If you have leftover white rice, these Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice Bowls are calling your name! We took everything we love about spicy salmon sushi rolls and put it all together in — you guessed it — a bowl. One part spicy salmon, one part crispy rice, and one part cucumber salad.
My go-to sushi order is almost always a spicy salmon roll, but takeout is expensive…and these bowls offer such a great alternative when you want a home-cooked meal. They’re easy to prep, and all you need to cook is the leftover rice! It’s really everything you could want in a crispy rice bowl, and then some.
How gorgeous are these bowls?! You all know we’re big fans of bowl recipes over here, and more often than not, we’re trying to use up something that’s leftover as one of the elements. In this case, leftover rice! Whether you just had takeout or you made a big batch at home, we’ll show ya how to turn it right into the most crunchy crispy rice. Add the rest of these elements, and you’re off to eating one of our favorite recipes we’ve created in a longggg time.
Elements of Our Crispy Rice Salmon Bowls
Sushi-grade salmon: We marinated ours in a honey, sriracha and gochujang sauce. The salmon is perfectly spicy and reminiscent of a spicy tuna roll filling since we minced it finely. It’s truly so good.
Leftover rice: Don’t throw out your leftover rice! The crispy rice in these bowls features air fried leftover rice tossed in a honey, chili garlic sauce.
Cucumber salad: Have you ever smashed cucumbers?! Now’s your chance. It’s actually really fun to make. You’ll also find nori, red onion and pickled ginger in it 😊
Favorite
Air Fryer
On the hunt for the best air fryer? Our favorite is the Ninja Kitchen Air Fryer It’s reliable and moderately priced.
While the crispy rice will turn out best (crispiest!) if leftover rice is used, if you don’t have any on hand, have no fear. Simply make a batch of sticky rice and lay it out on a baking sheet in the fridge for 60 minutes to cool and dry out a bit. Then, proceed with the recipe as written 😃
Definitely! Sticky rice or leftover rice will work the best as it sticks together in clumps better, but we’ve tested this with leftover brown or white rice as well.
Honestly, the easiest option is to buy a jar of store-bought pickled ginger 😂 To pickle your own, thinly slice fresh ginger and place it in a jar with equal parts rice vinegar and water. Add a dash of salt and sugar to taste, then let it sit for at least 30 minutes before using.
Not at all! If you do not want to use raw salmon, marinate a salmon filet in the same marinade. To cook the salmon, preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the salmon to the baking sheet. Broil the salmon for 8-10 minutes or until the salmon is flaky. Remove from the oven and serve.
Gochujang can be substituted with any other spicy chili paste or sauce, such as sambal oelek or harissa. Sriracha can also be replaced with another hot sauce of your choice. Instead of honey, you can use maple syrup or agave nectar. You’re also welcome to use whatever vegetables you have on hand for this recipe. Bell peppers or carrots would taste great!
here’s a tip!
When mincing the salmon, think of how the salmon looks in a classic spicy tuna roll — it’s very fine. Feel free to cut the salmon as you please, whether that’s in chunks, thin slices, or minced. Experiment with different shapes and sizes to find what works best for you and your dish!
If you have leftovers, store the salmon and rice separately from the salad and toppings. This will prevent the salad from getting soggy and keep everything fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge.
-
Prepare the salmon. Add the gochujang, sriracha, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and avocado oil to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the salmon and toss to coat. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator.
-
Next, prepare the cucumber salad. Next, place a cucumber on a cutting board, place a piece of parchment or plastic over the cucumber, and use a heavy kitchen utensil (we suggest a rolling pin) to smash the cucumber into 2-3-inch pieces.
-
Place the cucumbers in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and toss. Allow the cucumber to rest for 15-20 minutes to draw the water from the cucumber. Discard the excess liquid from the bowl. Do not skip this step, or you will end up with a watery salad.
-
Once the cucumbers are prepped, add the rest of the salt, red onion, ginger, and dried seaweed. Toss to combine. Set aside.
-
Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Toss the leftover rice (the rice must be leftover and cold) in the chili garlic sauce, honey, soy sauce, and cornstarch.
-
Once the air fryer is preheating, Add one layer of rice to the air fryer. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the rice is crispy. Remove the rice.
-
Repeat step #6 until all the rice is crispy. Break the rice up into small chunks or individual pieces of rice.
-
Assemble to bowls by evenly distributing the salmon, rice, and salad between 4-6 bowls. Top with fresh avocado, pickled ginger, and kewpie.
- When mincing the salmon, think of how the salmon looks in a classic spicy tuna roll; it’s very fine. Feel free to cut the salmon into chunks if you please.
- If you do not want to use raw salmon, marinate a salmon filet in the same marinade. To cook the salmon, preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the salmon to the baking sheet. Broil the salmon for 8-10 minutes or until the salmon is flaky. Remove from the oven and serve.
Calories: 441 kcal, Carbohydrates: 48 g, Protein: 28 g, Fat: 15 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 9 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
