Glazed Salmon and Rice Bowls with Wasabi Mayo
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
You’re going to feel really good about eating this delicious salmon and rice! Salmon is coated in spices and cooked to perfection with a honey-soy mixture. Top it on a bed of steaming rice and add your favorite toppings for an easy and flavor-packed dish that takes just 20 minutes to throw together!
This salmon and rice dish checks all the right boxes for me — easy to make, built from simple ingredients, and packed with flavor. Honey-soy salmon bites are cooked until tender and lightly caramelized, then served over fluffy rice with crisp seaweed, nutty sesame seeds, and fresh veggies like avocado, cucumber, and radishes. It’s the kind of meal that works just as well for lunch as it does for dinner.
Once you’ve got your salmon, everything else comes together with pantry and spice-rack staples. Paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder season the fish, while honey and soy sauce bring that irresistible sweet-savory glaze. Steamed short-grain rice makes the perfect base, and toppings like cucumber, radishes, avocado, and a drizzle of sriracha or wasabi mayo add freshness and contrast.
The finishing touch is seaweed — either furikake or crispy seaweed snacks — which adds umami crunch and really pulls the bowl together. Every bite has a little bit of everything: warm and cool, soft and crisp, savory with just enough sweetness. It’s simple, satisfying, and one of those meals I find myself craving again and again.
How to skin your salmon
This recipe works best with the salmon skin removed. If you’ve never done this before, a sharp knife makes the job easy. Place the salmon on a cutting board with the tail end facing you, then make a small cut straight down at the tail until you reach the skin.
From there, grip the edge of the skin and angle your knife so the blade faces the flesh. Pull the skin gently toward you while keeping the knife steady and the skin tight, using a slight back-and-forth motion. Continue until the skin is fully removed. If you want a more detailed, step-by-step guide with photos, I’ve put together a full tutorial on how to remove salmon skin.
Variations to try
Salmon and rice is very versatile, so it’s easy to make delicious variations! Whether you swap out some toppings, use a different rice, or dazzle it up with a sauce, there are lots of easy variations you can make. Here are some of my top picks:
- Toppings: Mix up the toppings! Staying within the theme of Asian cooking will mean your flavors are cohesive, so consider ingredients like edamame, roasted sweet potato, avocado cubes, sliced cabbage, garlic bok choy, snap peas, shiitake mushrooms, or sesame miso mushrooms.
- Garnish: A garnish of chopped chives or green onions adds a little freshness.
- Mayo: I enjoy salmon and rice with wasabi mayo or sriracha mayo, but you could use kimchi mayo or another dressing of your choice.
Glazed Salmon and Rice Bowls with Wasabi Mayo
Ingredients
The Salmon
- 1 lb salmon (skin removed and cut into cubes)
- ½ teaspoon EACH: paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons EACH: honey and soy sauce
For Serving
- 3 cups cooked short-grain rice
- Thinly sliced cucumber and radishes
- Diced avocado
- Seaweed snacks
- Furikake
- Sesame seeds
- Sriracha mayo or wasabi mayo
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to remove the salmon skin and then cut it into bite-sized cubes.1 lb salmon
- Place the salmon in a large bowl and toss with the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.½ teaspoon EACH: paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and then add the salmon. Cook until it is seared and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Drizzle the honey and soy sauce over the salmon, toss gently to coat, and then remove the pan from the heat.1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 tablespoons EACH: honey and soy sauce
- Divide the rice and salmon between 4 bowls. Top with slices of cucumber and radish, diced avocado, some furikake or seaweed snacks, sesame seeds, and some sriracha or wasabi mayo.3 cups cooked short-grain rice, Thinly sliced cucumber and radishes, Seaweed snacks, Sesame seeds, Sriracha mayo or wasabi mayo, Diced avocado
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Trying to eat more meat-free meals and this was so tasty!
Super delicious and very easy. Will definitely make again. A great comfort dish!
This salmon rice bowl was delicious! My sriracha mayo ended up like a blob on top, but it still tasted great!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! It looks delicious!
We just moved and have not been eating great at all. This is the first meal I made in our new house, and I appreciate that it is delicious! Love the seasoning and sauce for the salmon! I made my own wasabi mayo, and it brought everything together! So dang good!
Loved this Salmon and Rice Bowl. I chose to cook my salmon as a fillet instead of cubing it and it worked out great. The sauce on the salmon is a must!
Turned out great! Will definitely make again.
Delicious! My husband said it is his favorite way to have salmon now! Only edit was the addition of some shredded carrots and cilantro. I couldn’t find wasabi or sriracha mayo, so used wasabi ranch dressing. Truly yummy! Thank you!
Christy, love the addition of the shredded carrots and cilantro!!