Chili Crisp Salmon with Avocado and Cucumber Salad

Whatever you’re currently planning for your lunch or light dinner, ditch it and make this chili crisp salmon with avocado and cucumber salad instead. It makes four flavor-packed servings, yet it’s straightforward to prepare and comes together quickly.

Inspired by the beloved California roll, this salmon recipe has been given a few updates. Air-fried salmon fillets replace imitation crab meat, and there’s no rice, which makes for a lighter overall meal. Crisp cucumber is paired with creamy cubes of avocado in a fresh salad served on the side, and the whole dish gets a little heat from spicy chili crisp oil.

Ingredients for Chili Crisp Salmon with Avocado and Cucumber Salad

• Salmon fillets: Check the fish counter at your store or the local fish market for different types of salmon, such as wild Atlantic salmon or the stronger-flavored sockeye salmon.
• Cucumber: We sprinkle salt over the cubed cucumber and blot it with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. That way, the salad stays crisp.
• Avocados: If your avocados are a little underripe, you can ripen them quickly by tossing them into a paper bag with a banana, and folding over the top of the bag.
• Chili crisp with oil: This popular ingredient adds a spicy kick to the salad. There are lots of chili crisp brands to choose from, and any of them will work for this recipe.
• Honey: Use your favorite type of honey to lightly sweeten the vinaigrette and the cucumber salad itself.
• Green onions: Chopped green onion gives the salad a savory flavor without overwhelming other ingredients like other types of onions would.
• Roasted seaweed sheets: This salad gets some of its crunch from crispy roasted seaweed sheets, echoing a classic ingredient in California rolls.
• Sesame seeds: Use a tablespoon of sesame seeds in the salad and use the rest in these other creative sesame recipes.
• Lemon juice: Freshly-squeezed juice will give your salad the best flavor. If you don’t want to make a mess, you can juice a lemon by poking a wooden skewer into the fruit and squeezing a clean line of juice.
• Pickled ginger slices: Pickled ginger slices are a type of tsukemono (Japanese pickles) that are delicious with sushi (and this salad). It’s easy to make tsukemono at home.
• Mayonnaise: Our recipe calls for a fat-free mayonnaise, but you can use any type or brand of mayonnaise you wish.
• Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is an essential Japanese ingredient for the kitchen. In this recipe, it gives the salad light sweetness and tang.
• Salt: Salt draws the moisture out of the cut cucumbers, leaving them extra crunchy.

Directions

Step 1: Make the vinaigrette

Whisk together the rice vinegar, fat-free mayonnaise, pickled ginger slices, honey and chili crisp with oil until they’re well blended. Set the dressing aside.

Step 2: Drain the cucumbers

Toss the peeled and cubed cucumber with salt in a colander set over a plate. Let the cucumbers stand for 20 minutes. Rinse them under cold water and blot them dry with paper towels. Put the cucumbers into a large bowl.

Step 3: Cook the salmon

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the honey and chili crisp. Spoon them over the salmon. Preheat your air fryer to 360°F. In batches, arrange the salmon in a single layer in the greased air fryer. Cook the salmon until a thermometer inserted into the fillets reads 145°, about 15 to 17 minutes.

Step 4: Finish the salad and serve

Add the cubed avocado, lemon juice, chopped green onions and sesame seeds to the bowl with the cucumber, and toss to coat everything evenly. Divide the salad between four plates along with the cooked salmon. Serve them with the vinaigrette and roasted seaweed sheets, if desired.

Editor’s Tip: You can scoop up the salad with the roasted seaweed sheets or grate the seaweed over the salads as a garnish.

Recipe Variations

• Turn it into a wrap: Flake the cooked salmon and fill tortilla wraps with the fish and avocado-cucumber salad. Drizzle vinaigrette over the filling before wrapping it up, and serve some on the side for dipping.
• Omit the chili crisp: Try this salad with other Asian sauces such as dark, sticky hoisin sauce or gochujang, which is available in sweet, smoky or spicy varieties.

How to Store Chili Crisp Salmon with Avocado and Cucumber Salad

If you have leftovers or extra portions of the salmon and salad, you can store them in the refrigerator. Transfer the salmon, salad and vinaigrette to separate airtight containers to protect the quality and texture of the components. Toss a little extra lemon juice into the cucumber salad to keep the avocado from turning brown.

How long does the salmon and salad last?

Plan to enjoy your chili crisp salmon with avocado and cucumber salad within two days of preparing it—though it will be safe to eat for up to four days. Make sure the ingredients are kept tightly sealed and chilled.

How do you reheat salmon?

You can reheat cooked salmon, but it’s important to do so very gently; otherwise, the fish will quickly dry out. One option is to reheat salmon, wrapped in foil, in a 275-degree oven just until it’s warmed through. You can also warm the fish with a little oil in a covered nonstick skillet set over low heat. Air fryers and microwaves are less ideal because the heat is higher and more likely to dry out the salmon. (Plus, if you microwave salmon at work, your coworkers may never forgive you!)

Chili Crisp Salmon with Avocado and Cucumber Salad Tips

Can you make the salmon another way?

While the air fryer is a convenient way to cook the salmon for this avocado and cucumber salad, you have other options. Try cooking salmon in a skillet with a little butter over medium heat. Cook the fillets for about five minutes per side until they’re easy to flake.

You can alternatively grill salmon using a gas or charcoal grill. Oil the grates first so that the fish releases easily once its cooked. A gentler option is to poach the salmon in a skillet on the stovetop. Simply add water to the pan, allowing the fish to cook in a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes. The benefit of this method is that the salmon stays extra moist.

What else can you serve with chili crisp salmon?

Although California rolls are made with rice, this chili crisp salmon salad is made without any to keep it light. That being said, you can absolutely opt to serve the salads with a side of cooked white rice or even onigiri rice balls. Quick-cooking miso soup and spicy edamame pods are also nice, light sides for the salmon and avocado dish.