I love how easy these Air Fryer Salmon Bowls are! Using just a trusty air fryer, a few pantry staple ingredients such as rice and veggies, this makes for a simple and healthy lunch or dinner.
Ready under 15 minutes, these salmon rice bowls are also super versatile and the perfect for busy evenings.
Air Fryer Salmon Bites in a Bowl
As you know by now, I am pretty obsessed with my air fryer. This amazing appliance produces incredible dinners like Air Fryer Chicken Teriyaki and Chinese takeout copycat favorite Air Fryer Crab Rangoons. I just can’t get enough of it!
Salmon is a wonderfully healthy, popular, and sought-after fish. However, it can be challenging to consistently nail down the perfect texture when cooking salmon.
This is where air fryers come in. Air fryers are a great way to cook salmon to assure the right amount of light crispiness, while exposing salmon to just enough heat to retain its moisture and tenderness.
Rest assure that in this air fryer salmon bowl, salmon will be crispy on the outside but still juicy and flaky on the inside and it takes only about 7-8 minutes to cook salmon bites in the air fryer!
To give it lots of flavor, these salmon bites are first tossed in a creamy and slightly zesty sauce made with mayonnaise (this will also add to the moisture and tenderness), sriracha and garlic, and the salmon will be perfectly seasoned after a short time in the air fryer.
Air fryer salmon bowl is super easy to make because we are encouraging you to use Minute rice or pre-cooked rice, along with frozen pre-cooked edamame, shredded carrots and avocado.
Not only does it take under 15 minutes to make, the only thing you really have to “cook” is the salmon.
It doesn’t get any easier than this! If you want to introduce more fresh greens and veggies into your diet, air fryer salmon bowl is the perfect meal to try.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make Air Fryer Salmon Bowls:
- Salmon – Cut the salmon into cubes about 1-inch in size. The smaller size lets the all the delicious sriracha mayo sauce coat the salmon pieces generously before it is cooked in the air fryer.
- Japanese mayo – Japanese mayo has a creamier and richer flavor than American mayo. Kewpie mayo is a popular brand you can find in most grocery store in the U.S.. I love using Japanese mayo for Asian dishes. Japanese mayo is made with more egg yolks than American mayo and has a hint of umami to its flavors. In a pinch, you can substitute with regular mayo.
- Sriracha – Sriracha is a type of hot sauce or chili sauce made from a paste of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. Sriracha was first produced in the U.S. by Huy Fong Foods in 1980. Since the age of Huy Fong Foods, several other brands of sriracha is available in the U.S. today. You can use a different hot sauce if you prefer.
- Garlic – Use fresh minced garlic for best flavors.
- Pre-cooked rice – Pre-cooked Jasmin rice is my rice of choice for Air Fryer Salmon Bowls. I use a rice cooker to get my rice to fluffy perfection. Feel free to use minute rice or any of your favorite rice. Lower carb grains such as quinoa or brown rice can be used as well.
- Edamame – Edamame are young soybeans that are harvested early before they have ripened or hardened. They are popular in Japan, Korea and Hawaii. They are often sold frozen in most American grocery stores and can be quickly defrosted in the microwave. For the convenience of making this dish, I like to buy frozen edamame with the shells already removed and just microwave them before serving.
- Carrots – use shredded carrots to shred the carrots into thin strips so it will be bite-sized for Air Fryer Salmon Bowl
- Avocado – the creamy texture compliments the crunchiness from the veggies in the rice bowl.
Kitchen Equipment
To make Air Fryer Salmon Bowls, you will need (drum roll please!)…an air fryer! :p
A good quality air fryer does make a whole lot of difference to the end product, therefore I highly recommend investing in a good one. This is what I have and love!
This recipe will also fit this air fryer just right – all the salmon bites can be cooked at the same time without overcrowding.
How to Air Fry Salmon
Let’s go in detail the step by step instructions on how to make these yummy Air Fryer Salmon Bowls.
Make sure to pat dry salmon and cut it into small 1-inch bite size pieces. Bring bite-size salmon into a medium size bowl.
Add mayo, sriracha, chopped garlic and salt into the bowl. Toss to coat the salmon in sauce.
Before putting the salmon bites into the air fryer, don’t forget to grease or line your air fryer!
Place the sauce coated salmon in the air fryer and set air fryer to 390℉ and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Cooking time will vary depend on the size of salmon bites. You may need to cook for another 1-3 minutes if the pieces are bigger and/or if your salmon is not fully defrosted.
Once done, salmon will be slight golden brown and charred on the edges.
Make Spicy Mayo
While salmon is in the air fryer, I put together my homemade spicy mayo sauce by simply combining mayonnaise, sriracha, garlic and salt to taste.
This is the sauce that will eventually go on top of the salmon and veggies.
Assemble
To assemble Air Fryer Salmon Bowls, grab a bowl and fill with cooked rice, then. add the air fryer salmon bites.
Top with edamame, sliced avocado, shredded carrots, then drizzle with the spicy mayo sauce.
Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top if you’d like.
And that’s it!
Air fryer salmon bowls are fresh and light tasting and I feel so good about eating it. At the same time it fills me up and is satisfying.
It’s a great way to eat more fish and vegetables and I love how easy this meal is!
Variation and Substitution
- Garnishes: Sprinkle furikake, green onions, crispy onions, or crispy garlic over the finished bowls for added flavor and a delightful crunch.
- Sauces: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different sauces or dressings to drizzle over your bowl for added flavor. Unagi sauce, ponzu sauce, gochujang, Thai sweet chili sauce are some of my other favorites.
- Veggies: I picked veggies that doesn’t involve cooking (just reheating) but feel free to use your favorite or what you have on hand! Lettuce, bell peppers, red onions, green beans etc works great too.
- Grains: You can use brown rice, cauliflower rice for a healthier, lower carb meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make this in the oven by setting the oven at 425℉ and bake for ~15-18 minutes. Make sure to spread out the salmon bites out on the baking sheet so they don’t touch or overlap to get some nice charring on the edges. You can broil at the end for 1-2 minutes if you prefer.
Cook time for salmon varies depending on the thickness, temperature prior to air frying, how crowded they are, the air fryer etc. Cook for longer if needed but avoid overcooking so that salmon isn’t dry.
You can cook it frozen but it will need more time. I also prefer to defrost frozen salmon before using it though. It works much better when the food is completely defrosted. Frozen fish will have access moisture as well.
Storage and Reheating
Store the air fried salmon, rice and veggies separately in the refrigerator. Cooked salmon bites can be stored in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
Tips and Tricks
- Choose Fresh Salmon: Opt for high quality salmon fillets for the best flavor and texture. Fresh salmon usually has a firmer texture and a more vibrant color.
- Line the Air Fryer: To prevent sticking and make cleanup easier, line the air fryer basket with air fryer liners or parchment paper.
- Don’t Overcrowd: Arrange the salmon cubes in a single layer without overcrowding the air fryer basket. This ensures even cooking and crispy edges.
- Preheat Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer for a few minutes before adding the salmon cubes to ensure even cooking and optimal crispiness.
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Invest in a meat thermometer to ensure the salmon is cooked to your desired level of doneness without overcooking.
- Customize Bowl Ingredients: Feel free to customize your bowls with your favorite vegetables, grains, or sauces to suit your taste preferences.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the bowls immediately after assembling to maintain the salmon’s crispiness and the vegetables’ freshness.
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More Bowl Recipes
We love our meals in bowls!
Air Fryer Salmon Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1 lb salmon cubed
- ¼ cup Japanese mayo
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp sriracha
- 1 tsp salt
- cooking oil
Bowl Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup steamed edamame
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 sliced avocadoes
- sesame seeds
Sriracha Mayo
- 3 tbsp Japanese mayo
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 clove garlic minced
- pinch of salt or to taste
Instructions
- Pat fry salmon and cube it. Add cubed salmon to a medium bowl. Add Japanese mayo, sriracha, garlic, and salt. Toss to coat.
- Place salmon bites in a greased or lined air fryer making sure not to overlap the salmon.
- Cook 390℉ for 5-7 minutes.
- While salmon is cooking, mix together the sriracha mayo ingredients: mayo, sriracha, garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Set out 4 bowls. Fill each bowl with cooked rice, edamame, carrots, avocado, and air fried salmon. Drizzle with sriracha mayo and top with sesame seeds.
- Serve and enjoy!
Yes!!!! I love Salmon and always keep it in fridge or frozen from Faroe Islands..
love terrayki Salmon with jasmine rice and asparagus or broccoli!!!
Salmon is our favorite too! 🙂
So you pan fry and then Air Fry it? Or is it one or other?
It’s one or the other!