If you're looking for a fresh twist on a salmon rice bowl, these curried salmon bowls are one to add to your weekly meal plan. The salmon is coated in a fragrant korma curry paste for a deliciously different flavour that's still mild enough for the whole family to enjoy. Paired with fluffy white rice, a refreshing Asian-inspired cucumber salad and a sweet, juicy mango salsa, it's the perfect balance of fresh, vibrant and satisfying. Better yet, the salmon can be grilled, broiled or cooked in the air fryer in under 10 minutes, making it ideal for busy summer evenings.
One of the best things about this recipe is how little prep it takes. We're using a shortcut curry paste to do all the hard work, simply brushing it over the salmon fillets before cooking for an instant burst of flavour with almost no effort. It's a simple trick that delivers a delicious curry-inspired dinner without needing to measure out lots of spices or make a marinade from scratch. It also makes a lovely change from the classic Asian sticky salmon bowls that seem to be everywhere, giving you a fresh take on a healthy salmon and rice recipe.
My kids have been loving these Curried Salmon Bowls for years, it's easily one of their favourite ways to eat salmon. If your children love mango, but you're not sure if they'll like it as a salsa, no worries I have a paired-back version you can make just for them (see adapting for your family section below). And you don't want to skip the mango, it complements the gently spiced salmon perfectly. These salmon and rice bowls are suitable for little ones aged 12 months and over, so toddlers can enjoy the same meal as everyone else. If you want to share with a baby from 6+ I have a trick for that too, see my Baby & Toddler section below.
If you want, you can switch up from bowls, and serve the curried salmon and salads with naan bread instead. I often swap the rice for naan on really hot days when I don't want the stove on for ages, and it's just as satisfying. You could also swap the mango for fresh pineapple, I tried that recently - delish! Whether you're feeding the family on a busy weeknight or looking for an easy summer dinner that's packed with flavour, this healthy salmon and rice recipe is one you'll find yourself making again and again.
If you have a toddler, weaning baby or fussy eater and are wondering how to adapt this curried salmon and rice bowl for your family, see here >
- Watch the Step-by-Step Video -
FAQs for my Curried Salmon Bowl
You'll only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these family-friendly Curried Salmon Bowls:
FOR THE SALMON
Salmon fillets - Use four salmon fillets, frozen or fresh if fine. But if frozen you will need to defrost for 24 hours in the fridge before cooking.
Korma paste or mild curry paste - A mild curry paste is the shortcut ingredient that gives the salmon its delicious curried flavour in minutes with no need to mix lots of spices. Go for Korma paste if you can find it or have it already. But if you can't find it or already have mild curry paste, use that.
FOR THE MANGO SALSA
Ripe mangos - Use two regular ripe mangos or one extra-large mango diced into small 1cm cubes. You can use fresh prepared mango, just make sure you grab a medium size pack and that the mango looks ripe and juicy. I would avoid using tinned or any mango in juice or syrup as it will likely be too soft, too sweet and may have a different flavour. I recently tried making the salsa with fresh pineapple instead and that was delicious too! Just use the amount you think would be roughly equivalent of a mango.
Lime juice - A squeeze of lime brightens the salsa and balances the sweetness of the mango. You can squeeze some fresh lime or use bottled lime juice. Adjust the amount depending on how sweet your mangos are.
Red onion - Finely chopped red onion adds a little crunch and a mild sharpness that complements the sweet fruit.
Fresh coriander (cilantro) - Optional, but it adds a lovely fresh herby flavour if you enjoy it.
Dried chilli flakes / Crushed red pepper flakes - Also optional. Add a little for gentle heat or leave it out of some mango you're serving to younger children or fussy eaters.
FOR THE CUCUMBER SALAD
Cucumber - Thinly sliced cucumber creates a light refreshing salad. A mandoline works best for super-thin slices.
Onion - Thinly sliced onion adds extra crunch and flavour to the salad.
Sugar - Just a small amount helps balance the acidity of the dressing.
White wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar - either works and gives the cucumber salad its tangy refreshing flavour.
Salt - A pinch of salt helps bring all the flavours together.
For the carbohydrate; either rice or naan bread:
Basmati rice - Fluffy basmati rice is the perfect base for soaking up all the delicious flavours, although you can swap it for warm naan bread if you prefer.
Naan bread - I tend to go for large garlic & coriander naan breads but any will work!
Yes, you can definitely use pre-prepared fresh mango for this recipe. A medium-sized pack of ready-cut mango works really well and is a great time-saver, especially if you're making this on a busy weeknight.
I wouldn't recommend using tinned mango or any mango that comes in juice or syrup, as it tends to be too sweet and overly soft. It also breaks down too much in the salsa, making it mushy rather than giving you those fresh, juicy chunks that work so well in this dish.
That's absolutely fine. A mandolin just helps you get very thin, even slices, but you don't need one for this recipe. You can simply use a sharp knife to thinly slice both the cucumber and the onion as finely as you can. It will still taste just as fresh and delicious, and the dressing will soften everything slightly as it sits.
Yes, you can use frozen salmon for this recipe. However, it needs to be fully defrosted before cooking. The best way to do this is to leave it in the fridge for at least 24 hours so it thaws slowly and safely. Once fully defrosted, pat it dry with kitchen paper before adding the curry paste and cooking as normal.
Yes, absolutely. Here's what to do:
1) remove the skin from the salmon first, then cut each fillet into roughly five bite-sized cubes.
2) toss the salmon pieces in the korma paste so they're evenly coated and cook them in the air fryer at 200°C for around 7-8 minutes. They're ready when cooked through and just starting to go slightly crispy at the edges.
I've also added this option into the recipe notes for easy reference.
Salmon takes on flavours really quickly, so even a short 20-30 minutes is plenty. What I usually do is get the salmon onto a baking tray or into the air fryer and coat it straight away with the korma paste. Then I make the cucumber salad, get the rice cooking, and prep the mango salsa. By the time everything else is ready, the salmon has already had time to sit and absorb the flavours anyway.
If you scroll down a bit further, you'll find the "Adapting my Curried Salmon Bowl for your Family" section where I give you some simple recommendations for making it more suitable for kids and fussy eaters.
Leftovers should be cooled quickly and stored in airtight containers in the fridge. The salmon, rice, salsa and cucumber salad are best kept separately so everything stays fresh and doesn't become soggy.
The salmon will keep well for up to 2 days (cook day + 1) in the fridge and can be eaten cold or gently reheated until piping hot. Be careful not to overdo it, as salmon can quickly become dry and a little chewy if it's overcooked in the microwave.
The rice should also be used within 2 days (cook day + 1) and reheated until steaming hot before serving. The mango salsa is best eaten within 24 hours as the fruit will start to soften and release juice, while the cucumber salad is best enjoyed fresh but will keep for up to 2 days (make day + 1) in the fridge.
This recipe fits a variety of dietary needs, making it a great family-friendly option. Here's a simple breakdown:
Gluten-free - This recipe is naturally gluten free, but always check the label on your curry paste to make sure there are no hidden gluten-containing ingredients.
Dairy-free - The recipe contains no dairy, so it works well for anyone avoiding milk, butter or cheese.
NOT suitable for peanut or nut-free diets - the korma curry paste contains coconut and the maybe traces of nuts (same for mild curry paste unless label says otherwise).
NOT suitable for mustard-free diets - the korma/curry paste may contain mustard.
NOT suitable for vegetarian or vegan diets - This recipe contains salmon, so it is not suitable for plant-based diets.
NOT suitable for strict low-FODMAP diets - It may not be suitable due to ingredients like onion, mango and curry paste, depending on individual tolerance.
Adapting my Curried Salmon Bowl for your Family
Eating together is beneficial for families of all ages and stages, for a multitude of reasons; nutritional, behavioural, psychological and for healthy family functioning. This section will show you how to tweak this Curried Salmon Bowls recipe for sharing with a weaning baby, toddler or a fussy eater, which will help make it easier to eat together as a family.
Keeping Young Children & Fussy Eaters Happy
If you have a picky eater or just a younger child who's diet may not be that adventurous, don't worry, you can adapt these Curried Salmon Bowls especially for them. For the mango salsa, separate some mango for them, which you can keep simple by just tossing the mango with a little lime juice and leaving it at that. Taste as you go so you can make sure it isn't too tart, especially depending on how ripe your mango is.
For the cucumber salad, fussy eaters may prefer plain cucumber slices so they still have something crunchy and refreshing on their plate without any strong flavours. Younger children may be fine with the subtle dressing but not want to eat the onion. You can simply serve them sliced cucumber on its own and leave out the onion completely if they don't like it.
Making these Curried Salmon Bowls Suitable for Baby & Toddler
This recipe as is, is suitable from 12 months + because store-bought curry paste will contain salt. If you want to serve it to babies from around 6 months, you can easily adapt it. Simply serve their salmon lightly brushed with a little unsalted butter instead of curry paste so there's no added salt.
How to Serve to Babies & Toddlers
The mango can be cut into soft finger-sized strips for younger babies, and cucumber can also be served in finger-sized sticks, served plain without dressing.
For toddlers over 12 months, you can serve the mango diced for the salsa as long as the mango pieces are small enough to avoid any choking risk. The cucumber can be served to them as you are already slicing them, very thinly. Otherwise you can serve theirs as sticks.
For spoon-fed babies, you could blend or use food chopper to finely chop (depending on their ages & stage) their serving.
I've also added these notes to the bottom of the recipe so you have them to hand when you come to cook.
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Curried Salmon Bowls
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets
- 40 g korma or tandoori curry paste
FOR THE MANGO SALSA
- 1 large or giant ripe mango, diced small
- ½ - 1 teaspoon lime juice, depending how sweet the mango is
- ¼ - ½ onion, finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon fresh coriander / cilantro, chopped, optional
- Dried chilli flakes / red pepper flakes to taste, optional
FOR THE CUCUMBER SALAD
- ½ large whole cucumber
- ¼ onion, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon white sugar, ideally caster
- 1 tablespoon white wine or rice wine vinegar
- Pinch of salt
SERVE WITH
- White basmati rice or
- Naan bread
Instructions
- Put the salmon fillets into a baking tray foil and using a silicone brush, cover fillets with the korma or mild curry paste. Leave to briefly marinate while you prep the rest of the elements.
- Start cooking your rice as you usually would (and the quantity you would usually make).
- Make your cucumber salad. Slice the cucumber and onion as finely as possible, I like to use the thinest blade on my mandolin, but you can cut by hand. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and toss well.
- Then compile your mango salsa in a bowl, tossing the lime juice through everything well. if needed, separate out some mango and toss in just a little lime juice for younger kids or fussy eaters.
To Grill / Broil
- Preheat the grill/broiler to medium. Lay the salmon fillets on a foil-lined baking tray and put under the grill/broiler, about 10cm away (usually as high as the shelf can go), for around 9 minutes, or until cooked through but being careful not to overcook.
To Air Fry
- Remove the crisper plates (the skin will stick otherwise) and air fry skin down 200 for 10-12 mins or till cooked through.
Notes
Baby & Toddler
FUSSY EATERS
STORAGE
Nutrition - per serving
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