Here’s the thing about cooking for out-of-town visitors: before anyone lands, you’re on the phone asking what they actually want to eat. Favorite flavors. Cravings. The one dish they’d try if you made it. My cousin Abby called from California a couple of weeks ago and mentioned she’d been dreaming about something with bold flavor, so bang bang salmon was already on the menu before she stepped through the door.
I’ve made this bowl a few times, and the first attempt was honestly a little flat. The sauce needed more lime, and I’d undercooked the salmon. By the third time I’d nailed it, and now it’s one of those dinners I keep in my back pocket for exactly this kind of night. It comes together in about 30 minutes, it’s colorful enough to photograph, and everyone at the table leaves happy.
The whole dinner is three moving parts: whisk the sauces, roast the salmon, and toss the slaw. I always grab a bag of shredded coleslaw mix to save myself a little time, and in summer I grill the salmon instead of using the broiler. The sauce caramelizes beautifully on the grill, the edges get lightly charred, and dinner is basically done while the rice finishes cooking.
Real time: 30 minutes / Hands-on: about 25 minutes / Effort: easy. Serves 6, with roughly 489 calories a bowl (estimated).
What you’ll need
Bang bang sauce
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
Pineapple slaw
- 1 bag coleslaw mix (or 3 cups shredded cabbage)
- 2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro and basil
Bowls
- 4 salmon fillets (4 to 6 ounces each), cut into bite-size chunks
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Japanese pineapple BBQ sauce or teriyaki sauce
- sea salt and black pepper
- 2 cups cooked rice
- nori sheets, sliced avocado, and green onions, for serving
Spicy soy
- 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Don’t have fresh pineapple? Chunks of fresh mango or sliced peaches work just as well in the slaw.
The steps
1. Make the bang bang sauce. Whisk the mayo, sweet Thai chili sauce, and lime zest until smooth and creamy. Set it aside.
If you can, double the batch. It’s delicious over grilled chicken, shrimp, or roasted vegetables later in the week, or tossed through a simple salad. It keeps for several days in the fridge.
2. Toss the slaw. In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, pineapple, and the cilantro and basil. Add 1/4 cup of the bang bang sauce and toss until everything is evenly coated.
3. Cook the salmon. Preheat the broiler to high. Arrange the salmon on a baking sheet, toss with the chipotle chili powder, 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce, and salt and pepper, then spread into an even layer. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until lightly crisp around the edges. Spoon the Japanese pineapple BBQ sauce (or teriyaki) over the top and broil 1 minute more, just until glossy and caramelized. Watch it closely — under a broiler the salmon goes from perfectly cooked to dry fast, and it stays tender when you pull it just at cooked-through. A grill works great here too.
4. Mix the spicy soy. While the salmon cooks, whisk the 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce, 1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds together.
Spoon it over the rice while the rice is still warm — that way every bite soaks up the flavor.
5. Build the bowls. Divide the rice among bowls and spoon the spicy soy over it. Top with the salmon, pineapple slaw, avocado, green onions, and sesame seeds, then finish with a generous drizzle of bang bang sauce. Serve with nori sheets for wrapping, or crumbled over the top.
Table tip
Turn this into a build-your-own bowl night. Line up the rice, salmon, slaw, avocado, sauces, herbs, sesame seeds, and nori across the kitchen island and let everyone build their own bowl. It’s an easy, interactive dinner, and it’s always a hit with guests.
Meal prep note
Prep the rice, salmon, spicy soy, and slaw ahead of time and store everything separately in the fridge. The only thing to wait on: toss the slaw with the bang bang sauce just before serving, so it stays crisp.
Make it yours
Swap the salmon for shrimp, grilled chicken, or steak. I grilled some steak alongside this one visit, and having two proteins on the board made the whole thing feel like a little dinner party.
Happy cooking,
Maya