Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

These teriyaki salmon bowls have tender salmon bites with sticky, caramelized edges, served over jasmine rice with avocado, edamame, and spicy mayo. The real difference is in the cucumbers, which get tossed in a tangy, slightly spicy sesame dressing that works so well with the sweet teriyaki sauce. Everything comes together in a bowl that has plenty of sauce all the way to the bottom.

When I was developing these salmon bowls, the salmon and the rest of the bowl came together pretty easily, but the cucumbers needed some work. The original version had rice vinegar, sesame oil, and salt, but after making it, I felt like they were pretty bland and didn’t really add much to the bowl. Adding chili garlic sauce was what they needed. It gave them a little heat and made them so much better alongside the sweet teriyaki salmon.

I also think cutting the salmon into bites makes a big difference in how these bowls turn out. Rather than having one large piece of salmon sitting on top of the rice, you get smaller pieces coated in teriyaki sauce throughout the bowl. Some of that sauce is saved for serving, too, so you’re not left with a bunch of plain rice at the bottom.

The air fryer is my preferred way to cook the salmon for this recipe. The smaller pieces cook quickly, and the teriyaki gets a little sticky and caramelized around the edges. Just be careful not to overcook them. The salmon should be tender in the middle, not dry by the time you put the bowls together.

Why You’ll Love These Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

• The salmon gets those sticky, caramelized edges. Cutting it into bites gives you more surface area for the teriyaki sauce to coat, so you get that sweet, savory flavor throughout the bowl.
• The cucumbers have a little kick. The chili garlic sauce and rice vinegar give them some heat and tang that works especially well with the sweeter salmon.
• There’s sauce all the way to the bottom. Reserving some teriyaki for serving means you’re not left with plain rice once you’ve eaten the salmon.
• You can use the air fryer or the oven. Both methods cook the salmon quickly, so you can use whichever works best for your kitchen.

Ingredients for Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

You can use homemade or bottled teriyaki sauce for these bowls. I like that you don’t have to make every component from scratch to get a really good dinner.

For the Teriyaki Salmon

• Salmon: Skinless salmon fillets work best since you’re cutting them into bite-sized pieces. Atlantic salmon is a good option because its higher fat content helps it stay tender during cooking.
• Olive oil: Helps coat the salmon before adding the teriyaki sauce.
• Kosher salt: Seasons the salmon before cooking. Keep in mind that teriyaki sauce already contains some salt.
• Black pepper: Adds a little seasoning without competing with the teriyaki.
• Teriyaki sauce: Use one you genuinely love the taste of. A thicker sauce will cling to the salmon better than a thin, watery one, especially when you’re air frying it. o

For the Rice Bowls

• Jasmine rice: I prefer jasmine rice here because its soft and fluffy and works well with the teriyaki sauce. White or brown rice can also be used.
• Edamame: Shelled edamame gives the bowls a little extra texture and makes them more filling. Frozen shelled edamame is a convenient option.
• Cucumber: English or Persian cucumbers are great choices because their thinner skins and smaller seeds work well in the dressing.
• Rice vinegar: Has a milder flavor than white vinegar, so it gives the cucumbers some tang without being too sharp.
• Sesame oil: Gives the cucumber dressing its toasted sesame flavor.
• Chili garlic sauce: Adds heat and garlic flavor to the cucumbers. It’s worth using the actual chili garlic sauce here rather than substituting plain hot sauce.
• Coarse kosher salt: Seasons the cucumber mixture.
• Avocado: Adds a creamy bite alongside the salmon and cucumbers.
• Spicy mayo: A little drizzle over the finished bowls gives you that creamy, spicy sauce that’s so good with teriyaki.
• Green onions: Give the finished bowls a mild onion flavor.
• Sesame seeds: Add a little nutty flavor and texture on top.

How to Make Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

These salmon bowls are made in a few simple steps. I recommend starting with the cucumbers so they have some time to sit in their dressing while the salmon cooks.

Prepare the spicy cucumbers

1. Add the sliced cucumber to a medium bowl with the rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, and a pinch of kosher salt. Toss everything together and set aside while you prepare the rest of the bowl.

Season the salmon

2. Place the cubed salmon in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Pour in ¼ cup of the teriyaki sauce and gently toss until the salmon is coated. Save the remaining sauce for serving.

Air fry the salmon

4. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
5. Arrange the salmon pieces in a single layer in the basket, leaving a little room between them.
6. Air fry for 7-9 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through. The salmon should be cooked through with lightly caramelized edges.

Assemble the salmon rice bowls

7. Divide the cooked jasmine rice between your bowls.
8. Top with teriyaki salmon, edamame, spicy cucumbers, and sliced avocado.

Finish with sauce and toppings

9. Drizzle the remaining teriyaki sauce and spicy mayo over the bowls. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving.

Oven Instructions

Don’t have an air fryer? You can make the teriyaki salmon bites in the oven instead.

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Arrange the seasoned salmon in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until cooked through and lightly caramelized around the edges.

Assemble the bowls the same way as the air fryer version.

Kara’s Tips

• Keep the salmon pieces about the same size. I am for roughly 1 inch cubes. If some are much smaller, they’ll cook faster and can dry out before the larger pieces are done.
• Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. The salmon needs a little room around it to get those caramelized edges. If your basket is small, cook it in batches instead of piling everything in at once.
• Watch the sauce toward the end of cooking. Teriyaki sauce contains sugar, so it can darken quickly at 400°F. You want the edges sticky and lightly browned, not burnt.
• Use a fork or slotted spoon for the cucumbers. They’ll release some liquid as they sit in the dressing. You want the seasoned cucumbers in the bowl without pouring all that extra liquid over your rice.

What to Serve with Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

These bowls are already a complete meal with salmon, rice, and vegetables, so you don’t really need to make anything else.

If you’re setting everything out for people to assemble their own bowls, a few extra topping are nice to have.

• More vegetables: Shredded carrots, thinly sliced radishes, or extra edamame.
• A little more heat: Sliced jalapeños, chili crisp, or extra spicy mayo.
• Something crunchy: Crispy onions or strips of nori.
• Extra sauce: Set out the teriyaki sauce and spicy mayo so everyone can add as much as they want.

Make Ahead and Storage

Make Ahead

You can prep several components ahead of time to make assembling these bowls even quicker.

Cook the jasmine rice in advance and refrigerate it promptly. The cucumbers can also be sliced ahead of time, but I recommend waiting to add the dressing until you’re preparing the bowls so they stay crunchy.

You can prepare the edamame ahead of time, too. Keep everything in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble.

For the best texture, slice the avocado just before serving.

Refrigerator

Store leftover cooked salmon and rice in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the cucumber mixture, avocado, and sauces separate from anything you’ll be reheating.

The cucumbers will continue to soften as they sit in their dressing, so they’re best eaten within a day or two.

Refrigerate leftovers promptly, within 2 hours of cooking.

Freezer

I don’t recommend freezing the assembled salmon bowls. The cucumbers and avocado won’t have the same texture after thawing.

Reheating

Microwave: Reheat the rice and salmon until heated through, adding a small splash of water to the rice if it’s dried out. Leftovers should reach 165°F.

Air fryer: Reheat the salmon at 325°F until heated through, checking frequently so the smaller pieces don’t dry out.

Add the cucumbers, avocado, and sauces after reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes to Try

If you like dinners that are easy to put together, but don’t skimp on flavor, here are a few more recipes to try:

• Honey Garlic Salmon
• Oven Baked Salmon
• Lemon Butter Salmon
• Honey Lime Salmon

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