My college roommate introduced me to bang bang sauce. She’d worked at Bonefish Grill and was absolutely obsessed with their Bang Bang Shrimp. She literally wouldn’t stop talking about it. Then one day she made it for me at home, and I was immediately converted.
Ever since, I’ve had a bit of a Pavlovian response to anything with bang bang sauce on it. I just have to have it.
So of course, when I was building out my 30 Under 30 series, I had to add an air fryer salmon bowl with bang bang sauce. All the same criteria apply:
- Under 30 minutes, start to finish
- Over 30g of protein per bowl
- Minimal fuss, minimal cleanup
This bowl combines crispy salmon cubes in a creamy, spicy bang bang sauce, over rice with quick-pickled cucumbers, shredded carrots, edamame, and green onions. All the flavors you love in a really easy weeknight meal.
For more simple dinners in my 30 under 30 series:
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Why You’ll Love It
- 20 minutes, start to finish. 10 minutes of prep, 10 minutes to cook. Done.
- Minimal fuss, minimal cleanup. This recipe is built for maximum flavor from the fewest possible ingredients, and you’ll barely dirty any dishes.
- Nutritionally balanced. Around 500 calories, 43g of protein, and 4g of fiber per bowl.
- Doesn’t taste healthy, but it absolutely is. Creamy sauce, crispy salmon, real crunch, zero sense of compromise.
Loved this? My Sticky Miso Glazed Salmon Bowl is another one I cannot stop making. Same 20-minute formula but with a sticky miso sauce.
Key Ingredients
Designed for maximum flavor with minimal fuss, just a couple of simple ingredients are needed.
- Salmon. Cut into 1-inch cubes, air-fried until the edges crisp up, then tossed in the luscious bang bang sauce.
- Greek yogurt. A healthier swap for mayo in the sauce. You won’t taste the difference. You get all the creaminess with less fat and a little more protein. Use mayo if you’re dairy-free.
- Sweet chili sauce. One of the star ingredients of bang bang sauce. You simply can’t make it without this.
- Sriracha. Brings the heat. Scale it up or down to your desired spice level.
- Cucumbers. A quick pickle gives them a sweet, sour, vinegary bite that balances out the creamy sauce.
- Rice. Because what’s a salmon bowl without a bed of rice? Cook your own or use frozen or microwave-ready rice to save time.
- Edamame, carrot, and green onion. For crunch, color, and so you can say you ate your veggies.
Looking for more easy salmon recipes? My Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Salmon uses just a sheet pan and takes just 30 minutes in the oven.
How to Make Air Fryer Salmon Bowls with Bang Bang Sauce
Pickle the cucumbers first so they have time to sit, get the salmon going in the air fryer. While it cooks, make the sauce and prep the rest of the bowl. 20 minutes start to finish.
Quick-pickle the cucumbers
Thinly slice 2 mini cucumbers and toss them with 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of sugar if you want them slightly sweeter. Set them aside to pickle while everything else happens.
Season & cook the salmon
Cut the salmon into 1-inch cubes, pat dry, and toss with salt and seasonings. Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 400°F for 8 to 9 minutes.
Make the bang bang sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together the greek yogurt, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha. Stir in the honey and lime zest and juice if you’re using them. Heat the rice, thaw the edamame, shred the carrot, and thinly slice the green onions.
Build your bowls
Divide the rice between two bowls. Top with the crispy salmon, edamame, shredded carrot, pickled cucumbers, and green onion. Drizzle generously with bang bang sauce and finish with sesame seeds if using.
If you often make dinner for two, my Healthy Air Fryer Meals for Two roundup was made for you.
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Victoria’s Tips
This recipe is pretty hard to mess up but a couple of little tricks make all the difference.
Storage & Meal Prep
Keep everything in separate containers. The salmon is good for up to 2 days, the sauce and pickled cucumbers for up to 3 days. But make sure not to toss the salmon in the sauce until you’re ready to eat, otherwise it goes soggy.
For meal prep, you can prep the bang bang sauce and quick-pickled cucumbers up to 2 days ahead. For best results, cook the salmon and rice just before eating. It takes 15 minutes tops and will taste way better than microwaved fish.
FAQ
Totally, thaw it fully first and pat it really dry. Any extra moisture from the thaw will keep it from crisping up in the air fryer.
Any fillet works. I usually grab a skinless, center-cut piece around 12 ounces, wild or farmed. Wild is healthier, but I prefer the flavor of Atlantic salmon.
It depends on how much sriracha you add. I consider it mild to medium as written. Start with just a little bit, then taste, and go from there.
Definitely. Shrimp takes about 6 minutes in the air fryer at 400°F and cubed chicken thighs or breast take 8 to 10. Everything else in the bowl stays the same.
Air Fryer Salmon Bowls with Bang Bang Sauce
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Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
- Toss 2 mini cucumbers (thinly sliced) with 2 tbsp rice vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of sugar if using. Set aside to quick-pickle while everything else cooks.
- Pat 12 oz cubed salmon dry and toss with 1 tsp olive oil. If using, add 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and salt to taste, and toss to coat. The dry seasoning is optional. Just a sprinkle of salt works too.
- Arrange the salmon in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 8 to 9 minutes, until the edges are crispy and the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- While the salmon cooks, whisk 3 tbsp greek yogurt, 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce, 1 to 2 tbsp sriracha together in a small bowl. Add 1 tsp honey and ½ lime (zest and juice) if using.
- Warm up 1 cup cooked white rice according to package instructions. Thaw ½ cup frozen shelled edamame by microwaving for 90 seconds with a splash of water. Shred 1 medium carrot and thinly slice 2 green onions on a bias.
- Divide the rice between two bowls, then top with the salmon, edamame, shredded carrot, pickled cucumber, and green onion. Drizzle generously with bang bang sauce and finish with sesame seeds if using.
Nutrition
Notes
- To make it dairy-free. Swap the greek yogurt for mayo at a 1:1 ratio. Most mayo is naturally dairy-free, which makes the whole bowl dairy-free.
- The lazy version. Use store-bought bang bang sauce, a microwave rice pouch, and skip the dry seasoning on the salmon. About 10 minutes of hands-on work.
- No air fryer? Roast the salmon at 425°F on a parchment-lined sheet pan for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway. Or sear the cubes in a nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
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These bowls were DEVOURED.
So delicious! Will definitely make this again. Instructions were so easy to follow and the flavor was so good!
This makes me very happy
Wow! Another delicious salmon recipe, it was SO good. We loved the combination and the sauce was really good. It was the first meal using our new air fryer. It won’t be the last. The salmon turned out perfect, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I’m happy you have so many other recipes using the air fryer. Looking forward to exploring and trying them all.
Thank you, Hege! That’s so kind of you. I’m glad you enjoyed!
Simple and delicious. This is a fan favorite in my house!
Hi Courtney! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. So happy this one’s been popular with your family 🙂
Simple and delicious! Perfect weeknight meal.