Dan Dan Salmon Rice Bowl (Under 20 Mins)

This dan-dan salmon rice bowl is sticky air fryer salmon over rice, piled high with crunchy carrot, cucumber ribbons and creamy avocado, then spooned with a nutty, chilli-oil tahini sauce. It’s on the table in under 20 minutes.

The sauce is the real star. It’s inspired by dan-dan noodles, which are known for a sauce of sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar and chilli oil. Here, tahini gives that nutty, creamy base, rice vinegar adds tang, honey balances it, and garlic and a spoonful of chilli oil bring the kick. It’s six ingredients and no cooking, just add to a jar and shake.

The salmon takes about 7 minutes in the air fryer, which is just enough time to whisk the sauce and shave the veg into ribbons. Use microwave rice, leftover rice or rice cooked from scratch, whichever gets you to the table fastest.

Why you'll love this salmon rice bowl

Under 20 minutes. The salmon takes about 7 minutes in the air fryer.

Six-ingredient sauce. Tahini, soy, rice vinegar, honey, garlic and chilli oil, with no cooking.

Uses up leftover rice. Microwave rice and freshly cooked rice work just as well.

Fresh and crunchy. Shaved carrot, cucumber ribbons and creamy avocado balance the sticky salmon.

Ingredients You Will Need

Salmon

1 salmon fillet

1 tbsp soy sauce

½ tbsp sesame oil

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp brown sugar

Dan-dan sauce

75g tahini

50g soy sauce

30g rice vinegar

50g honey

1 garlic clove

15g chilli oil (about 1 tbsp)

To serve

Rice (microwave rice, leftover rice or cooked from scratch)

Shaved carrot

Cucumber ribbons

Avocado

Sesame seeds

Step-by-Step Cooking Method

Mix 1 tbsp soy sauce, ½ tbsp sesame oil, 1 grated garlic clove and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Coat the salmon fillet in it.

Air fry the salmon at 200°C for 7 minutes. Adjust the time to the thickness of your fillet.

While it cooks, whisk 75g tahini, 50g soy sauce, 30g rice vinegar, 50g honey, 1 grated garlic clove and 15g chilli oil into a smooth dan dan sauce.

Heat your rice. Microwave rice is fastest, and leftover rice works well.

Shave the carrot and cucumber into ribbons with a vegetable peeler. Slice the avocado.

Pile the rice into a bowl, add the salmon and veg, spoon over the sauce and finish with sesame seeds.

Ingredient notes

Salmon: fresh or thawed frozen fillets both work. Thaw frozen salmon completely and pat it dry so the marinade sticks. Skin-on or skinless is up to you, and the thickness of the fillet decides the cooking time.

Tahini: stir the jar well before measuring, as the oil separates. Brands vary in strength and bitterness, so taste the sauce and add a little more honey if yours is strong.

Soy sauce: it appears in both the salmon and the sauce. Use tamari if you need it gluten free.

Rice vinegar: it gives the sauce its tang and cuts through the rich tahini.

Chilli oil and heat: the sauce already has 1 tbsp of chilli oil in it. For more heat, add extra chilli oil, chilli flakes, sriracha or another hot sauce a little at a time and taste as you go.

Rice: any rice works. Short-grain rice is stickier, and microwave or leftover rice saves time.

Toppings: shaved carrot and cucumber ribbons add crunch, avocado adds creaminess and sesame seeds add a nutty finish. Edamame, spring onion, pickled ginger or chilli crisp also suit the bowl.

Variations: vegetarian and other proteins

The sauce and the crunchy veg work with almost any protein or base. Cooking times are rough guides, so always check the food is cooked through. Chicken and tofu take longer than salmon, so start them first if you want to stay near 20 minutes.

Swap the protein

Tofu (vegetarian): press firm tofu, cut into cubes, coat in the same soy, sesame oil, garlic and brown sugar mix, then air fry at 200°C, shaking halfway. About 10 to 12 minutes.

Mushrooms (vegetarian): thick-sliced mushrooms in the marinade, air fried at 200°C until golden. About 8 to 10 minutes.

Chicken thigh: cut into bite-sized pieces, use the same marinade and air fry at 200°C until cooked through. About 10 to 12 minutes.

Steak strips: slice thinly, use the same marinade and air fry at 200°C, cooking to your liking. About 4 to 6 minutes.

Mince: brown pork, beef or chicken mince in a hot pan, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the soy, sesame oil, garlic and brown sugar mix and cook until sticky and cooked through. This is the closest to a classic dan dan noodle topping.

Prawns: toss in the marinade and air fry at 200°C until pink and curled. About 4 to 5 minutes.

Other fish: ocean trout, tuna steaks or barramundi work in the air fryer at 200°C. Thin fillets cook faster than salmon, so start checking early and cook until the fish is done to your liking.

Raw salmon, poke style: use sashimi-grade salmon only, bought from a fishmonger who sells it to be eaten raw. Cube it, toss it with soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic, and serve straight away over rice with the veg and dan-dan sauce.

Swap the base: rice, lettuce or noodles

Different rice: jasmine, short-grain or sushi rice all suit the sauce. Brown rice takes longer, so use leftover brown rice or a microwave pouch to stay under 20 minutes.

Lettuce: skip the rice and spoon the salmon, veg and sauce into crisp lettuce cups, such as cos, butter or iceberg, or pile it onto shredded lettuce for a lighter bowl.

Noodles: cook egg, rice or soba noodles to the packet instructions, drain, and toss with a spoonful of the sauce while still warm. Top with the salmon and veg. This is the closest to the dan dan noodles that inspired the sauce.

Cauliflower rice: for a lighter-carb bowl, swap the rice for cauliflower rice and add extra veg. The sauce still works.

Make ahead, storage and reheating

Sauce: whisk it up to a few days ahead and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. It thickens when cold, so stir in a splash of water.

Rice: cook it ahead, cool it quickly and refrigerate it within an hour of cooking. Leftover rice is what inspired this bowl.

Veg: shave the carrot and cucumber ahead and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. Slice the avocado just before serving so it stays green.

Salmon marinade: mix the soy, sesame oil, garlic and brown sugar ahead, but coat and cook the fish on the day.

Meal prep bowls: store the rice, salmon, veg and sauce in separate containers and assemble just before eating, so nothing goes soggy and the avocado doesn’t brown.

Fridge: keep cooked salmon and rice in separate airtight containers and eat within 2 to 3 days.

Reheating salmon: warm it gently in the air fryer at around 160°C for a few minutes, or in the microwave on medium in 25 to 30 second bursts, until hot. Reheating gently stops it drying out. Cold salmon is also great over a salad.

Reheating rice: heat it until steaming hot throughout, and only reheat it once.

Freezing: I’d freeze the cooked salmon only, and add fresh rice, veg and sauce when you serve it. Avocado, cucumber and carrot ribbons don’t freeze well.

FAQs

What is dan dan sauce made of?

This version is made from tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic and chilli oil. It’s whisked together with no cooking, and it’s creamy, salty, tangy and sweet. Dan dan noodles are known for a sauce built on sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar and chilli oil, so this is a quick tahini version of that flavour.

How long does salmon take in the air fryer, and how do I know it’s cooked?

About 7 minutes at 200°C, depending on the size of the fillet. Thicker fillets need a little longer. It’s done when it flakes easily with a fork, or when the thickest part reaches 55°C on a thermometer for a med-rare cook.

Can I make this bowl with leftover rice?

Yes. Leftover rice is what inspired this bowl. Microwave rice and rice cooked from scratch work too.

Can I make the sauce ahead?

Yes. Whisk it up in advance and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge. Give it a stir and loosen it with a splash of water before using.

Can I make this without an air fryer?

Yes. Bake or pan-fry the salmon instead, and cook it until it flakes easily with a fork. The timing will differ from the air fryer, so go by the thickness of your fillet.

Is this bowl gluten free?

Not as written, because regular soy sauce contains wheat. Swap in tamari for the soy sauce in both the salmon and the sauce.

What can I use instead of tahini?

Tahini is the star of this sauce, so I’d keep it. If you can’t have sesame, a smooth natural nut butter will change the flavour but still give you a creamy sauce.

What goes well with dan-dan salmon?

The shaved carrot, cucumber ribbons, avocado and sesame seeds in this bowl are the combination I’d stick with. Anything crunchy and fresh balances the sticky salmon. For a bigger spread, add edamame, pickled ginger, a cucumber salad or miso soup on the side.

Can I use frozen salmon?

Yes. Thaw it completely first and pat it dry so the marinade sticks.

How do I make it spicy?

The sauce already has chilli oil in it. For more heat, stir in extra chilli oil, sriracha or another hot sauce a little at a time and taste as you go, or sprinkle chilli flakes over the finished bowl.

Can I use noodles or lettuce instead of rice?

Yes. Cook egg, rice or soba noodles to the packet instructions and toss them with a spoonful of the sauce, or serve the salmon and veg in crisp lettuce cups for a lighter bowl.

Can I make this with mince or other fish?

Yes. Pork, beef or chicken mince browned in a hot pan works well, and so do tuna, ocean trout or barramundi. Cook the fish in the air fryer and start checking early, as thinner fillets cook faster than salmon.

Can I make this with raw salmon like a poke bowl?

Yes, if you use sashimi-grade salmon from a fishmonger who sells it to be eaten raw. Cube it, toss it with soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic, and serve it straight away over rice with the veg and sauce.

Is this bowl low carb?

Not as written, because of the rice and honey. For a lighter-carb bowl, swap the rice for cauliflower rice and add extra veg.