California Style Salmon Rice Bowls

These California style salmon rice bowls are bright, smoky, fresh, and creamy, built with spice rubbed salmon, fluffy rice, and a fresh crunchy avocado cucumber salad. An easy, nourishing bowl that works beautifully for meal prep or busy weeknights.

I am a huge fan of bowl meals. Especially salmon bowls. I love pairing different combinations of flavors and veggies and mix it all together into something yummy. When I am trying to eat a little healthier, add more vegetables, and keep meals interesting, bowls are always where I land. You get a grain, a protein, lots of fresh veggies, and something saucy to pull it all together. It feels so satisfying and easy to mix and match throughout the week.

The salmon in this recipe is smoky and lightly sweet and pairs great with the sriracha mayo. The rice was cooked in chicken stock for extra protein and nutrients, and the avocado cucumber salad adds that fresh, crunchy contrast that makes the whole bowl feel balanced.

One of my favorite parts of this recipe is how easy the salmon is to cook. Leaving the skin on and baking it on foil means the skin sticks to the pan and peels right off after cooking, giving you perfectly cooked skinless salmon without any extra effort. This is the kind of recipe that looks impressive but is very doable on a weeknight.

Main Ingredients & Swaps

• Salmon – I like using a large center cut skin on salmon fillet. Leaving the skin on helps protect the fish while it cooks and makes it easy to remove afterward. You can use individual fillets if that is what you have.
• Brown sugar – Adds a subtle sweetness that balances the smoky spices. You can reduce the amount slightly if you prefer less sweetness.
• Smoked paprika – Gives the salmon that warm smoky flavor. Regular paprika works in a pinch but smoked really shines here.
• Ancho chili powder – Adds depth without much heat. If you do not have ancho chili powder, you can omit it or use a mild chili powder.
• White rice – This is the base of the bowl. I love cooking it in chicken stock instead of water for more flavor and a little extra protein. Brown rice or jasmine rice both work well.
• Chicken stock – Adds richness and flavor to the rice. Vegetable stock or water will still work if needed.
• Avocado – Adds creaminess and healthy fats. Use ripe but firm avocados so they hold their shape.
• Cucumber – Keeps the bowl fresh and crunchy. Persian or English cucumbers both work well.
• Red onion – Adds bite and flavor. Rinsing it in cold water helps mellow the sharpness so it blends nicely into the salad.
• Cilantro – Brings freshness and brightness. If cilantro is not your thing, you can leave it out.
• Creamy Sriracha Lime Sauce – This bowl is finished with my creamy sriracha lime sauce. This sauce is really what takes this dish over the top. I would suggest making this first and use it for multiple meals throughout the week. If you don’t have time to make the sauce you can swap it out with a simple Greek yogurt lime sauce, chipotle mayo, or a quick mix of mayo, lime juice and hot sauce makes an easy shortcut.

How I Make It

I start by seasoning the salmon with a smoky, lightly sweet spice rub and baking it on a foil lined sheet pan. Keeping the skin on makes it easy to cook without drying out, and once it is done, the salmon peels right off the skin with almost no effort.

While the salmon cooks, I prepare the rice and the fresh toppings. The rice simmers in chicken stock instead of water, which gives it more flavor and adds some additional nutritional benefits and protein. I love using my Caraway Pot for this because it is non-toxic and nothing sticks to it!

The salad starts with finely diced cucumber, ripe avocado, and a small amount of red onion. I like to rinse the onion in cold water first to mellow out the sharp bite, so it blends in without overpowering the rest of the bowl.

Once everything is chopped, I toss it with fresh lime juice, salt, cracked black pepper, and plenty of chopped cilantro. It is simple, bright, and refreshing, and it balances the warm rice and smoky salmon perfectly.

Once everything is ready, I let the salmon rest briefly, then slice it into portions. To assemble the bowls, I layer the rice, top it with salmon, add the avocado cucumber salad, and finish with a drizzle of creamy sauce to tie it all together.

👇🏻 If you want to see exactly how I prep and assemble these bowls, you can watch the full step by step video below!

California Style Salmon Rice Bowls

5 from 7 votes

These California style salmon rice bowls are fresh smoky and nourishing with baked salmon fluffy rice cooked in chicken stock and a crunchy avocado cucumber salad.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 38 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 655

Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients

  

Spice Rubbed Salmon

• 1 lb salmon skin on
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Rice

• 2 cups white rice
• 3 cups chicken stock

Avocado Cucumber Salad

• 2 Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber thinly sliced
• 1 to 2 ripe avocados cubed
• Juice of 2 limes
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅓ cup finely minced red onion rinsed in cold water
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro

Creamy Sauce

• Use my creamy sriracha lime sauce recipe linked here (https://christinesnotebook.com/creamy-sriracha-lime-sauce)

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil, and place the salmon skin side down on the pan.
3. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil until combined.
4. Rub the seasoning blend evenly over the top and sides of the salmon.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, or until just cooked through, then broil on high for 2 minutes until the top is lightly crisp.
6. Remove the salmon from the oven, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice into portions, being careful not to cut through the skin, then peel the salmon right off.
7. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Add the rice and chicken stock to a pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, and leave the rice covered until ready to serve. Fluff with a fork before using.
8. In a bowl, combine the cucumbers, avocado, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Toss gently, and adjust seasoning to taste.
9. To assemble the bowls, add rice, top with salmon and avocado cucumber salad, and finish with a drizzle of the sriracha lime sauce.

Video

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