Whenever I don’t know what to cook during the week, I usually make some variation of a bowl. I mean, it’s the perfect vessel for consumption — keep a plate away from me.
Give me a protein, a veggie, some kind of carb and a really good sauce to drizzle over everything, and ideally have it on my table in under 30 minutes. These Bang Bang Salmon Bowls check pretty much every box.
Cubed salmon gets tossed in a quick pantry-staple marinade with soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, ginger and lemon zest, then broiled until tender and caramelized around the edges. Serve it over fluffy jasmine rice with a crunchy cucumber edamame salad and plenty of creamy, sweet and spicy bang bang sauce.
And if you like my Shrimp Crunch Roll Bowls, think of this as what I made when I decided I probably couldn’t eat those for the 15th time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: These bang bang salmon bowls come together in about 30 minutes, making them perfect for a weeknight dinner.
- My favorite thing about a bowl dinner is you can get a little bit of everything in one bite. You’ve got tender salmon, fluffy jasmine rice, crunchy cucumber edamame salad, and a creamy sauce all in one bowl.
- Sweet, spicy, and savory: The salmon gets a sweet and savory marinade while the bang bang sauce brings the creamy heat.
- Easy to customize: Adjust the sriracha depending on your spice preference, swap in whatever veggies you have on hand, or cook the salmon in the broiler or air fryer.
Ingredients
- Salmon: Use skinless salmon and cut it into roughly 1″ cubes so the pieces cook quickly and evenly. Smaller cubes tender to overcook before they get a nice char on the outside. You can also make this with shrimp or tofu.
- Sesame oil: Adds a nutty, toasted flavor to both the salmon marinade and cucumber salad.
- Honey: Balances the salty soy sauce and helps the salmon caramelize under the broiler.
- Soy sauce: Adds saltiness and umami to each component. You can substitute tamari for a gluten-free option.
- Grated ginger: Adds a little zing and freshness to the quick salmon marinade.
- Lemon: The zest brightens up the salmon while the juice cuts through the richness of the bang bang sauce.
- Jasmine rice: A fluffy, slightly aromatic base for the bowls. You can substitute your favorite rice or multi-grain.
- Veggies: I like this cucumber and edamamade salad for something fresh and a little extra protein, but this is also great with any roasted veggies (broccoli, broccolini, green beans, you name it!)
- Sweet chili sauce: Provides the sweet and tangy base of the bang bang sauce.
- Mayonnaise: Makes the sauce rich and creamy. Kewpie brand is the way to go here.
- Sriracha: Brings a little heat to the sauce. I like 2 tbsp, but reduce to 1 if you prefer less spice.
What Is Bang Bang Sauce?
Bang bang sauce is a creamy, sweet and spicy sauce most commonly made with mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and a spicy chili sauce like sriracha. It’s commonly seen on menus paired with “bang bang shrimp”, or crispy fried shrimp that gets tossed in bang bang sauce.
My version uses just 5 ingredients: mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, soy sauce, and a tiny splash of fresh lemon juice. The sweet chili sauce gives it that signature sweetness, the sriracha adds heat, a tiny splash of soy sauce adds deep savoriness, and a squeeze of lemon adds some acidity to balance out the creamy mayo.
The best part is that it’s really easy to adjust to your spice preference. Start with 1 tablespoon of sriracha for a milder sauce or use the full 2 tablespoons if you like things spicy.
Tips & Tricks
Cut your salmon into evenly sized pieces. Aim for roughly 1-inch cubes so they all finish cooking around the same time.
Don’t skip the marinade time. Even 15 minutes gives the salmon time to soak up the soy, sesame, ginger, and honey while you prepare the rest of the bowl.
Give the salmon some space. Spread the pieces out on your baking sheet rather than crowding them together. This helps them caramelize instead of steam.
Watch closely under the broiler. Between the small pieces of salmon and honey in the marinade, these cook quickly. You’re looking for tender salmon with lightly charred, caramelized edges. You’ll know the salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
Make good use of your time. Get the rice cooking first, then make your cucumber salad and sauce while the salmon marinates. Once the salmon goes under the broiler, you’re only a few minutes away from dinner.
How to Make Bang Bang Salmon Bowls
1. Marinate the salmon
Cut the salmon into roughly 1-inch cubes and add it to a bowl with sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, grated ginger, lemon zest and garlic powder. Toss until everything is evenly coated and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the bowl.
2. Cook the jasmine rice
Rinse the jasmine rice several times until the water runs mostly clear. Add it to a pot with 1¼ cups water and a pinch of salt.
Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave the lid on so the remaining steam can finish cooking the rice. Fluff with a fork before serving.
3. Make the cucumber edamame salad
Add the sliced Persian cucumbers, edamame and cilantro to a bowl with rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, honey and a pinch of salt.
Toss everything together, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. I like making this before cooking the salmon so the cucumbers have a few minutes to soak up all that dressing.
4. Broil or air fry the salmon
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the salmon pieces in a single layer, leaving a little space between each piece.
For the broiler, position the salmon about 6 inches from the heat and broil on high for 6–8 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the salmon is cooked through and caramelized around the edges.
You can also air fry the salmon at 400°F for 6–8 minutes.
5. Make the bang bang sauce
While the salmon cooks, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, mayonnaise, sriracha and lemon juice.
Start with 1 tablespoon of sriracha, taste, and add another tablespoon if you want more heat. Season with salt if needed.
6. Assemble the bowls
Add jasmine rice to each bowl, followed by the cucumber edamame salad and broiled salmon bites. Finish with plenty of bang bang sauce drizzled over everything.
Serving Suggestions
I designed these bang bang salmon bowls to be a complete meal on their own: jasmine rice for the base, salmon for protein, cucumber and edamame for something fresh and crunchy, and plenty of bang bang sauce over top.
If you want to bulk them up even more, avocado, shredded carrots, thinly sliced cabbage, green onions, or steamed broccoli would all be great additions.
You can also swap the jasmine rice for sushi rice, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
More Rice Bowl Recipes
If you love an easy dinner in bowl form as much as I do, try my Shrimp Crunch Roll Bowls next. You might also like my Gochujang Salmon Bowls, Thai Basil Turkey, or Gochujang Beef Bowls for more easy weeknight rice bowls.
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Bang Bang Salmon Bowls
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 2-3
Description
Sweet, spicy and creamy Bang Bang Salmon Bowls made with broiled salmon bites, fluffy jasmine rice, a crunchy cucumber edamame salad and homemade bang bang sauce. An easy weeknight salmon dinner that comes together in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Bang Bang Salmon Bowls:
- 1lb skinless salmon, cut into 1” cubes
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- Salt to taste
- Sliced green onions for serving (optional)
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise (Kewpie preferred)
- 1–2 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp lemon juice
For the Cucumber Edamame Salad:
- 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced into half moons
- ½ cup edamame
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp honey
- Sesame seeds (optional)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
For the Bang Bang Salmon Bowls:
- Marinate the salmon. Add the cubed salmon to a medium bowl with the sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, and lemon zest. Toss until evenly coated, then set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes while you cook the rice.
- Cook the rice. Add the rice to a small pot and cover with water. Using your hand, gently swirl the rice in a circular motion, then drain the cloudy water. Repeat 2–3 times, or until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well, then add 1¼ cups fresh water and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, still covered, for 5 minutes to finish steaming. Fluff with a fork before serving.
- Make the cucumber edamame salad. While the rice cooks, add the cucumbers, edamame, cilantro, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, sesame seeds, and a pinch of salt to a medium bowl. Toss until well combined, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Set aside.
- Cook the salmon. Preheat the broiler to high and position an oven rack about 6 inches from the heating element. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the salmon in a single layer, leaving a little space between each piece. Broil for 6–8 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the salmon is cooked through and lightly charred around the edges. Alternatively, air fry at 400°F for 6–8 minutes.
- Make the bang bang sauce. While the salmon cooks, add the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, 1 tablespoon sriracha, and lemon juice to a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Taste and add more sriracha for additional heat, if desired.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide the jasmine rice between bowls and top with the cucumber edamame salad and salmon. Drizzle generously with the bang bang sauce and finish with sliced green onions and additional sesame seeds, if desired.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Asian
Storage and Meal Prep
Store the salmon, rice, cucumber salad and bang bang sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
The salmon and rice can be reheated in the microwave, but I recommend keeping the cucumber salad and bang bang sauce cold and adding them after reheating.
If you’re making these bowls for meal prep, the cucumber salad may release some liquid as it sits. You can either drain off any excess before serving or keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make bang bang salmon in the air fryer?
Yes! Air fry the salmon bites at 400°F for about 6–8 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly caramelized around the edges. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of your salmon pieces and your air fryer.
How spicy is bang bang sauce?
That’s completely up to you. One tablespoon of sriracha gives the sauce some heat without making it overwhelmingly spicy. Use two tablespoons for a bigger kick (my preference), or start with even less if you prefer a mild sauce.
Can I make the bang bang sauce ahead of time?
Yes. You can whisk the sauce together ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the bowls. It also makes enough sauce for about 4-6 servings, so just keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Can I meal prep bang bang salmon bowls?
Yes. Prepare the individual components and store them separately for the best texture. Reheat the salmon and rice, then add the cold cucumber edamame salad and bang bang sauce right before serving.
What should I serve with bang bang salmon?
These bowls are already designed to be a complete meal with salmon, rice and cucumber edamame salad. If you want to add something else, avocado, shredded carrots, steamed broccoli or extra edamame would all work well.
