Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowls
Glossy teriyaki salmon cubes sit over brown rice with chunky cucumber, edamame, nori, scallions, and sesame. A creamy sriracha mayo and a separate red sriracha drizzle finish the bowls without hiding the toppings.
Start the rice first: it takes much longer than the salmon. The salmon cooks quickly in the air fryer, so leave space between the cubes and begin checking them at 5 minutes. Set aside clean teriyaki sauce before coating the raw fish so there is sauce ready to drizzle over the finished bowls.
Ingredients for Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowls
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice (285g)
- 1 1/2 lb skinless salmon, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes (680g)
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, divided (120g)
- 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame, thawed and cooked (225g)
- 1 medium cucumber, cut into chunky pieces (250g)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (55g)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons sriracha, divided
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water or lime juice, as needed
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (30g)
- 2 sheets nori, torn into small pieces (5g)
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, preferably mixed black and white (6g)
How to Make Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowls
- Cook the rice: Rinse the brown rice and cook it with the amount of water specified on the package. When tender and the liquid is absorbed, let it stand covered briefly, then fluff with a fork.
- Prepare the toppings and drizzles: Cook or thaw the edamame as needed. Cut the cucumber, slice the scallions, and tear the nori. Stir the mayonnaise with some of the sriracha and 1 teaspoon water or lime juice. Add a little more liquid if needed; the sauce should fall from a spoon in a thin ribbon. Keep the remaining sriracha separate for the red drizzle.
- Coat the salmon: Pat the salmon dry if needed and check that the cubes are similar in size. Pour some teriyaki sauce into a separate dish for serving before the sauce touches the raw fish. Lightly coat the salmon with the remaining sauce; it should not be swimming in it.
- Air-fry the salmon: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) according to its instructions. Lightly oil the basket if needed. Arrange the cubes in a single layer with space between them, working in batches rather than stacking them. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes per batch, turning gently around halfway through. Start checking at 5 minutes: the cubes should be opaque through the sides and flake readily when gently pressed.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide the rice among four bowls. Arrange the salmon, cucumber, and edamame in loose sections, leaving some rice visible. Drizzle with the clean reserved teriyaki sauce, sriracha mayo, and remaining sriracha. Add the nori, scallions, and sesame seeds just before serving.
How to Keep the Salmon Tender
Cube size and air-fryer model affect the cooking time, so use the 5- to 7-minute range as a guide rather than a fixed endpoint. Stop cooking when the salmon is opaque and tender enough to flake; smaller cubes may be done sooner. If you need an exact endpoint, use a food thermometer and follow current food-safety guidance.
Space matters, too. Crowded cubes can steam and cook unevenly instead of developing browned edges. Teriyaki sauce is sweet and can darken quickly, so keep the cooking coat light and watch the salmon closely near the end.
Keep the Finishing Sauce Separate
Only teriyaki sauce set aside before it touches raw salmon should go onto the finished bowls. Discard any sauce left in the bowl with the raw fish. The clean reserved sauce adds gloss and flavor without exposing it to the air fryer’s heat.
Oven Method and Rice Swaps
- Oven method: Spread the salmon cubes on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake at 400°F. Check early for opaque, tender pieces that flake readily; oven timing will differ from air-fryer timing.
- White or jasmine rice: Use the same uncooked volume in place of brown rice and follow its package directions. Brown rice gives the closest match to these bowls.
- Gluten-free option: Choose a teriyaki sauce made with tamari and check the labels on other packaged ingredients.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Refrigerate cooked rice and salmon promptly in separate airtight containers and use within 3 days. Keep the cucumber, sauces, nori, scallions, and sesame separate; add them when assembling so the cucumber stays crisp and the rice does not get wet.
Reheat the rice and salmon until hot, warming the salmon gently so it does not dry out. Add the cool toppings and drizzles afterward. The components can also be served cool or at room temperature if they have been handled and refrigerated safely. Freezing assembled bowls is not recommended because the cucumber and creamy sauce lose quality.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per bowl, based on 4 servings: 840 calories, 48g protein, 38g fat, and 72g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 145 calories, 8g protein, 7g fat, and 13g carbohydrates. Values vary with the teriyaki sauce, mayonnaise, rice, and salmon used.
Equipment
- Saucepan or rice cooker
- Air fryer
- Mixing bowl
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
For the Bowls
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice (285 g)
- 1 1/2 lb skinless salmon, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes (680 g)
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, divided (120 g)
- 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame, thawed and cooked (225 g)
- 1 medium cucumber, cut into chunky pieces (250 g)
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (30 g)
- 2 sheets nori, torn into small pieces (5 g)
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, preferably mixed black and white (6 g)
For the Drizzles
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (55 g)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons sriracha, divided
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water or lime juice, as needed
Instructions
- Rinse the brown rice and cook it with the amount of water specified on the package. When tender and the liquid is absorbed, let it stand covered briefly, then fluff with a fork.
- Cook or thaw the edamame as needed. Cut the cucumber, slice the scallions, and tear the nori.
- Stir the mayonnaise with some of the sriracha and 1 teaspoon water or lime juice. Add more liquid as needed until it falls from a spoon in a thin ribbon. Set the remaining sriracha aside for drizzling.
- Pour some teriyaki sauce into a clean dish to reserve for serving before it touches the raw salmon. Lightly coat the salmon cubes with the remaining sauce.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) according to its instructions. Lightly oil the basket if needed.
- Arrange the salmon cubes in a single layer with space between them, working in batches if needed. Air-fry for about 5 to 7 minutes per batch, turning gently halfway through. Start checking at 5 minutes; the salmon should be opaque through the sides and flake readily when gently pressed.
- Divide the rice among four bowls. Arrange the salmon, cucumber, and edamame over the rice.
- Drizzle with the clean reserved teriyaki sauce, sriracha mayo, and remaining sriracha. Add the nori, scallions, and sesame seeds just before serving.
Tips
- Start the rice first because it takes much longer to cook than the salmon.
- Reserve clean teriyaki sauce before it touches the raw fish; discard any sauce left with the raw salmon.
- Leave space between salmon cubes so they cook evenly instead of steaming.
- Begin checking the salmon at 5 minutes; smaller cubes may cook sooner.
- Keep the coating of teriyaki sauce light, since its sugar can darken quickly.
Variations
- Oven-Baked Salmon Bowls: Bake the salmon cubes on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 400°F, checking early for tender, flaky pieces.
- White or Jasmine Rice Bowls: Replace the brown rice with the same uncooked volume of white or jasmine rice and follow its package directions.
- Gluten-Free Bowls: Use teriyaki sauce made with tamari and check the labels on other packaged ingredients.