Air Fryer Salmon Bowls

5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Salmon Bowls are a fast, fresh weeknight dinner where flaky caramelized salmon gets layered over warm rice with crunchy veggies, creamy avocado, and a sweet/spicy sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 895kcal

Author: Taylor Ellingson

Ingredients

Salmon:

1.5 lbs salmon skin off
½ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha

Rice

2 cups uncooked white rice
4 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt

Sauce

½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sweet chili sauce
1-2 tablespoon milk to thin out the sauce

Bowl Toppings

chopped mini cucumbers
sliced carrots
diced avocado
chopped green onions
pickled red onions optional

Instructions

Salmon

Cut the salmon into 1" cubes and place in a medium bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and Sriracha.
Pour this over the salmon and stir well to combine.
Marinate for 10 minutes, or (ideally) a couple of hours.
When ready to cook, start cooking the rice and then come back to the salmon.
Once rice is cooking and there is about 10 minutes left, add the salmon to your air fryer and cook at 390 degrees F for 6-8 minutes. The salmon should be 135 degrees F if you place a meat thermometer in one piece.

Rice

Cook the rice according to package directions OR follow instructions below for baked rice, which is my preferred method.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13" baking dish.
Add the rice, water, butter, and salt to the baking dish and cover tightly with foil.
Bake for 40-43 minutes, until rice is fluffy.

Sauce

While the salmon and rice are cooking, mix together the mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce. Add 1-3 tablespoons of milk, until it is a drizzle-able texture.

Assemble Bowls

Into each bowl, add desired amount of rice, cucumbers, carrots, avocado, and salmon bites. Drizzle with sweet chili aioli and sprinkle with chopped green onions. Enjoy!

Notes

Cut Salmon Into Even Pieces - this will ensure the salmon bites all cook evenly.
Cook at High Temperature - cooking at 390 degrees F gives you that caramelized edge.
Don't Overcrowd the Air Fryer - space = air circulation = crispy salmon
Build the Bowl While Salmon Cooks - while the rice is cooking and the salmon is in the air fryer, prep the veggies and mix the sauce during cook time
Storage - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
No Air Fryer? No Problem. You can bake the salmon. Simply cube and marinate the salmon and place on a sheet pan that is lined with parchment paper. Bake at 425 degrees F for 9-11 minutes.

Nutrition