Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bites Bowls Recipe – Easter Special 2024: Crispy bang bang salmon bites pair beautifully with pickled cucumbers, steamed rice, broccoli, and avocado! These magical bowls give you everything you need in a complete meal: protein, omega 3 fats, fiber, complex carbs, micronutrients and deliciousness!
Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bites Bowls Recipe – Easter Special 2024
Ingredients
Bang Bang Sauce:
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, or mayonnaise
- 4 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 2 tsp sriracha
For the Salmon Bites:
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil, for cooking
- 1 lb salmon filet, chopped into bite-sized chunks
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos, *
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sriracha, optional
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, optional
For the Bowls:
- 1 Batch Asian Cucumber Salad
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 large head broccoli, chopped into florets
- 1 large ripe avocado, sliced
Instructions
- Put all the cucumber salad ingredients in a small bowl and let it sit for 15 minutes (or an hour if you have time).
- Follow the package instructions to cook rice. How many people you’re serving determines how much rice you make. For two people, I cook one cup of dry rice into three cups of cooked rice.
- Make the bang bang sauce while the rice cooks. Mix the ingredients in a small bowl until well-combined. Keep the sauce refrigerated until use.
- Depending on your taste, steam, sauté, or roast broccoli. I cook broccoli in a nonstick skillet with 1 teaspoon of avocado oil and ¼ cup of water.
Prepare the Salmon:
- Stir coconut aminos (or soy sauce + pure maple syrup), rice vinegar, minced garlic, sriracha, and sesame oil in a small bowl until fully incorporated.
- Cut the raw salmon filet into bite-sized cubes on a chopping board using a sharp knife. Salmon skin can be removed, but I adore it so I keep it on. You can get skinless fillets.
- Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or your preferred high-temperature cooking oil). Avoid olive oil since it burns readily) in a big skillet over medium-high heat. Wait a few minutes for the oil to sizzle.
- Carefully arrange salmon slices skin-side down on the heated skillet. Leave salmon chunks to cook for 2-3 minutes until the skin is golden-brown. Flip the salmon carefully with tongs and cook for another minute or two.
- Pour salmon sauce into skillet. Normal to boil instantly. If the sauce seems to be evaporating too quickly, reduce the heat to medium to moderate the boil. Cook and flip the salmon every few minutes until glazed and cooked through, 4–5 minutes. Salmon temperature and desired doneness determine cooking time in the skillet.
- Salmon is done when it reaches 145 degrees F. Insert a meat thermometer into the largest fish chunk to check the temperature. Salmon is fully cooked when the middle is bright pink without any rawness.
Make the Crispy Salmon Bowls:
- Put as much rice as you want into two big bowls. Add as much cucumber salad, veggies in a pan, and avocado as you like. Spread the cooked, fried salmon bites out in each bowl and top with bang bang sauce. You can also add coconut aminos or teriyaki sauce to the bowl if you like your bowls saucy, which I do! If you want, you can also top the bowls with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
- Enjoy this tasty and healthy meal!
Notes
- You can replace coconut aminos with 1/4 cup of liquid aminos or low-sodium soy sauce + 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup or brown sugar. If you’re using soy, be sure to use low-sodium soy sauce or the salmon will turn out pretty salty.
- Drizzle the bowls with teriyaki sauce, extra coconut aminos or soy sauce if you like your bowls saucy.
- Store any leftovers in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Swap the fresh garlic cloves for garlic powder in the salmon sauce.
- Add red pepper flakes to either the bang bang sauce or the sauce for the salmon for spicy flavor.Â
- If you’d rather not use sweet chili sauce in the creamy bang bang sauce, you can omit it, add 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup or honey and use 1 to 2 tablespoons of sriracha.
Nutrition
- Serving:Â 1Serving (of 2)
- Calories:Â 976kcal
- Carbohydrates: 88g
- Protein:Â 61g
- Fat: 41g
- Saturated Fat:Â 9g
- Polyunsaturated Fat:Â 3g
- Monounsaturated Fat:Â 12g
- Cholesterol: 121mg
- Sodium: 1881mg
- Potassium:Â 1236mg
- Fiber:Â 13g
- Sugar:Â 18g
FAQ
Can I Make Salmon Bites in the Air Fryer?
- If you prefer using your air fryer instead of cooking salmon in a skillet, here’s how you do it.Â
- Marinate the cubed uncooked salmon for one hour in the sauce ingredients (coconut aminos, garlic, etc.).
- Spray the basket of the air fryer with cooking spray then transfer the marinated salmon to your air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 8 to 12 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and the top of the salmon is golden brown.Â
- Cook times vary depending on whether the salmon is room temperature or chilled and fresh out of the refrigerator.
Meal Prep Tips:
- Steam the rice ahead of time (you can do this the same day you prepare the recipe or up to 5 days ahead of time).Â
- You can make the bang bang sauce up to 2 days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container.
