Sweet Chili Salmon Bowl Recipe - Spicy Nutritious Meal

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There’s a special kind of comfort that comes from a meal served in a bowl. It feels wholesome, balanced, and so wonderfully adaptable. We’re absolutely delighted to share a recipe that has become a real staple for us: our ultimate Sweet Chili Salmon Bowl Recipe. This dish is a beautiful mosaic of taste and texture, featuring delectably flaky salmon coated in a sticky, spicy-sweet sauce, all resting on a bed of fluffy rice and crisp, fresh vegetables. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a vibrant experience for your taste buds. This is the sort of dish that can instantly lift your spirits on a midweek evening or serve as a stunning, yet simple, weekend lunch. We’ve designed this recipe to be completely straightforward, bursting with nutrients, and above all, utterly delicious. Say goodbye to uninspired dinners; this salmon bowl is set to bring a pop of colour and joy to your dining table.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A Symphony of Flavours: The true hero of this dish is the luscious sweet chili glaze. It achieves a sublime harmony of sweet, savoury, and a gentle warmth that beautifully enrobes the rich, flaky salmon. When combined with fresh, crunchy veg and creamy avocado, every mouthful is a pure delight.
Effortlessly Quick: We understand that life can get rather busy, which is why we adore meals that offer maximum impact for minimal effort. This entire sweet chili salmon bowl can be on your table in under 30 minutes, making it an ideal choice for a hectic weeknight or a quick healthy salmon lunch.
Wholesome and Nourishing: Salmon is a brilliant source of Omega-3 fatty acids, and this bowl is brimming with vitamins and fibre from its colourful assortment of vegetables. It’s a meal you can feel fantastic about enjoying, delivering sustained energy without ever skimping on flavour.
Wonderfully Versatile: Consider this salmon bowl recipe a fantastic starting point. Not keen on cucumber? Try some sliced bell peppers instead. Fancy quinoa over rice? Absolutely! You can effortlessly tailor the ingredients to match your preferences or make use of whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Ingredients

For this recipe, we suggest using the freshest ingredients available. The superb quality of the salmon and the satisfying crunch of the vegetables are what make this dish truly exceptional. Here is everything you will need to assemble four generous bowls.

4 salmon fillets (about 150g each), skin-on or skinless
2 tbsp olive oil or sesame oil
300g jasmine or sushi rice, uncooked
2 large carrots, julienned or grated
1 large cucumber, thinly sliced or cut into ribbons
200g edamame beans, cooked
2 ripe avocados, sliced
100g red cabbage, finely shredded
4 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
For the Sweet Chili Glaze:
8 tbsp sweet chili sauce
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

Just follow these straightforward steps to craft your mouth-watering chili salmon bowl. We find it helps to prepare all the vegetables while the rice is steaming, ensuring everything is perfectly ready for assembly once the salmon is cooked.

Cook the Rice: To begin, rinse the rice under cold, running water until it runs clear. Prepare the rice following the directions on the package. When it’s cooked, use a fork to fluff it up, then cover it to keep it warm.
Prepare the Vegetables: While the rice is cooking, let’s get the vegetables ready. Wash and prep all of your veg. Grate or julienne the carrots, slice the cucumber and avocados, shred the cabbage, and thinly slice the spring onions. Cook the edamame beans if needed. Arrange them in neat little piles, ready to build your bowls.
Make the Glaze: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sweet chili glaze. Combine the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and fresh lime juice until well blended. Set this aside.
Cook the Salmon: Pat your salmon fillets completely dry using a paper towel. This is an essential step for achieving a beautiful sear. Season both sides of the fillets with a little salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the salmon fillets to the hot pan, skin-side down if applicable. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, until the skin is wonderfully golden and crisp.
Glaze and Finish Cooking: Carefully flip the salmon fillets. Pour around three-quarters of your prepared sweet chili glaze over the fish. Lower the heat to medium and allow the salmon to cook for another 3-4 minutes. As it cooks, spoon the glaze from the pan back over the fillets. The salmon is perfectly cooked when it flakes easily with a fork and the glaze has become bubbly and slightly syrupy.
Assemble Your Bowls: Now for the enjoyable part! Distribute the warm rice equally between four bowls to form the base of your salmon rice bowl. Artfully arrange the prepared vegetables (carrots, cucumber, edamame, avocado, red cabbage) around the perimeter of each bowl, creating lovely sections of colour.
Serve and Garnish: Gently place a glazed salmon fillet right in the middle of each bowl. Drizzle any glaze remaining in the pan over the salmon and rice. Garnish with a generous scattering of sliced spring onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. For a bit of extra creaminess and spice, a dollop of sriracha mayonnaise is a fantastic addition. Serve straight away and enjoy every bite!

Tips and Variations

One of the finest aspects of this recipe is its adaptability. You can easily modify it to suit your taste. If you enjoy a bit more heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the glaze mixture. For an alternative protein, this glaze works beautifully with king prawns or even chicken thighs. If you’re a fan of our Bang Bang Chicken Thighs, you’ll appreciate the similar sticky, sweet, and spicy notes here.

You can also switch up the foundation of the bowl. Quinoa, brown rice, or even soba noodles provide a brilliant substitute for white rice. Feel free to incorporate other vegetables like finely sliced radishes, sweetcorn, or mangetout. The aim is to create a bowl that you find both visually appealing and incredibly tasty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

While the salmon is definitely best enjoyed freshly cooked, you can certainly do some prep in advance to save time. The rice can be cooked and all the vegetables can be prepared up to two days beforehand. Just store them in airtight containers in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, simply cook the salmon and assemble your delicious bowls.

What can I substitute for salmon?

This recipe is wonderfully flexible. You could easily swap the salmon for king prawns, cod fillets, or diced chicken breast. For a fantastic vegetarian alternative, firm tofu or tempeh would pair beautifully with the sweet chili glaze. Just remember to adjust the cooking times to suit your chosen protein.

How do I store leftovers?

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. For the best results, it’s a good idea to store the different components separately to maintain the crispness of the vegetables. The bowl is lovely eaten cold the next day, or you can gently reheat the salmon and rice in the microwave.

We are truly so excited for you to give this Sweet Chili Salmon Bowl recipe a go. It’s a wonderful celebration of fresh, vibrant ingredients and a testament to the fact that healthy eating can be incredibly flavourful and exciting. This dish has earned a permanent spot in our weekly meal plan, and we have a strong feeling it might do the same in yours.

If you do make this recipe, we would love to know what you think! Please leave a comment and a rating below – we always enjoy hearing from you. And if you’re searching for a sweet treat to complete your meal, why not try our simple yet decadent Biscoff Truffles? Happy cooking!

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 salmon fillets (about 150g each), skin-on or skinless
2 tbsp olive oil or sesame oil
300g jasmine or sushi rice, uncooked
2 large carrots, julienned or grated
1 large cucumber, thinly sliced or cut into ribbons
200g edamame beans, cooked
2 ripe avocados, sliced
100g red cabbage, finely shredded
4 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
For the Sweet Chili Glaze:
8 tbsp sweet chili sauce
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

Cook the Rice: To begin, rinse the rice under cold, running water until it runs clear. Prepare the rice following the directions on the package. When it’s cooked, use a fork to fluff it up, then cover it to keep it warm.
Prepare the Vegetables: While the rice is cooking, let’s get the vegetables ready. Wash and prep all of your veg. Grate or julienne the carrots, slice the cucumber and avocados, shred the cabbage, and thinly slice the spring onions. Cook the edamame beans if needed. Arrange them in neat little piles, ready to build your bowls.
Make the Glaze: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sweet chili glaze. Combine the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and fresh lime juice until well blended. Set this aside.
Cook the Salmon: Pat your salmon fillets completely dry using a paper towel. This is an essential step for achieving a beautiful sear. Season both sides of the fillets with a little salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the salmon fillets to the hot pan, skin-side down if applicable. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, until the skin is wonderfully golden and crisp.
Glaze and Finish Cooking: Carefully flip the salmon fillets. Pour around three-quarters of your prepared sweet chili glaze over the fish. Lower the heat to medium and allow the salmon to cook for another 3-4 minutes. As it cooks, spoon the glaze from the pan back over the fillets. The salmon is perfectly cooked when it flakes easily with a fork and the glaze has become bubbly and slightly syrupy.
Assemble Your Bowls: Now for the enjoyable part! Distribute the warm rice equally between four bowls to form the base of your salmon rice bowl. Artfully arrange the prepared vegetables (carrots, cucumber, edamame, avocado, red cabbage) around the perimeter of each bowl, creating lovely sections of colour.
Serve and Garnish: Gently place a glazed salmon fillet right in the middle of each bowl. Drizzle any glaze remaining in the pan over the salmon and rice. Garnish with a generous scattering of sliced spring onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. For a bit of extra creaminess and spice, a dollop of sriracha mayonnaise is a fantastic addition. Serve straight away and enjoy every bite!

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