Honey Sriracha Salmon Rice Bowls
Bite-size salmon pieces get lightly browned in the air fryer, then tossed with a glossy honey-sriracha glaze. Cooking the glaze separately keeps the wet, sweet sauce from interfering with browning. Serve the salmon over warm rice with cool cucumber, avocado, and edamame, then add a thin sriracha-mayo drizzle. Start checking the salmon early: 1-inch pieces cook quickly, and air fryers vary.
Ingredients for Honey Sriracha Salmon Rice Bowls
- 1¼ pounds skinless salmon fillets, cut into roughly 1-inch cubes (570g)
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 4 cups cooked white or jasmine rice (600g), from about 1½ cups dry rice
- 1 cup cooked, shelled edamame (155g)
- 1 medium English cucumber, thinly sliced (200g)
- 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced (150g)
- 3 tablespoons honey (65g)
- 2 tablespoons sriracha for the glaze, plus 1 teaspoon for the drizzle
- 1½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water for the cornstarch slurry, plus more as needed
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (60g)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Optional: 1–2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or sliced green onion; extra sriracha for serving.
How to Make Honey Sriracha Salmon Rice Bowls
- Cook the rice: Prepare the rice according to the package directions. Keep it warm while you make the salmon and toppings.
- Prepare the toppings: Cook and drain the edamame if needed, and slice the cucumber. Leave the avocado uncut until you are ready to assemble the bowls.
- Mix the sauces: In a small saucepan, whisk together the honey, 2 tablespoons sriracha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon sriracha and the lime juice. Add a little water until the mayo falls from a spoon in a thin ribbon. In another small bowl, stir the cornstarch into 1 tablespoon water until smooth.
- Air-fry the salmon: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) if your appliance recommends or allows it. Pat the salmon dry and toss it with the oil. Arrange the pieces in a single layer with space between them; cook in batches if needed. Air-fry for about 6–8 minutes, beginning to check at 5 minutes. The thickest piece should be opaque and cooked through, with an internal temperature of 145°F (65°C). If your air fryer browns unevenly, gently turn the pieces once partway through.
- Thicken the glaze: While the salmon cooks, bring the glaze mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low to medium heat. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook briefly, until glossy and lightly thickened. If it becomes too thick to toss with the salmon, whisk in water a teaspoon at a time. Keep the glaze separate from the raw fish.
- Assemble the bowls: Gently toss the cooked salmon with enough glaze to coat it. Divide the warm rice among four shallow bowls. Slice the avocado, then arrange it with the cucumber and salmon in distinct sections over the rice. Scatter the edamame across the bowls. Drizzle lightly with sriracha mayo and finish with sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and optional cilantro or green onion.
How to Get Browned Salmon Bites
Dry surfaces and an uncrowded basket give the salmon room to brown rather than steam. If the pieces barely fit in one layer, cook them in batches. Add the honey-sriracha glaze only after air frying: its moisture can limit browning, and its honey can darken quickly under direct heat.
Adjusting the Heat
For a milder bowl, use less sriracha in the glaze and mayo drizzle, but keep some in the glaze for its sweet-spicy flavor. For more heat, serve extra sriracha at the table. Thin the mayo with a little water rather than using a heavy coating that hides the salmon and fresh toppings.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The rice, salmon, edamame, and sauces can be prepared ahead and kept separate. Refrigerate cooked rice and salmon in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. Store the cucumber separately and slice the avocado just before serving.
Reheat the rice and salmon gently in the microwave or a skillet until warm. Avoid prolonged heating, which can dry out the salmon. Leftover salmon can also be served cold. Freezing cooked salmon is not recommended because its texture may suffer after thawing.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 1 of 4 bowls: 800 calories, 39g protein, 41g fat, and 67g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 165 calories, 8g protein, 9g fat, and 14g carbohydrates. Values vary with the salmon, mayonnaise, rice, and amount of glaze used.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Small saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the Bowls
- 4 cups cooked white or jasmine rice (600 g), from about 1½ cups dry rice
- 1 cup cooked, shelled edamame (155 g)
- 1 medium English cucumber, thinly sliced (200 g)
- 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced (150 g)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- Optional: 1–2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or sliced green onion
- Optional: extra sriracha for serving
For the Salmon
- 1¼ pounds skinless salmon fillets, cut into roughly 1-inch cubes (570 g)
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
For the Honey-Sriracha Glaze
- 3 tablespoons honey (65 g)
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed
For the Sriracha Mayo
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (60 g)
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon lime juice, plus more as needed
- Water, as needed to thin
Instructions
- Prepare the rice according to the package directions and keep it warm.
- Cook and drain the edamame if needed. Slice the cucumber, and wait to cut the avocado until assembly.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the honey, 2 tablespoons sriracha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic.
- In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon sriracha and the lime juice. Add a little water until it falls from a spoon in a thin ribbon.
- In another small bowl, stir the cornstarch into 1 tablespoon water until smooth.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) if your appliance recommends or allows it.
- Pat the salmon dry and toss it with the oil. Arrange the pieces in a single layer with space between them, working in batches if needed.
- Air-fry the salmon for about 6–8 minutes, beginning to check at 5 minutes. Cook until the thickest piece is opaque and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (65°C). Turn the pieces partway through if your air fryer browns unevenly.
- While the salmon cooks, bring the glaze to a gentle simmer over medium-low to medium heat. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook briefly until glossy and lightly thickened. Add water a teaspoon at a time if needed to thin it.
- Gently toss the cooked salmon with enough glaze to coat it.
- Divide the warm rice among four shallow bowls. Slice the avocado and arrange it with the cucumber and salmon over the rice. Scatter the edamame across the bowls.
- Drizzle with sriracha mayo and finish with sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and optional cilantro or green onion.
Tips
- Pat the salmon dry and leave space between pieces so they brown instead of steam.
- Cook the salmon in batches if the pieces do not fit in a single layer.
- Start checking 1-inch salmon pieces at 5 minutes because air fryers vary.
- Add the honey-sriracha glaze after air frying to help the salmon brown and prevent the honey from darkening too quickly.
Variations
- Milder Bowls: Use less sriracha in the glaze and mayo drizzle.
- Spicier Bowls: Serve extra sriracha at the table.