Gochujang Salmon Bowls: A Quick, Flavour-Packed Midweek Dinner
Sweet, sticky salmon with a little heat, served over rice with crunchy cucumber and a drizzle of spicy mayo. This easy air-fryer recipe from Jess Hawkins is one to add to your weekly dinner rotation.
Some evenings call for a dinner that feels a little more interesting than the usual rotation, without requiring an hour in the kitchen. These Gochujang Salmon Bowls from Jess Hawkins' Eat Great, Lose Weight are exactly that.
The salmon is coated in a sweet, spicy marinade of gochujang, soy sauce, honey and garlic, then cooked in the air fryer until tender. Served over fluffy rice with fresh cucumber, spring onions, sesame seeds and sriracha mayonnaise, it's a satisfying combination of flavours and textures that comes together with very little fuss.
The marinade is versatile, too. Try it with chicken or tofu if you fancy a change, and adjust the chilli to suit whoever you're cooking for. For younger children, it's worth setting aside some salmon before adding the gochujang and serving it with plain rice and cucumber.
It also keeps for up to three days in the fridge so can be a handy addition to weekday meal prep.
Serves: 4 | Salmon cooking time: 8–10 minutes
Ingredients
4 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tsp runny honey
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tbsp gochujang paste
2 tsp olive oil, plus extra oil spray for cooking
4 salmon fillets (125g each), skin removed and cut into large bite-sized cubes
500g cooked basmati rice
To Serve
1 small cucumber, sliced
2 small spring onions, sliced
1–2 red chillies, sliced (optional)
80g sriracha mayonnaise
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Method
Preheat your air fryer to 185°C.
Add the soy sauce, honey, garlic, gochujang paste and the 2 teaspoons of oil to a bowl and mix well. Add the salmon to the marinade and gently mix until the salmon is well coated.
Spray the base of your air fryer really well with oil spray, add the salmon and cook for 8–10 minutes, or until cooked through.
Now all you need to do is assemble. Divide the rice between 4 bowls and top with the salmon and the sliced cucumber.
Add some spring onions, chilli (if you like things spicy) and a drizzle of sriracha mayonnaise, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
Make it your own: The gochujang marinade also works with chicken or tofu. Adjust the spice levels to taste, and serve with extra vegetables for an easy way to vary the dish.
Eat Great, Lose Weight by Jess Hawkins
In Eat Great, Lose Weight, food creator Jess Hawkins (@recipeswith_jess) shares 100 easy, high-protein recipes that prove healthier eating doesn't have to mean sacrificing flavour.
From comforting family dinners and speedy lunches to fakeaways and sweet treats, every recipe comes in at under 600 calories per serving and uses accessible, everyday ingredients.
With air-fryer, slow-cooker and meal-prep options throughout, it's a practical cookbook for anyone looking to eat well without complicated recipes or restrictive rules.