Am I too late to the salmon rice bowl trend? I can’t keep up! I oftentimes wonder if it’s worth sharing bowl recipes. They’re usually so straightforward and adaptable. They’re essentially about adding whatever you feel like adding, but this one has a special little sauce I’ve drizzling over every time I make a salmon bowl. Well, let me walk you through it.
Healthy bowls are great because they’re so easy to put together. Most of the time you can prep the ingredients ahead of time, keep them in the fridge and just assemble the bowls once ready to serve. Great meal prepping. When creating my own bowls, I follow the same formula: carbs + protein + veggies + a fun dressing to tie it all together. Simple, but satisfying. That’s my personal rule.
I’m always looking for ways to add more protein and healthy fats to my diet, and this bowl has everything I need: salmon is a great source of protein and healthy fat – just make sure to get wild caught salmon, avocado is full of healthy fats, and edamame is low in calories and provides a lot of protein. But like I said, the beauty of building your own bowl is that you get to make your own rules and adapt the recipe. If you don’t have cauliflower, you can sub for broccoli. I like adding cucumber slices, radish or shredded cabbage. Anything goes.
The same goes for the rice. I like using basmati, but jasmine or any short-grain rice will work just fine. Getting a good sear on the salmon is what probably makes or breaks this recipe, but it’s pretty easy to get it right. Everything else is adaptable.
Perfectly Seared Salmon
You want your salmon to be golden and crisp on top and just barely cooked at the center. Begin by generously seasoning the salmon with salt and pepper. Then heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. These two elements are very important: a nonstick skillet + hot and shimmering = perfect sear. Add the salmon fillet and allow it to cook until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Allowing the fish to sear untouched in hot oil creates that lovely, flavorful golden crust. Then carefully flip the fillet and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until done to your liking, about 4 to 5 minutes.
The Dressing
I’ve obviously tried Emily Mariko’s salmon bowl and I love the simplicity of the soy sauce, kewpie mayo, and sriracha. That’s truly all you need to get a lot of flavors. This one is just as simple, but instead of soy sauce, there’s miso paste. A little bit of honey and rice wine vinegar give it a nice sweet and salty balance. It’s so good, and a great addition to any bowl. It truly ties the whole dish together. So flavorful and delicious.
Salmon Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice, cooked (1 cup uncooked rice yields about 3 cups)
- 1 salmon fillet (6 oz)
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 cup cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/2 cup shelled edamame
- olive oil
- 1/4 cup kewpie mayo
- 1 tbsp miso paste
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- sesame seeds, for garnish
- parsley, for garnish
- salt and black pepper
For the Creamy Miso Dressing:
Directions
- Make the rice: For 1 cup rice, add 1 1/2 cups water. Place 1 cup rice in a saucepan with 1 1/2 water and bring it to a boil (I like to add a little bit of salt). Once boiling turn the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and simmer for 13 to 15 minutes, until the water is completely absorbed and rice is cooked. Remove from the heat. Cover and rest for 10 minutes (this allows the rice to steam and firm up in texture).
- Make the roasted cauliflower florets: Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut cauliflower head into florets.
- On a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle the cauliflower florets with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender and golden brown. Transfer to a separate plate and set aside.
- Cook the edamame: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the edamame and cook, uncovered, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a plate.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, miso paste, honey, and vinegar. Whisk until combined.
- Make the salmon: Season the salmon with salt pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Add the salmon and cook, without moving, skin side up(if using skin-on salmon), until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the fillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until done to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to bowl.
- Assemble the bowl: Place rice in the bowl and top with salmon vegetables. Drizzle with the sauce and top with sesame seeds and chopped parsley. Serve.
Tips & Tricks: This recipe is great for meal prepping, so it’s easier to make 1 cup of rice and 1 cauliflower head instead of doing enough for 1 bowl. Keep leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
If you make this Salmon Rice Bowl please be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you and I love responding to every comment. And don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see your photos!
