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Delicious Spicy Salmon Maki Bowls have all the wonderful flavors of classic sushi rolls, but are so easy to make! Salmon pieces are coated in a mix of mayo, sriracha sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil, and then pan-seared until they’re crispy on the outside and tender inside. Pair with shredded cabbage, sushi rice, sliced avocado, mango, crushed nori, and spicy mayo for a dish that’s packed with flavor and texture!
Craving sushi at home, but don’t want the hassle? Try these Spicy Salmon Maki Bowls! They’re simple to make and a complete dinner can be served in just 30 minutes! It’s like deconstructed sushi with no need to worry about rolling or slicing!
This salmon bowl is everything you love about sushi, it’s super tasty with juicy salmon, fluffy rice, fresh fruit, and creamy sriracha-mayo. So much deliciousness in every bite!
Why you should make this recipe
- So delicious: Pan-frying the salmon gives it a crispy golden brown crust on the outside while keeping it nice and tender inside. Then, it’s served with sticky rice, fresh mango, creamy avocado, and spicy mayo ties all of the flavors together.
- Healthy: Most of the ingredients are rich in nutrients and the bowl is a hearty meal that will satisfy you for hours.
- Quick & easy: Aside from some slicing and chopping, there is very little effort needed to make a salmon bowl. This dish is ready to serve in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect meal for busy weeknights.
Ingredients needed
All you need are fresh, simple ingredients to make this salmon maki bowl recipe! Here’s the lineup:
- Salmon: For the best taste and plenty of health benefits, we recommend high-quality, wild-caught salmon.
- Spicy mayo: Used as a marinade and also to top the finished dish, you’ll need to mix mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil.
- Sushi rice: Use short-grain white rice. It will clump up nicely and be just like the rice in traditional sushi rolls.
- Shredded cabbage: Adds texture and freshness. Substitute with shredded lettuce, if preferred.
- Salt & pepper: Brings all of the flavors together.
- Lemon & sesame seeds: Lemon zest, lemon juice, and sesame seeds are mixed with the cabbage to add a tangy delicious flavor.
- Avocado: Choose a ripe avocado with dark green and black speckled color. When you apply pressure to the avocado, it should still be somewhat firm, but not hard.
- Mango: Cool pieces of diced mango are a great contrast to the warm salmon and rice.
- Crushed nori sheet: For crunchy texture.
- Green onions: For a pop of color and freshness.
How to make this recipe
- Prep the salmon: Place the salmon on a shallow plate and season with salt and pepper.
- Make the spicy mayo: In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Add a spoonful of this mixture over the salmon and stir to coat. Keep the remaining sriracha-mayo mixture to use as topping over the bowls.
- Cook the salmon: Preheat a non-stick pan over medium heat and cook the salmon in a single layer, until golden on all sides and flaky.
- Make the cabbage salad: Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl and using your hands rub it with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the lemon zest, juice, and sesame seeds.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide the cooked rice among 4 serving bowls. Top with shredded cabbage salad, salmon, avocado, mango, crushed nori, and green onions.
Expert Tips
- Cooking the salmon: Avoid overcrowding the fish pieces in the skillet, and cook in batches if necessary. We want the salmon to get nice and crisp on the outside and not steam.
- Lower calorie bowls: Use light mayo to cut down on calories. Using cauliflower rice would also lower the calories and carbs in the recipe.
- Less spicy: If you’re sensitive to spice, simply omit the sriracha in the mayo blend.
- Customize this recipe: Feel free to add extra ingredients to make these salmon bowls your own! Add in extra vegetables, like shredded carrots or thinly sliced red bell pepper. You could also swap the mango for pineapple. Or use shrimp or another seafood option instead of salmon.
Frequently asked questions
We enjoy eating the salmon warm in these bowls. The warm salmon is a nice contrast to the cool mango and spicy mayo. That being said, it is perfectly fine to make the salmon ahead of time and enjoy it chilled in your bowl.
The most common fish to make sushi and a great salmon variety for this recipe is sockeye salmon or red salmon. Sockeye salmon is also called Blueback and has bright orange meat. Japanese restaurants usually serve sockeye salmon sushi since it’s a fattier fish and has a rich flavor.
Whether a recipe is healthy or not is subjective. However, this particular recipe is filled with ingredients that offer a variety of nutrients. According to Healthline, salmon is high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation and promote heart health. It’s also a great source of many key nutrients, including selenium, phosphorus, and B vitamins.
Storing leftovers
Place leftover salmon bowl ingredients in airtight containers in the fridge for up to about 3 days. We recommend storing the salmon and rice together and the fresh ingredients separately. This way, you can warm up the salmon and rice and then add the cabbage, mango, avocado, spicy mayo, and green onions just before serving.
More salmon recipes
- Baked Honey Salmon & Asparagus Bowls
- Blackened Salmon
- Crispy, Pan-Seared Spicy Salmon
- Miso Glazed Salmon
- Baked Salmon and Veggies
- Mediterranean Baked Salmon
- Southwest Salmon Bowls
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Spicy Salmon Maki Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless salmon filets, cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch pieces
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup mayo, lite
- 2-3 tbsp sriracha sauce, or to taste
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
For The Bowls:
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 lemon, juice, and zest of
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 cups cooked sushi rice, or rice of choice
- 1 hass avocado, sliced
- 1 mango, diced
- 1 sheet nori, crushed
- 4 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Place the salmon in a shallow plate and season with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Add a spoonful of this mixture over the salmon and stir to coat. Keep the remaining sriracha-mayo mixture to use as topping over the bowls.
- Preheat a non-stick pan over medium heat and cook the salmon in a single layer, until golden on all sides and flaky.
- Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl and using your hands rub it with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the lemon zest, juice, and sesame seeds.
- Divide the cooked rice among 4 serving bowls. Top with shredded cabbage salad, salmon, avocado, mango, crushed nori, and green onions.
Notes
- Salmon: If you prefer to use any other protein like shrimp you can swap.
- Mayo: Use lite mayo to cut down on calories.
- Rice: Use brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
- If you don’t like cabbage, use shredded lettuce.
- You can make it less spicy by skipping the sriracha.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
