Salmon and Rice
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You're going to feel really good about eating this delicious salmon and rice! Salmon is coated in spices and cooked to perfection with a honey-soy mixture. Top it on a bed of steaming rice and add your favorite toppings for an easy, nourishing, and flavor-packed dish that takes just 20 minutes to throw together!
For another healthy salmon recipe, make honey teriyaki salmon next.
This salmon and rice dish ticks all the boxes: It's easy to make, uses a bunch of simple ingredients, is healthy for you, and tastes absolutely amazing! This Asian-inspired recipe melds together honey-soy salmon bites, steaming rice, crisp, umami seaweed, nutty sesame seeds, and a few veggies like avocado, cucumber, and radishes. Salmon and rice works as a nourishing lunch, for dinner, or as a healthy meal prep dish.
Ingredients notes
Once you've got your piece of salmon, you'll just need some spice-rack and pantry staples, and any toppings you'd like. Gather these items:
- The salmon: Salmon, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, honey, and soy sauce.
- To serve: short-grain rice, cucumber, radishes, avocado, sesame seeds, and sriracha mayo or wasabi mayo.
- Furikake or seaweed snacks: We love topping our bowls with seaweed ā you can find it in many supermarkets in the Asian foods section, in Japanese specialty stores, Asian grocers, or online.
How to make salmon and rice
This salmon and rice recipe comes together easily. Cut up your salmon and toss it in spices, cook it with soy sauce and honey, then serve it over rice with your toppings! This is how it's done:
- Prepare salmon: Remove the skin then cut up your salmon into bite-sized cubes. Place it in a large bowl and toss with all the spices.
- Cook salmon: Heat up oil in a pan, then add the salmon until it's seared and cooked through. Drizzle honey and soy sauce to make a delicious, teriyaki-like glaze.
- Assemble bowls: Divide your rice between four bowls and top it off with the salmon, adding any garnishes like cucumber and radish, seaweed, avocado, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and your sauce of choice. We like wasabi mayo or sriracha mayo.
How to skin your salmon
This recipe works best with the skin removed. If you've never taken off salmon skin before, note that it's best done with a sharp knife rather than by peeling it off with your hands. To do this, start by laying your salmon down on a cutting board with the tail side facing you. Grab a sharp knife, and make a cut at the tail end, straight down until you reach the skin. Grip the edge of the skin from the cut part and angle your knife so the shard edge is facing the rest of the salmon. Pull the skin towards you, gently rocking it back and forth, keeping the skin tight. Keep going until you have a beautiful, skinned salmon!
Which salmon to buy
This recipe will work with any salmon fillets, so you can get whatever available salmon in your area is freshest! The quality of the salmon will affect the final result, so here are some of our top tips for selecting salmon:
- Keep if fresh:Ā While fresh is best, if you live in an area where salmon is scarce, frozen salmon may be your saviour. Check your local seafood counter and ask what's fresh.
- Wild caught: The flavor of wild-caught salmon is often tastier than that of farmed salmon. If your best option is a farmed salmon, look for some that has been sustainably sourced.
- Thickness: You'll use your salmon to make bite-sized cubes, so look for salmon filets that are around an inch thick. Selecting a filet that is evenly thick also aids with even cooking.
- Steelhead: Steelhead salmon is a type of ocean-going trout that looks and tastes a lot like salmon, but it is fattier so it doesn't become dry if it's overcooked. It's our fav!
- Always ask: If you have any questions, your fishmonger is a great person to chat to. They'll be able to give you insights.
Which rice to use
When it comes to rice, there are endless options! Selecting the right rice will make a big difference in your sushi and rice recipes. Here are some options to think about:
- Sushi rice: This short-grain rice has a higher starch content which makes it deliciously sticky when cooked!
- Jasmine rice: This sticky, short-grain white rice is slightly sweet and delicious.
- Lower carb: For a carb-free option, serve your salmon bites next to cauliflower rice.
- Brown rice: While it takes longer to cook than white rice, brown rice contains more fiber. You can find instant brown rice which takes around 5-10 minutes to cook.
- Flavored rice: Coconut rice adds a creamy lusciousness to the rice, but ginger rice or turmeric rice work great, too!
- Fried rice: You can also serve your salmon bites over fried rice, like this pineapple fried rice.
- Basmati rice: If you've got good old basmati rice in your cupboard, it'll work just great!
Variations to try
Salmon and rice is very versatile, so it's easy to make delicious variations! Whether you swap out some toppings, use a different rice, or dazzle it up with a sauce, there are lots of easy variations you can make. Here are some of our top picks:
- Toppings: Mix up the toppings! Staying within the theme of Asian cooking will mean your flavors are cohesive, so consider ingredients like edamame, roasted sweet potato, avocado cubes, sliced cabbage, bok choy, snap peas, shiitake mushrooms, or miso mushrooms.
- Garnish: A garnish of chopped chives or green onions adds a little freshness.
- Fruit: If you're craving a tropical addition to your salmon and rice, add some pineapple salsa for a sweet flavor contrast.
- Fish: We love the flavors and cooking method in this recipe with salmon, but you could also make it with tuna steaks, cod or halibut. Cooking times may vary. You can swap it out for salt and pepper fish, bang bang shrimp, or salmon cakes, too.
- Mayo: We enjoy salmon and rice with wasabi mayo or sriracha mayo, but you could use kimchi mayo or another dressing of your choice.
What goes with salmon and rice
This salmon with rice recipe is perfect as a flavor packed standalone meal, but you play with the toppings or enjoy it with appetizers, sides, or desserts! Start off your meal right, with some delicious edamame hummus. Enjoy your salmon and rice bowl with a side of long beans, Asian slaw, or Asian eggplant, then finish with some matcha ice cream.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use frozen salmon?
You can use frozen salmon, just ensure it has completely thawed before starting this recipe.
Can I make this recipe dairy-free or gluten-free?
To make it gluten-free, double-check that all ingredients are gluten-free ā especially the soy sauce, as some brands do contain gluten. Mayonnaise is traditionally dairy-free, but again, it's always best to check the label of the particular brand you buy!
How do I store leftovers?
Once your salmon and rice has cooled to room temperature, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You may wish to store some toppings separately, so you can reheat the salmon and rice and leave the toppings uncooked.
Is salmon and rice healthy?
Salmon and rice is healthy: salmon is rich in omega-3s and is a great source of healthy fats while being high in protein. It contains a bunch of nutrients, like vitamin D, B12, and potassium. Rice is a good source of carbohydrates, and low in fat and cholesterol. Add some veggies and healthy toppings, and you've got a recipe that's great for healthy eating or healthy meal prep.
How do I know when the salmon is cooked through?
Salmon is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, and you can use an instant read meat thermometer to check.
Salmon and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
The Salmon
- 1 lb salmon (skin removed and cut into cubes)
- Ā½ teaspoon EACH: paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons EACH: honey and soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
For Serving
- 3 cups cooked short-grain rice
- Thinly sliced cucumber and radishes
- Diced avocado
- Furikake or seaweed snacks
- Sesame seeds
- Sriracha mayo or wasabi mayo
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to remove the salmon skin and then cut it into bite-sized cubes.1 lb salmon
- Place the salmon in a large bowl and toss with the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.Ā½ teaspoon EACH: paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and then add the salmon. Cook until it is seared and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Drizzle the honey and soy sauce over the salmon, toss gently to coat, and then remove the pan from the heat.1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 tablespoons EACH: honey and soy sauce
- Divide the rice and salmon between 4 bowls. Top with slices of cucumber and radish, some furikake or seaweed snacks, sesame seeds, and some sriracha or wasabi mayo.3 cups cooked short-grain rice, Thinly sliced cucumber and radishes, Furikake or seaweed snacks, Sriracha mayo or wasabi mayo, Sesame seeds
Notes
Make this recipe for a chance to win $150!
This salmon and rice recipe is April's Cooking Club Challenge recipe! Make it, take a picture with your phone, and share the picture in the comments below for a chance to win a $150 Amazon gift card! It's as easy as that, but you can see all the details here if you'd like.ĀNutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
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Super delicious and very easy. Will definitely make again. A great comfort dish!
This salmon rice bowl was delicious! My sriracha mayo ended up like a blob on top, but it still tasted great!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! It looks delicious!
We just moved and have not been eating great at all. This is the first meal I made in our new house, and I appreciate that it is both healthy and delicious! Love the seasoning and sauce for the salmon! I made my own wasabi mayo, and it brought everything together! So dang good!
Loved this Salmon and Rice Bowl. I chose to cook my salmon as a fillet instead of cubing it and it worked out great. The sauce on the salmon is a must!
Turned out great! Will definitely make again.
Delicious! My husband said it is his favorite way to have salmon now! Only edit was the addition of some shredded carrots and cilantro. I couldnāt find wasabi or sriracha mayo, so used wasabi ranch dressing. Truly yummy! Thank you!