Crispy Rice Salmon Salad with Peanut Sauce
/Crispy jasmine rice, fresh vegetables, avocado and edamame topped with pan-seared salmon and a creamy peanut-chili dressing for a dinner packed with flavor and texture.
There are some recipes where the textures are just as important as the flavors, and this Crispy Rice Salmon Salad with Peanut Sauce is absolutely one of them.
The base starts with jasmine rice tossed in chili oil and soy sauce and baked until wonderfully crispy. Then we mix it with edamame, creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, red bell pepper, spring onions, fresh dill and crushed peanuts.
And then comes the salmon.
I keep the salmon incredibly simple with just olive oil, sea salt and black pepper because there is already so much flavor happening everywhere else. It gets a quick sear in a hot pan before going right on top of the crispy rice salad with an extra drizzle of homemade peanut-chili sauce.
It's creamy, crunchy, fresh, savory and just a little spicy all at once. And even though there are several components, none of them are difficult to make.
Why You'll Love This Crispy Rice Salmon Salad
There is so much texture and flavor packed into this one meal.
The crispy rice makes it. Baking jasmine rice with chili oil and soy sauce gives the salad a completely different texture from a traditional rice bowl.
The peanut sauce does double duty. We toss it through the salad and save some to drizzle over the salmon.
It's loaded with texture. Crispy rice, crunchy cucumber and bell pepper, creamy avocado and peanuts all make their way into the same bowl.
The salmon is incredibly simple. Olive oil, salt and pepper are all it needs because the peanut sauce and crispy rice bring plenty of flavor.
It's fresh but satisfying. Salmon, rice and edamame make this feel like a complete dinner while all those vegetables keep it fresh.
You can adjust the heat. Add the Sriracha according to how spicy you like your food.
It looks impressive. This is one of those dinners that looks like you did much more work than you actually did.
What's in This Crispy Rice Salmon Salad?
The ingredient list is colorful, fresh and fairly simple. It's how everything comes together that makes this recipe so good.
Jasmine Rice
Cooked jasmine rice becomes the crispy base of the salad.
Instead of pan-frying it, we're spreading the rice over a baking sheet with chili oil and soy sauce and letting the oven do the work.
Chili Oil
Chili oil adds both flavor and a little heat to the rice as it crisps.
Edamame
Shelled edamame adds another great texture to the salad and works especially well with the peanut dressing.
Avocado
Creamy avocado is the perfect contrast to that crunchy rice.
English Cucumber
Cucumber gives the salad a cool, fresh crunch.
Red Bell Pepper
Bell pepper adds sweetness, crunch and gorgeous color.
Spring Onions
Thinly sliced spring onions give us fresh onion flavor without overpowering everything else.
Fresh Dill
I love the unexpected freshness that dill brings to this recipe.
Crushed Peanuts
A generous sprinkle of crushed peanuts gives us even more crunch and echoes the peanut butter in our dressing.
Salmon
The salmon turns our crispy rice salad into a complete meal. I keep it simply seasoned so it doesn't compete with everything else happening in the bowl.
How to Make Crispy Rice in the Oven
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the cooked jasmine rice to the prepared pan, then toss it with chili oil and soy sauce.
Spread the rice into an even layer. I spread mine over my 360 Cookware Jelly Roll Pan lined with parchment paper so the rice has plenty of room to crisp.
This part matters. Giving the rice plenty of room on the pan exposes more of it to the heat, which helps create those crispy little pieces we're looking for.
Bake for 25 minutes, then stir the rice and spread it back into an even layer.
Return it to the oven for approximately another 25 minutes, keeping an eye on it toward the end.
You're looking for rice that's golden and crispy without becoming burnt.
Let it cool slightly before adding it to your fresh salad ingredients.
How to Make the Creamy Peanut-Chili Dressing
This sauce is ridiculously simple for how much flavor it adds to the finished dish.
In a small bowl, whisk together creamy peanut butter, minced garlic, Sriracha, rice vinegar and soy sauce.
If the dressing is thicker than you'd like, add a small amount of water until it reaches a creamy, pourable consistency.
Taste before moving on. Add a little more Sriracha if you want more heat or keep it milder if that's what your family prefers.
And here's the important part: don't use all of it on the salad.
Set some aside before tossing everything together because we're going to drizzle that extra peanut sauce right over the salmon at the end.
How to Make the Fresh Salad Base
While the rice is getting crispy in the oven, prepare everything else.
In a large bowl, combine the shelled edamame, diced avocado, chopped cucumber, red bell pepper, thinly sliced spring onions and roughly chopped dill.
This part of the recipe is intentionally fresh and crunchy because it balances the warm, savory crispy rice and rich salmon.
Once the rice has finished crisping, give it a little time to cool before adding it to the vegetables.
You especially don't want piping-hot rice immediately hitting your avocado.
How to Cook the Salmon
The salmon is intentionally simple in this recipe.
There is already so much flavor in the crispy rice and peanut-chili dressing that it doesn't need a complicated marinade or seasoning mixture.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Season the salmon on both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
Once the pan is hot, add the salmon and cook until the first side develops a beautiful golden sear.
Flip and continue cooking on the other side until the salmon is cooked to your preferred doneness and flakes easily.
Remove it from the pan and let it rest while you assemble the salad.
That's it.
The simply seasoned salmon gives that creamy peanut-chili sauce the chance to really shine.
How to Assemble Crispy Rice Salmon Salad
Once all the components are ready, assembly is easy.
Add the slightly cooled crispy rice to the bowl with the edamame, avocado, cucumber, red bell pepper, spring onions and dill.
Pour over the peanut-chili dressing, remembering to reserve some for your salmon.
Gently toss everything together.
Spoon the crispy rice salad onto plates or into bowls.
Place the pan-seared salmon right on top.
Finish with the remaining peanut sauce and a generous sprinkle of crushed peanuts.
You get a little crispy rice, fresh vegetables, creamy avocado, tender salmon and peanut sauce in every bite.
Can I Make the Crispy Rice Ahead of Time?
You can definitely cook the jasmine rice ahead of time, and that's actually an easy way to break up the prep for this recipe.
Cook the rice, allow it to cool and refrigerate it in a covered container.
When you're ready to make the salad, toss it with the chili oil and soy sauce and crisp it in the oven.
I prefer keeping the crispy rice separate from the dressed vegetables until you're close to serving.
Once you add dressing to something crispy, it's naturally going to begin losing some of that crunch. Keeping the components separate until the end gives you the best combination of textures.
What Can I Substitute for Peanut Butter?
If you need to avoid peanuts, the best substitution depends on your needs.
For someone who can eat other nuts, creamy almond or cashew butter can give you a similar creamy consistency, although the flavor will be different.
For a nut-free option, sunflower seed butter is worth trying.
Tahini is another option, but because it's made from sesame and has a distinctive flavor, expect the finished sauce to taste noticeably different from the original peanut version.
And remember that the crushed peanut garnish also needs to be omitted or substituted if you're adapting the recipe for a peanut allergy.
Amanda's Quick Tips
Spread the rice out. Give it plenty of surface area on the baking sheet so it can actually crisp rather than steam.
Stir halfway through. This exposes more of the rice to the heat and helps it crisp more evenly.
Watch the second half of baking. You're looking for crispy and golden, not burnt.
Let the rice cool slightly. Don't immediately dump piping-hot rice over your fresh vegetables and avocado.
Cut the vegetables into similar bite-sized pieces. It makes the finished salad much easier to eat.
Save some peanut sauce. Reserve it before tossing the salad so you have plenty to drizzle over your salmon.
Add the avocado carefully. Toss gently so you keep some nice pieces intact rather than mashing it into the dressing.
Save some peanuts for the top. That final sprinkle adds texture and makes the finished bowls look beautiful.
Crispy Rice Salmon Salad with Peanut Sauce
Crispy jasmine rice tossed with fresh vegetables, avocado and edamame, topped with simply pan-seared salmon and creamy peanut-chili dressing.
Ingredients
Crispy Rice
4 cups cooked jasmine rice
4 tablespoons chili oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
Salad
2 cups shelled edamame
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 English cucumber, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
1/2 cup crushed peanuts
Peanut-Chili Dressing
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Sriracha, optional or adjusted to taste
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Water, as needed for consistency
Salmon
Salmon fillets, amount as desired
Olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Make the Peanut-Chili Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, minced garlic, Sriracha, rice vinegar and soy sauce.
Add water a little at a time, if needed, until the dressing reaches a creamy, pourable consistency.
Taste and adjust the heat as desired.
Set aside, reserving some of the dressing to drizzle over the salmon when serving.
2. Make the Crispy Rice
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the cooked jasmine rice to the prepared pan and toss with the chili oil and soy sauce.
Spread the rice evenly across the baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Stir the rice, spread it evenly again and return it to the oven for approximately another 25 minutes, or until crispy and golden.
Watch closely toward the end so the rice doesn't burn.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
3. Prepare the Salad
In a large bowl, combine the edamame, avocado, cucumber, red bell pepper, spring onions and fresh dill.
Set aside while you prepare the salmon.
4. Cook the Salmon
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Season the salmon on both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
Add the salmon to the hot skillet and cook until golden on the first side.
Flip and continue cooking until the salmon reaches your preferred doneness and flakes easily.
Remove from the pan.
5. Assemble
Add the slightly cooled crispy rice to the prepared vegetables.
Pour the peanut-chili dressing over the salad, reserving some for serving.
Gently toss until combined.
Divide the crispy rice salad between plates or bowls.
Top each serving with pan-seared salmon.
Drizzle the reserved peanut-chili sauce over the salmon and finish with crushed peanuts.
Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind of Rice Is Best for Crispy Rice Salad?
I use jasmine rice in this recipe. Its flavor works beautifully with the soy sauce, chili oil and creamy peanut dressing.
Can I Use Leftover Rice?
Yes. Previously cooked and refrigerated jasmine rice is a great option and can make this dinner even easier.
Toss the cooked rice with chili oil and soy sauce and crisp it in the oven before assembling the salad.
Why Isn't My Rice Getting Crispy?
Make sure your rice isn't piled too thickly on the baking sheet.
Spreading it into a fairly even layer gives more of the rice direct exposure to the oven's heat.
Also make sure you're giving it enough time to crisp and stirring it halfway through baking.
Is the Peanut Sauce Spicy?
The Sriracha gives the sauce some heat, but you can adjust the amount according to your preference.
If you're serving someone who doesn't like much spice, start with less. You can always add more.
Can I Make Crispy Rice Salad Ahead?
You can prepare several of the components ahead, but I recommend keeping the crispy rice, dressing and fresh salad components separate until closer to serving.
This helps preserve all those different textures that make the recipe so good.
Can I Make This Without Peanuts?
You can adapt the dressing with a peanut-butter alternative appropriate for your needs and omit or substitute the crushed peanuts.
If you're cooking for someone with an allergy, always choose substitutions that are appropriate for their specific allergy.
More Easy Rice Bowls & Dinners
If you love this combination of rice, fresh vegetables and flavorful protein, here are a few more recipes to make next.
Sweet & Spicy Salmon Bowls
Another salmon-and-rice dinner with plenty of flavor and an easy bowl-style presentation.
Pork Banh Mi Bowl
A fresh and flavorful bowl with another delicious combination of textures.
Mediterranean Chicken & Rice Bowls
A completely different flavor profile but another easy rice-based dinner that's great for busy nights.
Herb Chicken and Jasmine Rice with Creamy Tzatziki Sauce
When you're craving something a little more creamy, this chicken and rice bowl is another great option.
Save This Recipe
Whether you're looking for a new salmon dinner, love a really good crispy rice salad or simply want something that gives you a little bit of everything in every bite, I've included a printable recipe card below so it's easy to save, print and make again.
A Note From Amanda
Some of my favorite recipes are the ones where you keep going back for another bite because every spoonful is a little different from the last.
This is definitely one of those.
You might get extra crispy rice in one bite, creamy avocado in the next, and then that perfect piece of salmon covered in peanut sauce. It's fresh and colorful but still feels like a dinner everyone can really dig into.
I hope this becomes one of those recipes you come back to when you're craving something just a little different for dinner.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good."
Psalm 34:8
Made with love for the people you love.
