This is a healthy meal that comes together quickly but the real star is the miso-ginger mayo. Whether you make it spicy or not, it packs a flavor punch.

A short video of this recipe is available on my Instagram page.

This salmon bowl recipe has been parked in my drafts folder for some time. It seemed too simple–and far from unique–to be worth sharing but I’ve had a change of heart. We can never have too many easy, uncomplicated recipes in the cooking arsenal.

This Salmon Bowl with Spicy Miso-Ginger Mayo was wholly inspired by a menu item I order regularly at a local restaurant. The popular eatery serves a salmon filet on a bed of sushi rice with a cabbage slaw, pickled cucumber and miso mayo. I’ll be honest: the salmon, rice and slaw are perfectly good but it’s the miso mayo that has made it a repeat order for me. Creamy, umami-packed, salty-sweet, it’s the condiment that makes the dish sing. For additional kick I ask for chili sauce with my order and when I decided to recreate this dish, I knew a spicy element would have to be a part of my recipe.

To prepare the salmon bowl itself, there are really no rules. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and bake, broil, pan-fry or grill it. Cut the fish in chunks or serve as a filet. As for the greens, feel free to use what you have or like. Here I have used blanched snow peas, pickled cucumbers and sliced avocado with furikake, a Japanese seasoning made with dried seaweed and sesame seeds. The way I’ve served it here, my salmon bowl reminds me of a deconstructed California roll.

As for the miso mayo, I’ve added a bit more punch in my version. With the miso paste, which adds the salty umami, I like to add a little ginger and sambal for kick. Of course, you can opt out of the spicy and leave out the sambal but I highly recommend it. For balance, lime juice lends acidity to tame the saltiness of the miso paste which becomes more forward as it sits. This dish is virtually impossible to get wrong–make it your own–and let me know what fun additions you come up with.