These Sweet and Spicy Salmon Bowls are a vibrant, flavor-packed dinner that brings together tender roasted salmon with a unique, sticky glaze. The sweetness comes from a surprise ingredient fig spread while red pepper flakes add just the right amount of heat.
Balanced by a fresh, zesty mango salsa and served over fluffy jasmine rice, this meal is a healthy and delicious option that feels like a gourmet treat.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: The salmon features a savory, sweet, and spicy glaze made with soy sauce and fig spread, which pairs perfectly with the bright, acidic sweetness of the mango salsa.
- Texture: You get buttery, flaky salmon coated in a sticky sauce, contrasted by the crunch of fresh peppers and the softness of ripe mangoes.
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Easy. The oven does the work for the salmon while you chop the salsa.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a baking dish for roasting the salmon and a couple of mixing bowls for the glaze and salsa. The ingredients list relies on fresh seafood, ripe tropical fruit, and a pantry-friendly glaze that uses fig spread as a natural thickener and sweetener.
Ingredient Notes
- Fig Spread – This is the secret to the glaze. It adds a complex sweetness and thickens the sauce without needing cornstarch. The Divina brand is recommended.
- Salmon – You need about 24 oz of salmon fillets. Roasting them at high heat keeps them moist and allows the glaze to set beautifully.
- Rice Vinegar – Adds a mild acidity that cuts through the sugar in the fig spread.
- Soy Sauce – Provides the salty, savory umami base for the sauce.
- Mangos – Use ripe Champagne or Ataúlfo mangoes if possible. These varieties are less fibrous and have a creamy, sweet texture perfect for salsa.
- Fresh Lime Juice – Essential for the salsa to brighten the flavors and keep the fruit fresh.
- Chili Powder – Adds a smoky depth to the salsa that complements the spicy glaze on the fish.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Greens – You can add steamed broccoli, snap peas, or edamame to the bowl for extra green vegetables.
- Base – While Jasmine rice is listed, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice would also work well as a base.
- Avocado – Diced avocado would be a creamy addition to the mango salsa.
How to Make Sweet and Spicy Salmon Bowls
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Mix the Sauce: Combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, fig spread, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Mix well until combined.
- Season the Salmon: Use whole salmon fillets or slice each into 3 chunks. Season the salmon with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread them in a single layer in a baking dish, skin-side down.
- Roast: Roast for about 10 or 12 minutes in the preheated oven at 425 F, or until the salmon is almost cooked through.
- Skin Removal (Optional): Remove from the oven. At this point, if you don’t like the salmon skin, remove it by sliding a spatula carefully under each salmon fillet or chunk to separate the fillet from the skin. Discard the skin. Or, leave the skin on!
- Glaze: Coat the salmon with the sticky sweet chili glaze (reserving about 1/3 of the sauce for serving later) and return briefly to the oven to continue cooking for a couple of minutes until the salmon is cooked through and the glaze is hot.
- Prepare Salsa: While the salmon is roasting, wash the mangos thoroughly to get rid of any debris. Peel, pit, and dice them into cubes. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the diced mangos, diced red bell pepper, chopped fresh cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice, and chili powder. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble: Add cooked jasmine rice to the bowls. Top with the glazed salmon on one side and the mango salsa on the other side. Glaze the salmon with the reserved 1/3 of the sweet chili sauce. Top with chopped fresh cilantro and fresh lime slices.
Pro Tip: Removing the salmon skin after the initial roasting period is much easier than trying to skin raw fish. The fat renders slightly, allowing the meat to slide right off the skin with a spatula.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overcook Salmon: Salmon cooks relatively quickly, especially at 425°F. Watch it closely; it is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
- Mango Ripeness: Ensure your mangos are ripe but not mushy. You want them to hold their cube shape in the salsa for a nice texture.
- Sauce Consistency: If you prefer a thicker glaze, you can add a little more fig spread to the mixture before brushing it on the fish.
FAQs
- Is this recipe gluten-free? To make this gluten-free, ensure you use Tamari instead of regular soy sauce and check that your fig spread is certified gluten-free.
- Can I use frozen salmon? Yes, just thaw it completely in the refrigerator overnight and pat it dry with paper towels before seasoning and roasting.
- Is it very spicy? The heat level is adjustable. You can control the red pepper flakes in the sauce and the chili powder in the salsa to suit your taste.
Serving Suggestions
- Lime Wedges: Serve with plenty of fresh lime wedges to squeeze over the finished bowl.
- Avocado: Slices of fresh avocado add a cooling element that balances the chili heat.
- Chips: Serve extra mango salsa with tortilla chips on the side.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Salsa: The mango salsa can be made a few hours in advance and stored in the fridge. The flavors will meld nicely.
- Salmon: The salmon is best roasted fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Sweet and Spicy Salmon Bowls
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Description
These Sweet and Spicy Salmon Bowls are a vibrant, flavor-packed dinner that brings together tender roasted salmon with a unique, sticky glaze. The sweetness comes from a surprise ingredient fig spread while red pepper flakes add just the right amount of heat. Balanced by a fresh, zesty mango salsa and served over fluffy jasmine rice, this meal is a healthy and delicious option that feels like a gourmet treat.
Ingredients
Sweet Chili Fig Glaze
- 1/3 cup fig spread (Divina brand recommended)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
Roasted Salmon
- 24 oz salmon fillets (4 fillets or cut into chunks)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Mango Salsa
- 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and diced (Champagne or Ataúlfo varieties are best)
- 1 small sweet red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (or more to taste)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For Serving
- 2 cups cooked Jasmine rice
- Fresh lime slices
- Extra chopped cilantro
Instructions
Preheat and Mix Glaze
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a small bowl, whisk together the fig spread, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes until well combined. Set aside.
Season the Salmon
Place the salmon fillets (or chunks) skin-side down in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and rub with the minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
Initial Roast
Roast the salmon in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it is almost cooked through.
Skin and Glaze
Remove the salmon from the oven. Optional: If you prefer skinless salmon, gently slide a spatula under the fish to separate the meat from the skin (the heat makes this easy) and discard the skin. Brush the salmon generously with the fig glaze, reserving about 1/3 of the sauce for serving.
Final Bake
Return the glazed salmon to the oven for another 2–3 minutes, until the fish is fully cooked and the glaze is hot and sticky.
Make the Salsa
While the salmon roasts, combine the diced mangoes, red bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and chili powder in a medium bowl. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper.
Assemble
Divide the cooked Jasmine rice into bowls. Top with the glazed salmon and a generous scoop of mango salsa. Drizzle the salmon with the reserved glaze. Garnish with lime slices and extra cilantro.
Notes
The Secret Ingredient: The fig spread is essential here. It acts as a natural thickener and sweetener, creating a sticky texture without cornstarch. If you can’t find fig spread, apricot preserves are a decent substitute, though the flavor profile will shift.
Skin Removal Hack: Removing the skin after the initial roast is much easier than trying to skin raw fish. The fat renders slightly during cooking, allowing the meat to slide right off the skin with a spatula.
Mango Selection: Look for Champagne (yellow) or Ataúlfo mangoes. They are creamy and much less fibrous than the standard red-green varieties, making for a smoother salsa texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: sweet and spicy salmon, salmon bowl recipe, mango salsa recipe, fig glaze salmon, healthy dinner bowls, jasmine rice recipes, 30 minute seafood dinner
