Easy Teriyaki-Glazed Salmon, Cucumber, and Avocado Rice Bowls Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated Apr. 06, 2021
20160702-salmon-rice-bowl3.jpg
A sweet and savory teriyaki glaze is a perfect companion for seared salmon in this easy and healthy meal. Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt

Why It Works

  • Starting the salmon over high heat, then reducing the heat, allows you to achieve crispy skin while maintaining a moist, medium-rare center.
  • Crunchy diced fresh vegetables provide texture and flavor contrasts to the sweet and savory glaze on the salmon.

Having a batch of teriyaki sauce in your fridge at all times (it lasts forever) allows you to pull together a dinner like this rice bowl with teriyaki-glazed salmon and avocado in the amount of time it takes to steam a pot of rice. Once you have the rice on, all you've got to do is sear the salmon, dice up some avocado and cucumber, slice a couple of scallions, and pull that leftover teriyaki sauce out of the fridge.

Recipe Facts

5

(5)

Active: 15 mins
Total: 15 mins
Serves: 4 servings

Rate & Comment

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets, about 5 ounces (140g) each

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable or canola oil

  • 4 cups cooked white or brown rice (about 680g cooked rice)

  • 1 avocado, diced

  • 1 Persian or Japanese cucumber, diced

  • 6 to 8 scallions, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) homemade or store-bought teriyaki sauce

  • Furikake and/or toasted sesame seeds, for serving (see notes)

Directions

  1. Press salmon fillets between paper towels to dry surfaces thoroughly. Season on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add salmon fillets, skin side down. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, pressing gently on back of fillets to ensure good contact between the skin and the pan, until skin is rendered and crisp, about 6 minutes. If skin shows resistance when you attempt to lift with a spatula, allow it to continue to cook until it lifts easily.

  2. Flip salmon and cook on second side until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 120°F for medium-rare or 130°F for medium, about 1 minute longer. Transfer salmon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.

  3. Divide rice evenly between 4 serving bowls. Top with diced avocado, cucumber, and scallions. Top each with a salmon fillet and spoon sauce on top, using the back of a spoon to evenly glaze each fillet. Sprinkle with furikake and/or sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Special Equipment

Instant-read thermometer

Notes

Furikake is a blend of seasonings typically used to flavor rice. It is available in multiple flavors at Japanese groceries or online.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
758 Calories
37g Fat
66g Carbs
41g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 758
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g 48%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 88mg 29%
Sodium 1813mg 79%
Total Carbohydrate 66g 24%
Dietary Fiber 9g 30%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 21mg 103%
Calcium 101mg 8%
Iron 4mg 25%
Potassium 1293mg 28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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