These easy 20-minute sweet and spicy air fryer salmon bowls are perfect for a quick weeknight meal, yet impressive enough for company. They’re packed with protein and omega-3s from tender salmon, plus fibre and antioxidants from California Prunes. Serve it all over rice with crunchy veggies for a balanced, flavor-packed meal that’s as satisfying as it is delicious!

A bowl with sliced avocado, cucumber, marinated tofu, pickled onions, chopped scallions, black sesame seeds, and sauce, served on a light cloth with a small bowl of prunes in the background.

Thank you California Prunes for sponsoring this nourishing dinner recipe!

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This salmon bowl recipe has been on repeat at our house, and once you try it, you’ll see why. The salmon is flaky, caramelized, and sticky in all the best ways… and thanks to the air fryer, it cooks to perfection in just 5 minutes.

Yes, the dietitian in me loves salmon for its anti-inflammatory benefits, but the busy mom in me loves how fast it cooks even more. Haha. I love finding flavorful ways to cook it like this Miso Yogurt Oven-Baked Salmon or my 30-minute sheet pan salmon meal but these salmon bites might just be my favorite new way to eat them. 

The sweet and spicy glaze gets a powerful nutrition glow-up from naturally sweet California prunes, which bubble and caramelize in the air fryer. Ugh, so good! 

Flat lay of ingredients on a pink surface, including white rice, cubed salmon, cucumbers, avocado halves, soy sauce, prunes, garlic, pickled onions, hot sauce, and small bowls of various sauces.

What makes this bowl so nourishing

For one, I love that this bowl is a complete balanced meal, and while we may be more familiar with the nutrition benefits of salmon, avocado, or cucumber, I wanted to dive a little deeper on another key ingredient.

California Prunes: Let’s talk about them, because holy was I ever blown away when I tested them in this recipe! I already loved prunes for their fibre which supports gut health and the microbiome, but their versatility surprised me. Blended with just a few simple ingredients they create the most insanely delicious glaze that hugs every crevice of these salmon bites. 

As if that weren’t enough, research shows that eating about five prunes daily helps support good bone health too (likely due to the combo of micronutrients they pack including vitamin K, potassium, manganese, boron, copper and antioxidants!). And yes, each serving of this recipe provides those benefits with a full cup of prunes in the glaze (about 5 per bowl!)!  

A bowl filled with rice, diced cucumber, pickled onions, avocado slices, marinated tofu, green onions, and black sesame seeds. A small plate of dried prunes sits nearby on a light pink surface.

Your 10-Minute Game Plan

These bowls come together fast, so I recommend having your grain base and toppings prepped and ready to go! 

A close-up view of dark, dried prunes soaking in a thick, dark liquid inside a clear glass jar, seen from above.

Toss all your glaze ingredients into your blender

A close-up of a spoon holding thick, glossy chocolate batter above a white bowl filled with the same mixture, set against a light pink background.

Blend away! If you’re having troubles getting things moving, add more warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time but don’t overdo it! We want a sticky paste-like texture!

Cubed pieces of raw salmon coated in a dark, thick marinade sit in a glass bowl, with some marinade smeared on the sides of the bowl. A metal spoon is partially visible on the right side.

Don’t forget to reserve half of the glaze to make the dressing for your bowls! When tossing the salmon, be gently so the salmon doesn’t fall apart

Chunks of marinated meat arranged in a single layer inside an air fryer basket, ready to be cooked.

Don’t overcrowd the salmon, you’ll probably want to cook it in 2 batches, depending on the size of your air-fryer

Barbecue-glazed pieces of tofu are arranged in an air fryer basket, showing a cooked, crispy exterior with some grill marks.

Top as desired! I love all the color. Don’t forget to drizzle with the dressing!

A rice bowl topped with glazed tofu, sliced avocado, chopped cucumber, pickled onions, black sesame seeds, and green onions, with a small bowl of brown sauce and a spoon on the side.

Check after 5 minutes. Mine were perfectly fork tender at this point, you want to see those caramelized bubbles!

Watch How to Make It Here:

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A bowl with sliced avocado, cucumber, marinated tofu, pickled onions, chopped scallions, black sesame seeds, and sauce, served on a light cloth with a small bowl of prunes in the background.

20-Minute Air Fryer Salmon Bowls (with Sweet & Spicy California Prune Glaze)

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  • Author: Lindsay Pleskot, RD
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7 minutes
  • Total Time: 17 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner, Main DIsh
  • Method: Air Fry
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Diabetic
Print Recipe

Description

These EASY 20-minute sweet and spicy air fryer salmon bowls are perfect for a quick weeknight meal, yet impressive enough to serve to company. They’re packed with protein and omega-3s from tender salmon, plus fibre and antioxidants from California Prunes. Serve it all over rice with crunchy veggies for a balanced, flavor-packed meal that’s as satisfying as it is delicious!

Ingredients

Scale

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup California prunes
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp rice vinegar, divided
  • 2 tsp sriracha (more if desired)
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp sesame oil
  • ½ cup warm water, divided
  • Salt and pepper

Salmon:

  • 1½ lbs salmon, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Salt and pepper

For the bowls

  • 3 cups cooked rice
  • Cucumber, diced
  • 1 large or 2 small avocados, sliced
  • Sesame seeds (for garnish)
  • Green onions (for garnish)
  • Quick pickled onion (optional)

Instructions

  1. If your air fryer requires preheating, set it to 400°F.
  2. To a high-speed blender or small food processor, add the prunes, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, sriracha, honey, garlic, and ¼ cup of water and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. If the mixture is too thick or gets stuck, add more warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a thick, smooth paste
  3. Place the salmon in a large bowl and toss with half of the glaze until evenly coated. 
  4. With the remaining glaze, make your dressing by whisking in the remaining 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and ¼ cup of warm water. Set aside.
  5. Arrange the salmon in a single layer in the air fryer basket (work in batches if needed) and season generously with salt and pepper. Air fry for 5–7 minutes, or until the salmon is fork tender and the glaze is caramelized and sticky (mine was perfect at 5 minutes).
  6. Serve over rice with pickled onions, cucumber, avocado, sesame seeds, and green onions.

Notes

Prep ahead: The glaze, rice and pickled onions can all be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.