These hot honey salmon bowls layer sweet-spicy glazed salmon over rice with a cucumber-avocado salad and a drizzle of sriracha mayo. Naturally gluten free, ready in about 30 minutes, and each bowl has 43g of protein.

Hot honey salmon bowl with rice, avocado, and cucumber

I will put hot honey on almost anything, and on crispy roasted salmon over rice it’s the dinner I come back to the most.

Hot honey salmon bowls are bite-sized pieces of salmon roasted until the edges crisp, glazed in a sweet and spicy honey sauce, and piled over rice with a fresh cucumber-avocado salad and a drizzle of sriracha mayo. Each bowl lands at 43g of protein, it’s naturally gluten free, and the whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes on one sheet pan.

The trick I learned after a couple of sad, soggy attempts is to roast the salmon first, then glaze it and broil it for the last 2 minutes so the honey caramelizes and the edges go crispy instead of wet.

If you love a good salmon dinner, try my Spicy Salmon Sushi Bowls or my Mediterranean Baked White Fish next.

Close up of hot honey salmon rice bowl with avocado and cucumber

Ingredients For Hot Honey Salmon Bowls

Grouped by part of the bowl. Exact amounts and nutrition are in the recipe card at the bottom.

For the salmon:

Salmon fillets — skinless, cut into bite-sized cubes so they crisp and glaze evenly.
Avocado or olive oil — to coat before roasting.
Paprika, salt, and pepper — smoked paprika if you have it, for a little extra depth.

For the hot honey:

Honey — the sweet base of the glaze.
Hot sauce — Frank’s RedHot is what I use, and it’s gluten free.
Cayenne — for the heat that builds.
Garlic powder — rounds the sauce out.

For the bowls:

Cooked rice — white, brown, jasmine, or sushi rice all work. Cauliflower rice for lower carb.
Cucumber and avocado — diced, for the cool, fresh salad against the spicy salmon.
Cilantro and fresh lime juice — fresh lime only here, the bottled stuff falls flat.

For the sriracha mayo:

Light mayo and sriracha — whisked together for the creamy drizzle on top.

Hot honey glazed salmon bites on a parchment-lined baking sheet

How To Make Hot Honey Salmon Bowls

Preheat your oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Toss the salmon cubes with oil, paprika, salt, and pepper, and spread them in a single layer on the sheet.
Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until the salmon is just shy of done.
While it roasts, warm the honey, hot sauce, cayenne, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth.
Spoon some of the hot honey over the salmon, then switch the oven to broil and broil 1 to 2 minutes until the edges char and crisp. Drizzle with more hot honey to taste.
Toss the diced cucumber and avocado with cilantro, lime juice, a little oil, and a pinch of salt.
Whisk the mayo and sriracha together for the drizzle.
Build each bowl with rice on the bottom, then the salmon, the cucumber-avocado salad, and a drizzle of sriracha mayo over the top.

Hot honey salmon bites with rice, avocado, and cucumber

Tips For The Best Hot Honey Salmon

Don’t overcook the salmon. Pull it from the oven just before it’s done, because the broil step finishes it. Salmon goes dry fast once it’s past that point.
The broil step is the whole game. That 1 to 2 minutes under the broiler is what turns the honey sticky and the edges crispy. Watch it the entire time so it chars and doesn’t burn.
Cut uniform cubes. Same-size pieces cook evenly and caramelize at the same rate.
Control the heat. Cayenne and hot sauce are easy to dial up or down. Start mild and add more, you can’t take it back out.
Use fresh lime. It brightens the whole bowl and bottled lime juice just doesn’t do it.

Variations

Swap the protein — shrimp, cubed chicken, or crispy tofu all work with the same hot honey glaze.
Swap the veggies — roasted broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, or edamame are all great alongside or instead of the cucumber salad.
Swap the rice — quinoa adds extra protein and fiber, or use cauliflower rice or a bed of greens for lower carb.
Adjust the spice — leave out the cayenne for a mild, kid-friendly glaze, or add red pepper flakes for more fire.
Make it a taco or a salad — pile the hot honey salmon into tortillas with slaw, or serve it over chopped romaine.

Hot honey salmon bowl with avocado and cucumber slices

How To Serve And Meal Prep

These are built for meal prep, so the move is to store the parts separately and assemble fresh. Keep the salmon, rice, cucumber-avocado salad, and sriracha mayo in their own containers, then build a bowl when you’re ready to eat so nothing goes soggy. Add the avocado the day you eat it so it stays green.

For a dinner with company, set everything out and let people build their own bowls and dial their own heat.

How To Store Leftovers

Let the salmon cool fully before it goes in an airtight container, which keeps condensation from turning it soft. It holds in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat and keep the crispy edges, use the oven at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes or the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes. Skip the microwave if you can, it turns the salmon rubbery. A fresh drizzle of hot honey before serving brings it right back to life.

Hot Honey Salmon Bowl FAQ

What Is Hot Honey?

Hot honey is honey infused with chili heat, usually from hot sauce, cayenne, or chili flakes. It’s sweet first, then the heat builds, which is exactly why it works on rich, fatty salmon. You can buy it bottled or make your own on the stove in a couple of minutes, like in this recipe.

How Much Protein Is In These Hot Honey Salmon Bowls?

Each bowl has 43g of protein, almost all of it from the salmon, with a little more from the rice. That’s what makes this a filling dinner that actually holds you over instead of leaving you hungry an hour later.

Can You Use Frozen Salmon For Salmon Bowls?

Yes. Thaw it completely and pat it very dry before seasoning so it roasts and crisps instead of steaming. I don’t recommend freezing the bowls after cooking, since the salmon texture suffers once it’s thawed a second time.

Side shot of cubes of hot honey salmon in white bowl with white rice and avocado and cucumbers.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

No ratings yet

Hot Honey Salmon Bowls with Sriracha Mayo

Prep Time15

Cook Time11

Total Time26

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 569kcal

Author: Bailey Campbell

Ingredients

SALMON BITES

4 4-6 ounce skinless salmon filets cut into cubes
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
Kosher salt and black pepper

HOT HONEY SAUCE

½ cup honey
3 tbsp franks red hot sauce
1 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp garlic powder

BOWLS

1 medium cucumber diced
1 avocado cubed
1 tbsp avocado oil
½ cup cilantro chopped
1 tbsp lime juice
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 cups cooked rice

SRIRACHA MAYO (optional)

½ cup light mayonnaise
2 tbsp sriracha

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On the baking sheet, toss the salmon cubes with avocado oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a single layer.
Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the salmon is just undercooked to your liking.
While the salmon roasts, combine the honey, hot sauce, cayenne, and garlic powder,. Warm over medium heat, stirring until smooth.
Remove the salmon from the oven and spoon some of the hot honey over the pieces. Switch the oven to broil and broil the salmon for 1-2 minutes until lightly charred and crispy. Drizzle with additional hot honey, to taste.
In a bowl, combine the diced cucumber, cubed avocado, avocado oil, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Toss gently to mix.
Start with a base of rice in each bowl. Top with the hot honey-glazed salmon, and cucumber salad. Optional – can drizzle with the sriracha mayo sauce.
Garnish with extra cilantro or lime wedges if desired, and dig in!

Nutrition

The nutrition information provided is calculated based on industry-standard software and should be used as a general guide only. The information may vary depending on ingredient substitutions, cooking techniques, and individual serving sizes. It is the responsibility of the reader to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of the nutritional information provided. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized medical or nutritional advice.

Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on @basicswithbails

More Salmon And Seafood Recipes You’ll Love

If you made these hot honey salmon bowls, leave a star rating and a comment below, I love seeing what you make. You can pin them on Pinterest or share on Instagram by tagging @basicswithbails and #basicswithbails.

Facebook Pinterest X