Air Fryer Salmon Bowl
In this Air Fryer Salmon Bowl Recipe, crispy, flavor-packed salmon bites are marinated in a sweet-savory sauce, then paired with jasmine rice and fresh poke bowl toppings for a healthy, high-protein weeknight dinner that comes together fast!
If tender salmon bites marinated in a flavorful sauce, air-fried to perfection and served over fluffy jasmine rice with fresh poke-style toppings like creamy avocado, juicy mango, and vibrant edamame sounds like a dream meal, get ready to meet your new favorite dinner—Air Fryer Salmon Bowls.
Besides the convenience of cooking the salmon in the air fryer, one of the best things about these bowls is their versatility. Whether you want to swap the rice for quinoa, pile on extra veggies, or switch up the fruit and toppings, consider this bowl your blank canvas. You can even make it keto-friendly to fit your low-carb lifestyle!
If you love bold, saucy rice bowls like this one, be sure to check out my Sriracha Shrimp Rice Bowl –it’s another high-protein fan favorite. But first, let’s dive into these salmon rice bowls for your next busy weeknight dinner.
Recipe features
- High-protein. Each bowl packs a whopping 34 grams of protein, perfect for fueling your day or helping you recover post-workout.
- Convenient. Air-frying salmon is quick, easy, and mess-free. With little effort, you’ll achieve perfectly cooked, tender salmon bites in no time.
- Versatility. This recipe is great for prepping ahead of time for easy weeknight dinners and grab-and-go meals. Plus, the ingredients are endlessly adaptable.
Ingredients you’ll need
For the salmon bites:
- Wild salmon. Fresh, wild-caught salmon (skin and pin bones removed) is ideal, but high-quality farmed or frozen salmon can also work. If using frozen salmon, thaw it in the fridge and pat it dry with paper towels before marinating.
- Soy sauce. The salty, umami-packed base of the marinade. Regular or low-sodium soy sauce works here. For a gluten-free option, use tamari.
- Olive oil. It helps keep the salmon moist. If you prefer avocado oil, that works too.
- Honey. A touch of sweetness helps balance the saltiness and caramelize the salmon in the air fryer. If preferred, you can substitute maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Garlic powder. A convenient way to infuse the marinade with garlicky depth. Feel free to substitute 1-2 cloves of finely minced fresh garlic for a sharper flavor.
- Fresh ginger. Freshly grated ginger adds a zingy, aromatic note to the marinade. To save time, use ginger paste.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. These basics round out the flavor of the marinade.
For the bowls:
- Cooked jasmine rice. This lightly fragrant rice is the perfect base for soaking up the flavorful salmon juices. After cooking, let the rice cool slightly to prevent it from getting mushy in the bowls.
- Steamed shelled edamame. These little green gems add a pop of color and boost the protein. For convenience, you can steam or microwave frozen edamame or make my Spiced Shelled Edamame for even more flavor.
- Avocado. Creamy avocado slices balance the bowl’s salty, sweet, and tangy flavors. Choose a ripe avocado that yields to gentle pressure.
- Mango. Sweet, juicy mango beautifully complements the savory salmon. Look for a ripe mango that’s slightly soft when pressed.
- Garnishes. Though optional, don’t underestimate the power of sesame seeds and a drizzle of Sriracha mayo to tie everything together.
How to make air fryer salmon bowls
Step 1: Prepare the marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk soy sauce, olive oil, honey, garlic powder, minced ginger, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Step 2: Marinate the salmon. Pour the marinade into a sealable bag, add the salmon pieces, seal tightly, and gently shake to coat each piece evenly. Squeeze out excess air, reseal the bag, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Preheat the air fryer. Set your air fryer to 390°F and let it preheat while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step 4: Air-fry the salmon. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray. Arrange the marinated salmon pieces in a single layer in the basket, and cook the salmon, shaking the basket halfway through.
Step 5: Assemble the bowls. Divide the cooked rice and your favorite toppings evenly between four bowls. Top each with the crispy, juicy salmon. Garnish with sesame seeds and a drizzle of Sriracha mayo, if desired –and enjoy!
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Cut salmon into evenly sized 1-inch pieces so they cook quickly and consistently. This also makes the salmon the perfect bite-size for rice bowls.
- Don’t skip preheating your air fryer! Ensuring the salmon starts cooking as soon as it hits the basket helps it cook evenly and develop a perfectly caramelized exterior.
- Air circulation is key in the air fryer. Arrange the salmon pieces in a single layer with little space between them so the hot air can circulate on all sides of each piece.
- Keep an eye on the cooking time. I used a Cosori brand air fryer and began checking for doneness around the 6-minute mark. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork and the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Customize it
While this air fryer salmon bowl recipe calls for rice, edamame, mango, and avocado, you can easily customize it from bottom to top with everything you love. Here are some fun and flavorful ideas:
- Swap the base: Don’t feel tied to jasmine rice! Brown rice or quinoa are great healthy substitutes.
- Extra veggies: In addition to edamame, try adding cooked snow peas, broccoli florets, bok choy, asparagus, or corn kernels for an extra colorful, nutrient-packed rice bowl.
- Alternate fruit: If you don’t like mango, try fresh pineapple.
- More topping ideas: Great add-ins are pickled ginger, onion or radish, kimchi, seaweed salad, or shredded carrots. Add thinly sliced fresh jalapeño for a bit of heat. We also love coconut aminos, Tamari, and Yum Yum sauce for topping poke bowls.
If you’re looking to keep these salmon bowls low-carb and keto-friendly, start by swapping the rice for cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or even a fresh bed of spinach or arugula. To cut down on carbs further, replace the mango with crisp cucumber slices or a tangy pickled cucumber salad.
The ample amount of marinating time in order for the marinade to infuse the fish with flavor is 30 minutes. Avoid marinating it for much longer, as the acidity can break down the salmon’s delicate texture and make it mushy.
Yes! Preheat the oven to 400°F and cook the salmon pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes, or until they flake easily and reach an internal temperature of 145°F.
Make ahead and storing
Make ahead: To save time, prep the marinade and cook the rice and edamame in advance. Store all the components separately in airtight containers and assemble the bowls just before serving to keep everything fresh.
Storing: Leftover cooked salmon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the components separately to prevent them from getting soggy. To revive the salmon’s crispy exterior, reheat it in the air fryer for a few minutes.
More healthy protein bowl recipes
- Copycat Taco Bell Veggie Power Bowl
- California Beef Burger Bowls
- Southwest Steak Rice Bowls
- Chicken Spring Roll in a Bowl
- Breakfast Ground Turkey Quinoa Bowl
If you love this air fryer cooked salmon poke bowl recipe, I would be so grateful if you could leave a 5-star 🌟 rating in the recipe card below. I love reading your comments and feedback!
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Air Fryer Salmon Bowl
Equipment
- Air Fryer I used a Cosori brand air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb wild salmon skin and pin bones removed, sliced into 1" pieces
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ginger finely minced
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
For the bowls:
- 2 cups cooked Jasmine rice
- 2 cups steamed shelled edamame
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 mango sliced into bite-size pieces
- optional: black sesame seeds and sriracha mayo for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk together: soy sauce, olive oil, honey, garlic powder, minced ginger, pepper, and salt.
- Pour the marinade into a sealable bag, add the salmon pieces, seal, and shake to coat. Release any air from the bag, reseal, and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes (no longer than 30 min).
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F.
- Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray and place the salmon bites into the cooking basket, leaving room between the pieces for even cooking.
- Air fry for 6-8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway, to achieve your desired doneness.
- Divided the rice and the toppings between 4 bowls, then top with the air-fried salmon bites. Garnish with black sesame seeds and Sriracha mayo, if desired.
Notes
-
- More topping ideas: Great add-ins are pickled ginger, onion or radish, kimchi, seaweed salad, and shredded carrots. Add thinly sliced fresh jalapeño for a bit of heat. We also love coconut aminos, Tamari, and Yum Yum sauce for topping poke bowls.
- Cut salmon into evenly sized 1-inch pieces so they cook quickly and consistently. This also makes the salmon the perfect bite-size for rice bowls.
- Air circulation is key in the air fryer. Arrange the salmon pieces in a single layer with little space between them so the hot air can circulate on all sides of each piece.
- Keep an eye on the cooking time. I used a Cosori brand air fryer and began checking for doneness around the 6-minute mark. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork and the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Don’t skip preheating your air fryer! Ensuring the salmon starts cooking as soon as it hits the basket helps it cook evenly and develop a perfectly caramelized exterior.
Nutrition
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