Air Fryer Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice
Did you know that you can make spicy salmon crispy rice in the air fryer? Perfect for anyone who loves cooked sushi. You have to give this Healthyish recipe a try.
Top this spicy salmon crispy rice with thinly sliced avocado, sliced serrano peppers, my famous spicy creamy sauce, and a few shakes of sesame seeds for the ultimate flavor bomb! Other topping ideas include, sliced cucumber, fresh cilantro, chili crisp or any toppings you enjoy most. Let me know if you guys give this amazing recipe a try!
This recipe makes 24 spicy salmon crispy rice squares with sauce.
What Type of Rice to Buy
When buying rice be sure to buy short grain sushi rice. Sticky rice is commonly confused for sushi rice, but they are totally different products. And while sticky rice will work, you’ll have a different texture and result.
Ingredients Needed for Air Fryer Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice
Rice – This recipe calls for 2 cups of dry, short grain sushi rice. Once it is cooked, you’ll season it with rice vinegar, cane sugar and a pinch of salt.
Salmon – This recipe calls for 1.5-2 pounds of cubed salmon. Be sure to remove any pin bones and to remove the skin before cubing. Toss the cubed salmon in the homemade spice rub.
Spice Rub – Combine garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
Spicy Creamy Sauce – Combine kewpie mayonnaise, low sodium soy sauce, sriracha, and maple syrup. Mix until well combined, refrigerate until ready to use.
Toppings – You can add whatever toppings you enjoy most. Sliced avocado, cucumber, sesame seeds, sliced serrano peppers, and cilantro would all taste great!
How to Make Air Fryer Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice
Combine the Spice Rub
Combine garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
Make the Spicy Creamy Sauce
Combine kewpie mayonnaise, low sodium soy sauce, sriracha, and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Option to add it to a squeeze bottle for easy squeezing. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Sushi Rice
Line a 9×5-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Make the sushi rice according to the package you purchased. However, sometimes the directions on the package are not very clear. Which is why I’ve included the steps I followed to make my sushi rice.
Portion out 2 cups of dry, short grain sushi rice. Add it to a mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. This will take about 5-6 minutes.
Let the rice rest for a few minutes while the remaining water drains out. Next, add 2.5 cups (1.25 cups water per cup of dry rice) of water to a 3-quart pot. Bring the water to a boil and add the rice. Once the rice and water are boiling, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 12-14 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the water.
As tempting as it might be, DO NOT lift the lid until you’ve reached at least 12 minutes. Once the rice is tender and has absorbed all the water, remove it from the heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes.
While the rice is resting, combine the rice vinegar, cane sugar and salt. Mix well until the sugar dissolves. Once the rice has rested, pour the vinegar mixture over the rice and gently fluff the rice with a rice paddle or rubber spatula to incorporate it. This is called seasoning the rice and it will add great flavor. **Keep in mind, that if you’re making 1 cup of dry rice, you’ll use 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon cane sugar and a pinch salt.
Now that the rice is seasoned, add the hot rice to a 9×5-inch baking dish that’s been lined with parchment paper. Use a spatula or rice paddle to press the rice firmly into the dish. You’ll want the rice to be ½ – ¾ -inch thick. Option to use another piece of parchment paper to press the rice without sticking.
Once it’s well pressed into the dish, cover with parchment paper and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to cool. **Keep in mind, that if you’re making one cup of dry rice, you’ll need to use a smaller baking dish when pressing the rice down, so it doesn’t get too thin.
Remove the rice from the refrigerator and pull it out from the dish using the sides of the parchment. Slice it into squares. I was able to get 24 squares. **Keep in mind, that 1 cup of dry rice will yield about 12 cooked rice squares.
Air Fry the Sushi Rice
There are 2 ways to make the rice crispy. One is to shallow fry the squares in a hot neutral oil. The second is what we are focusing on today, which is air frying. Air frying the squares will keep them light, but just as delicious.
Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees. Once it is hot, lightly spray the basket with non-stick spray. Add a layer of rice squares making sure they do not overlap. Spray them generously with avocado oil spray. Air fry for 16 minutes turning halfway through.
BE SURE to spray the second side with avocado oil spray once you turn them over. Also, DO NOT overcrowd the basket.
You will end up with crispy rice that is crispy on the outside but soft in the center. It does not get super golden brown like it does when it’s shallow fried in oil, but don’t worry, the texture is perfect! Place the crispy sushi rice on a wire rack to cool. This will prevent it from getting soft on the bottom as it cools.
**Keep in mind, that air frying time will slightly vary based on the size and thickness of your sushi rice squares and based on the type of air fryer you have at home.
Prepare the Salmon
Remove any pin bones from your salmon and carefully remove the skin. Cube the salmon into bite sized pieces that will easily fit on top of the crispy rice squares. Add the cubed salmon to a mixing bowl. Toss it with the spice rub and make sure the salmon is well coated.
Air Fry the Salmon
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Add the seasoned cubed salmon to the air fryer basket in one layer. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. You do not want the salmon to overlap in the basket. Spray it with avocado oil spray and air fry for 5-7 minutes depending on preferred doneness.
Assemble the Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice
Lay out your crispy rice squares. Add the cubed salmon to the squares, top with sliced avocado, spicy creamy sauce, sliced serrano peppers, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Storage
- Extra crispy rice is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply place the crispy rice in the oven or air fryer until warmed through.
- Store extra salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
- Store extra spicy creamy sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Looking for more recipes? Try my Air Fryer Spicy Hasselback Salmon.
Air Fryer Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice
Ingredients
Rice
- 2 cups dry sushi rice, short grain
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cane sugar
- pinch salt
Salmon
- 1.5 – 2 lbs. salmon, remove pin bones and skin, cube
- 1.5 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
SPICY CREAMY SAUCE
- 6 tablespoons kewpie mayonnaise
- 1.5 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Equipment
- 1 mesh strainer
- 1 3-quart pot with lid
- 3 mixing bowls
- 1 air fryer
Instructions
How to Make Air Fryer Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice
Combine the Spice Rub
- Combine garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
Make the Spicy Creamy Sauce
- Combine kewpie mayonnaise, low sodium soy sauce, sriracha, and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Option to add it to a squeeze bottle for easy squeezing. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Sushi Rice
- Line a 9×5-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set it aside. Make the sushi rice according to the package you purchased. However, sometimes the directions on the package are not very clear. Which is why I’ve included the steps I followed to make my sushi rice.
- Portion out 2 cups of dry, short grain sushi rice. Add it to a mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. This will take about 5-6 minutes. Let the rice rest for a few minutes while the remaining water drains out.
- Next, add 2.5 cups of water to a 3-quart pot. Bring the water to a boil and add the rice. Once the rice and water are boiling, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 12-14 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the water. (1.25 cups water per cup of dry rice)
- As tempting as it might be, DO NOT lift the lid until you’ve reached at least 12 minutes. Once the rice is tender and has absorbed all the water, remove it from the heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes.While the rice is resting, combine the rice vinegar, cane sugar and salt. Mix well until the sugar dissolves. Once the rice has rested, pour the vinegar mixture over the rice and gently fluff the rice with a rice paddle or rubber spatula to incorporate it. This is called seasoning the rice and it will add great flavor. **Keep in mind, that if you’re making 1 cup of dry rice, you’ll use 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon cane sugar and a pinch salt.
- Now that the rice is seasoned, add the hot rice to a 9×5-inch baking dish that’s been lined with parchment paper. Use a spatula or rice paddle to press the rice firmly into the dish. You’ll want the rice to be ½ – ¾ -inch thick. Option to use another piece of parchment paper to press the rice without sticking.Once it’s well pressed into the dish, cover with parchment paper and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to cool. **Keep in mind, that if you’re making one cup of dry rice, you’ll need to use a smaller baking dish when pressing the rice down, so it doesn’t get too thin.
- Remove the rice from the refrigerator and pull it out from the dish using the sides of the parchment. Slice it into squares. I was able to get 24 squares. **Keep in mind, that 1 cup of dry rice will yield about 12 cooked rice squares.
Air Fry the Sushi Rice
- There are 2 ways to make the rice crispy. One is to shallow fry the squares in a hot neutral oil. The second is what we are focusing on today, which is air frying. Air frying the squares will keep them light, but just as delicious.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees. Once it is hot, spray the basket with avocado oil spray. Add a layer of rice squares making sure they do not overlap. Spray them generously with avocado oil spray. Air fry for 16 minutes turning halfway through. BE SURE to spray the second side with avocado oil spray once you turn them over. Also, DO NOT overcrowd the basket.
- Place the crispy sushi rice on a wire rack to cool. This will prevent it from getting soft on the bottom as it cools.**Keep in mind, that air frying time will slightly vary based on the size and thickness of your sushi rice squares and based on the type of air fryer you have at home.
Prepare the Salmon
- Remove any pin bones from your salmon and carefully remove the skin. Cube the salmon into bite sized pieces that will easily fit on top of the crispy rice squares. Add the cubed salmon to a mixing bowl. Toss it with the spice rub and make sure the salmon is well coated.
Air Fry the Salmon
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Add the seasoned cubed salmon to the air fryer basket in one layer. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Do not let the salmon overlap in the basket. Spray it with avocado oil spray and air fry for 5-7 minutes depending on preferred doneness.
Assemble the Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice
- Lay out your crispy rice squares. Add the cubed salmon to the squares, top with sliced avocado, spicy creamy sauce, sliced serrano peppers, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
5 Comments on “Air Fryer Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice”
This was a super fun weekend meal idea. It was a rainy day and this recipe turned out to be a fun and delicious way for my husband and I to cook together. We had fun constructing our rice and salmon squares as we ate them.
This was outstanding! The flavors were complex and delicious! The avocado and serrano add a nice touch! Thank you for this recipe! Everyone LOVED it!
It’s terrible
Sorry to hear that. Can you offer any more info as to why?
Third time making these for my wife, she loves them! I sub Jasmine rice for Sushi Rice, and apple cider vinegar/white wine vinegar for rice vinegar, and everything still turns out fantastic.