Why this fits a family on a budget
Salmon fillets on sale and a simple panko crust made from pantry staples keep this under $12 for four people at roughly $3 per serving. The air fryer delivers a restaurant-quality crispy crust in under 12 minutes with zero complicated technique.
1. Start the rice first: combine 1.5 cups white rice and 3 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce to low, and cook for 15 minutes until all water is absorbed. Keep covered and off heat until serving.
2. While rice cooks, make the cucumber sunomono: thinly slice the cucumber into rounds (about 1/8-inch thick). In a bowl, stir together rice vinegar, sugar, and 0.25 teaspoon salt until sugar dissolves. Toss cucumber slices in the dressing and set aside — they will lightly pickle as they sit.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
4. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Brush the top of each fillet generously with Dijon mustard.
5. In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with garlic powder, 0.5 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Stir until crumbs are evenly coated and slightly damp.
6. Press the panko mixture firmly onto the mustard-coated top of each salmon fillet so it sticks in an even layer.
7. Place salmon fillets panko-side up in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry at 400°F for 9–11 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and crunchy, and the salmon flakes easily when pressed gently with a fork.
8. While salmon cooks, slice the green onions thinly. Drain any excess liquid from the cucumber sunomono and sprinkle sesame seeds over it.
9. Divide rice among 4 plates. Place one panko-crusted salmon fillet alongside each portion of rice, and serve the cucumber sunomono on the side.
10. Garnish everything with sliced green onions and serve immediately while the crust is still crispy.
Contains: fish, sesame, wheat. Always double-check labels for your household's allergies.
Cost is a national-average estimate and varies by store and region.
This recipe was generated by Plento Pasto's AI from a library of family-friendly dishes and reviewed for a real photo before publishing. Cooking times, costs, and nutrition are estimates — use your judgment in the kitchen.