meal that lets salmon shine
- Ready in about 30 minutes
- Balanced and nourishing without feeling heavy
- Easy to customize for different diets
- Perfect for meal prep or quick weeknight dinners
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pantry staples: Jasmine rice, coconut aminos or soy sauce, sriracha, honey, olive oil, sesame oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and sesame seeds
- Refrigerated and frozen:Salmon filets and frozen, shelled edamame
- Fresh produce: Red cabbage, Persian cucumbers, avocado, lime, fresh ginger, garlic, green onions, and fresh herbs like cilantro
You can find the full ingredient list and measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make A Rice Bowl with Salmon
Quick Pickle the Cucumbers: Slice cucumbers into ¼-inch rounds. Add to a bowl with rice vinegar and kosher salt. Toss to coat and let rest for 15 minutes, or more, stirring occasionally.
Prepare Rice and Other Vegetables: Cook rice according to package directions, and cut and prepare vegetables. My recipe suggestions a mix of crunchy vegetables and more tender herbs: Thinly sliced red cabbage, red bell pepper, steamed edamame for added protein, chopped green onions, and torn cilantro leaves.
Make the Sauces: Whisk all Sesame-Lime Sauce ingredients until smooth and emulsified. An immersion blender works especially well here. For the Spicy Mayo, whisk together mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl.
Pan-Sear the Salmon: Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
Place salmon skin-side up and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. You want the cut-side to get a slight crust but not cook all the way through.
Flip and cook with the skin-side down until skin is crisp and salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. This will happen fairly quickly, in 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Assemble the Salmon Bowls: Divide rice between serving bowls. Top with red cabbage, edamame, pickled cucumbers, avocado, and any additional vegetables you like.
Finish and Serve: Add a salmon filet to each bowl. Pour on some Sesame-Lime Sauce and Spicy Mayo. Garnish with green onions, fresh, and sesame seeds, as desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Rice Bowls for Meal Prep: Prepare all of the elements in advance and keep them separate. This dish eats well slightly chilled, and can be built as such. If preferred, gently reheat the rice and salmon before adding in the fresh veggies and sauces.
- Turn Up the Heat: Add a spoonful of chili crisp, sliced serrano peppers, or an extra drizzle of sriracha for more spiciness.
- Make It Whole30-Compatible: Use riced cauliflower, or replace rice with a bed of chopped lettuce, and omit honey in the Sesame-Lime Sauce. Always check labels to ensure ingredients such as mayonnaise or rice vinegar are compatible.
- Bake the Salmon: This recipe calls for pan-searing salmon for a crispy skin. It works well with baked salmon filets, too. Add filets to a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees F for about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
Whether you’re making this Rice Bowl with Salmon for a quick weeknight dinner or using it as a template to prep lunches for the week ahead, it’s the kind of flexible meal that is built around a beautifully cooked piece of salmon. Swap the vegetables, change the sauce, or use leftover salmon. These bowls are built for real life.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest to see more pescatarian meals and recipe ideas.
Rice Bowl with Salmon
Ingredients
For the rice bowl
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice, or the rice of your choice
- 1 ½ cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shelled edamame, steamed
- Quick pickled cucumbers, as outlined below
- 1 avocado, sliced (optional but recommended)
- Green onions or fresh herbs, for garnish
- Sesame seeds, optional
For Quick Pickled Cucumbers
- 4 Persian cucumbers
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For Sesame-Lime Sauce
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- Pinch of kosher salt
For Spicy Mayo
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
For Pan-Seared Salmon
- 2 6-ounce salmon filets, I used Wild King from SeaBear Smokehouse
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
Quick Pickle Cucumbers
- Slice cucumbers into ¼-inch rounds. Add to a bowl with rice vinegar and kosher salt. Toss to coat and let rest on the counter for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pan-Sear Salmon
- Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
- Place salmon skin-side up and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until skin is crisp and salmon reaches 145 degrees internally. Remove from heat.
Make the Sauces
- For the Sesame Lime Sauce: Add of the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until emulsified. Alternatively, add ingredients to a jar and use an immersion blender to create a more smooth, creamy sauce.
- For the Spicy Mayo: Simply add mayonnaise and sriracha into a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Assemble Salmon Bowls
- Divide rice between serving bowls. Top with red cabbage, edamame, pickled cucumbers, avocado, and any additional vegetables you like.
Finish and Serve
- Add a salmon filet to each bowl. Drizzle with sesame-lime sauce and spicy mayo. Garnish with green onions, herbs, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
