Crispy, charred salmon bites, fluffy rice, and a creamy, sweet, spicy bang bang sauce – these gorgeous bang bang salmon bowls make for a fab, quick weeknight winner. They take 20 minutes, tops, and are exactly the kind of meal I crave when I want something fun and takeout-like, with very little effort involved.
Table of Contents
Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bowls, at a Glance
⏰ Time: 20 minutes
🍽 Servings: 4
🛒 Key Ingredients: Salmon, mayo (or egg-free garlic aioli, instant Kewpie mayo), sweet chili jam, gochujang paste, lime, rice
🧠 Skill level: Easy
🔥 Cooking Method: Oven, or air fryer
💪 Protein: 32g per serving
🥗 Perfect For: Quick weeknight dinners, easy lunches, better-than-takeout bowls
💕 Why You’ll Love: An easy, speedy bowl that uses simple ingredients and turns them into something very special.
The 20-Minute Salmon Bowl I Always Forget is This Easy
This kind of meal is my go-to when I’m short on time. Packed with flavor, super quick to make, and genuinely satisfying, these bowls are wonderful to enjoy any time of the year.
- Easy to make – just mix a sauce, toss with salmon, and pop into the oven or air fryer while your rice cooks.
- Uses cupboard staples and minimal ingredients.
- Super quick – it takes just 20 minutes from start to finish.
- Perfect to adapt based on what you have – it’s a great way to clear out your veg drawer.
Chopping the salmon into cubes means they cook faster AND develop a lovely charred crust all over each piece. It’s a win-win. The sauce is creamy, sweet, spicy, and zingy, and doubles as a marinade and final drizzle. I like serving the salmon over rice to make a complete meal, but they’re also lovely as little party snacks with the bang bang sauce on the side 👀
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Salmon. I’m using regular salmon fillets – assume one per person. If you don’t like the skin, either slice it off before you cut it into cubes, or it’s super easy to peel it off once the salmon is cooked.
- Rice. I’m using regular long-grain white rice, but you could use brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice if you like (just make sure to follow the cooking instructions on your packet). You could also use a packet of microwave rice to make things even quicker.
- Bang bang sauce. This is a very delicious mix of garlic aioli (or use regular mayo, instant Kewpie mayo or Greek yogurt), sweet chilli jam, gochujang paste (use sriracha if you like), and lime juice (fresh is best if possible). Gochujang paste is a spicy, sweet, super savoury fermented Korean chilli paste. You can find it in the Asian food aisle at larger grocery stores, Asian supermarkets or you can pick it up from Amazon.
- Cilantro (coriander). Swap this for mint, Thai basil or flat-leaf parsley if you don’t like it.
How to Make the Salmon Bowls
- Cook your rice until lovely and fluffy.
- Mix all the ingredients for your bang bang sauce.
- Dice your salmon into little cubes, then arrange on a lined baking sheet. Toss with some of the bang bang sauce.
- Bake until a little charred around the edges. You can also do this in the air fryer if you prefer.
- Pile the salmon onto your rice, then scatter with sliced scallions, cilantro leaves, a wedge of lime, and drizzle with more bang bang sauce.
Make the Bowls Your Own
- Use this recipe as a base to clear out your veg drawer – add steamed greens like bok choi, pak choi, broccoli, edamame, peas, or asparagus, or red pepper, cabbage, leafy greens, or avocado.
- Drizzle them with ginger scallion sauce or chili oil for an extra flavor boost.
- Add quick-pickled cucumber (like this smacked cucumber salad), pickled sushi ginger, or pickled onion slices.
- Swap rice for shredded cabbage (this Asian chopped slaw would be lovely), cauliflower rice, or broccoli rice for a low-carb version.
- Replace salmon with another white fish, canned tuna, shrimp, chicken thighs (sticky miso chicken works well), halloumi (this sweet chili glazed halloumi is great), or tofu.
Bang Bang Salmon Bowls FAQs
You only need four ingredients to make this delicious, creamy sauce: aioli (or mayo), sweet chilli, spicy chilli paste (we’re using gochujang here) and a little lime juice to freshen it up.
Yes, you can. The bang bang sauce can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in the fridge, and once cooked, the salmon will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge, as will the rice.
Keep them separate if you like, then assemble the bowls when you’re ready.
Like this recipe? Here are more salmon ideas for you
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @DishedByKate on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.
Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bowls
Ingredients
Method
- Make the rice.Add 1 cup of long-grain rice to a small saucepan you have a lid for (if you don't have a lid, use a large dinner plate or a wooden board). Pour in 2 cups of cold water. Turn the heat to high, and when the top of the water looks foamy and bubbly, pop the lid on and turn the heat right down. Leave it there undisturbed for 12 minutes (the water should be absorbed at this point), then remove from the heat, but keep the lid on until you're ready to serve.
- Make the bang bang sauce. Add ½ cup of aioli, ¼ cup of sweet chilli jam, 2 tablespoons of gochujang paste, and 1 tablespoon of lime juice to a small bowl. Use a fork or a small whisk to combine into a cohesive sauce. Set aside.
- Cook the salmon (oven instructions).Heat your oven to 425℉ (220℃) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat dry your salmon fillets with a piece of kitchen towel, then chop them into small bite-sized squares. Lay them out on the baking sheet, then add ¼ cup of the bang bang sauce. Gently toss the salmon through the sauce so that every piece is coated. Transfer to the oven for 8 minutes, until they look pale pink and a little charred around the edges.
- Assemble the bowls.Remove the lid from your rice pot and fluff up the grains with a fork. Divide the rice between plates, then pile on the charred salmon bites. Finish with the sliced scallions, cilantro leaves, sesame seeds, and a good drizzle of the bang bang sauce. Serve the lime wedges on the side.
We tried another recipe and wow bang bang sauce is incredible tasty! Salmon bowls taste heavenly!