Thai Salmon Bowls with Coconut Rice

5 from 3 votes

Thai Salmon Bowls with Coconut Rice

Flaky broiled salmon with a punchy sambal marinade, dreamy coconut rice, and crisp quick pickles—these Thai Salmon Coconut Rice Bowls are the perfect balance of heat, freshness, and comfort in every bite. Easy enough for a weeknight, yet impressive enough for a dinner party!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Marinating Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai, Laotian

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

For the quick pickles:

3 Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
½ red onion thinly sliced

For the Salmon:

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sambal oelek
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 inch ginger peeled and finely chopped
1.5 pounds salmon pin bones removed

For the rice:

2 cups water
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups jasmine rice
zest and juice of 1 lime

To garnish:

fresh mint leaves
fresh basil leaves
fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

To make the Quick Pickles

In a small bowl, toss the cucumbers, cabbage, red onion, and rice vinegar. Let sit while you prepare the salmon, tossing occasionally to evenly coat the veggies.

To make the Salmon:

In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sambal oelek, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the salmon on top. Spread the marinade evenly over the salmon and let it sit for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours for extra flavor).
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to broil. Place the salmon on the top rack and broil for 8–10 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before flaking.

To make the rice:

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, coconut milk, sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the jasmine rice, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let cook undisturbed for about 15 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.A
Turn off the heat and let the rice steam for 5–10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then mix in the lime zest and juice.

To assemble:

Divide the coconut rice into 4 bowls. Top with flaked salmon and a generous helping of the quick pickles. Garnish with mint, basil, cilantro, and scallions. Serve immediately.

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