30-Minute Spicy Salmon Bowl with Coconut Rice

If you want a quick dinner but don’t want to skimp on taste, this simple salmon dish is for you! This 30-Minute Spicy Salmon Bowl not only comes together quickly but is absolutely packed with bright and bold flavors from sweet to savory to spicy.

The spicy marinaded salmon and vegetables are served atop my family-favorite subtly sweet coconut rice recipe and topped with a sauce so good you could drink, culminating in a quick and delicious salmon dinner recipe that is sure to impress.

As a time-strapped mom who loves bold flavor, I am a stan for quick and easy meals that tickle your tastebuds without requiring a ridiculous amount of effort. And this spicy salmon bowl comfortably fits in that category.

Pro tip: Prep and reheat the rice and leave off the finishing sauce for an even quicker and easier, yet still delicious dish!

Spicy Salmon Bowl Ingredients & Substitutions

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Here’s everything you need:

• Basmati Rice. Or any other rice of preference, but I love basmati rice for the base of the bowl.
• Coconut milk and coconut oil.
• Salmon. Skinless and fully defrosted if you are using frozen salmon.
• Soy sauce. Regular or low sodium work here. You can also replace the soy sauce with Tamari.
• Sriracha. Or another favorite garlicky hot sauce of choice. This recipe uses 3 teaspoons in both the marinade and sauce to give you a moderately spicy dish. Use a little less for a milder spice and add up to 5 teaspoons to bring on the heat.
• Lemon juice.
• Honey. Or agave nectar.
• Broccoli. Or any other green vegetable of your choice.
• Shiitake mushrooms. Or any other type of mushrooms you want to add to your bowl.
• Olive oil.

Optional Spicy Sauce

The sauce is optional because this quick fish dinner has plenty of flavor with or without it! That being said, I highly recommend finishing your bowl off with this sauce. It will ramp up the heat, the flavor, and add a rich and creaminess to your bowl.

Here’s what you need:

• Soy sauce. Reduced sodium or even Tamari works.
• Sriracha. You can use up to 5 teaspoons to make it extra hot. I typically go for 3 teaspoons which for my preferred spice-level is perfectly spicy!
• Mayonnaise. Or Greek yogurt, which will add a little tang.

Rice Alternatives in this Spicy Salmon Bowl

If you don’t want to use rice, you can still make a bowl with a different base! Here are some of my favorite substitutes for rice in this tasty bowl recipe:

• Quinoa. You can make it in water or in vegetable broth to add a little more flavor.
• Leafy greens. Transform it into a salad with greens like arugula, spinach, or spring mix.
• Couscous. You can use regular couscous or pearled couscous and again, you can cook it in vegetable broth for extra flavor.
• Farro. For another healthier alternative.
• Riced cauliflower. To reduce the amount of carbs in this dish.

Spicy Salmon Bowl Tips and Tricks

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How to Make the BEST Coconut Rice

In order to get this on the table in 30 minutes, there’s a particular order in which you’ll have to do things. Once you preheat your oven to 400°F, get started on your coconut rice right away.

Rinse your rice (I do so simply with a sieve) and add it to a small pot with the full can of coconut milk and a teaspoon of coconut oil.

If you don’t want to rinse your rice, you certainly don’t have to, but after many years of making coconut rice, I can confidently say that rinsed rice gives you a much better, less tacky texture.

The coconut oil gives it a more obvious coconut flavor and helps the rice to not get too sticky. That being said, if you don’t have coconut oil on hand, you can omit it and still get similarly delicious results.

How to Make a Sweet and Spicy Salmon Marinade

This salmon bowl recipe uses a simple 4 ingredient quick marinade to give it tons of flavor.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, and sriracha with a whisk to form a smooth and spicy marinade.

The recipe calls for 3 teaspoons Sriracha which will give it a moderate spice level. So, if you want more mild spice, use 2 teaspoons. If you really like to bring the heat, you can use up to 5 teaspoons.

Use a paper towel to blot the salmon dry, removing excess moisture. This will ensure your salmon isn’t too mushy when it’s roasted.

Then, you can slice your salmon into small cubes, about 1 cubic inch in size. I love how quickly salmon cooks when it’s cubed!

Drop the bite-sized salmon cubes into the marinade and set it aside while you pre-roast your vegetables.

Making this Spicy Salmon Bowl a Poke Bowl

If you want to leave your salmon raw instead of cooking it, you absolutely can! Just make sure to get sushi-grade salmon. Use the same marinate as outlined in the recipe but skip the cooking part.

Use half of the marinade on the salmon and pour the other half over the broccoli and mushrooms before cooking them. The rest of the recipe remains the same.

How to Prep the Vegetables for Roasting

You want enough room to fit the vegetables in a single layer, so it’s best to use a large baking sheet. Plus, you’ll be adding the salmon later on, so you have to leave room for that. I recommend an 18 x 26-inch baking sheet for this recipe.

Rinse your broccoli and cut it off the stem, close to the floret. You want pieces that are at least close to one another in size, so they roast evenly. Clean your mushrooms and slice them.

Add your veggies to the baking tray, leaving room for the salmon in the center. You can mix them together or keep them separate as pictured below. I like keeping them separate to more easily assemble my bowls evenly later.

Add the olive oil to your vegetables and use clean hands to toss, to ensure the broccoli and mushrooms are evenly coated.

Give the Vegetables a Head Start

The vegetables need a little more cooking time than the cubed salmon. Additionally, pre-roasting them with just the olive oil before adding the marinade makes for a better texture on both the broccoli and the mushrooms.

Roast the broccoli and mushrooms at 400°F for 8 minutes on the top rack. Then, remove them from the oven and pour the salmon and marinade over top.

Use a large spoon or tongs to toss the broccoli and mushrooms in the marinade, being very careful of the super-hot baking sheet!

Then, put it back in the oven for an additional 7 minutes, until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 125°F.

How to Make a Spicy Finishing Sauce

This is optional, but highly recommended for extra flavor, spice, and rich, creamy texture.

It’s as simple as whisking the soy sauce, Sriracha, and mayonnaise together until it’s smooth. Again, the recipe calls for 3 teaspoons of Sriracha which will give it a moderate spice level.

You can use Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise, if you like the tang of Greek yogurt!

If you want more mild spice, use 2 teaspoons, and for extra hot you can use up to 5.

How to Assemble a Spicy Salmon Bowl

Start with your coconut rice, then layer your spicy salmon and veggies on top. I love to garnish my bowl with some sesame seeds and raw green onion for a little crunch.

Then, drizzle your sauce on top. For extra heat, you can add even more Sriracha on top.

How to Store and Reheat this Spicy Salmon Bowl

If you’ve already assembled your bowl, it’s best to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat it within two days.

The broccoli, mushrooms, and salmon are all best consumed within a couple of days, but the coconut rice can last up to 5 days and the optional sauce will last up to 4 days. So, if you only have leftover rice and sauce, they’ll last a little bit longer.

To reheat, you will have to separate the salmon from the rice. The rice, broccoli, and mushrooms need 3-4 minutes on high in the microwave, while the salmon only needs about 1 minute on low in the microwave.

Make sure you bring your salmon back up to 125°F.