Teriyaki Salmon Bowl (Printable version)

Flaky salmon with sweet-savory glaze over rice with colorful vegetables

# What You Need:

→ Salmon

01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 5.3 oz each), skinless or skin-on
02 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Teriyaki Sauce

03 - 1/4 cup soy sauce
04 - 1/4 cup mirin
05 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
06 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
07 - 2 teaspoons sesame oil
08 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water

→ Vegetables

11 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
12 - 1 carrot, julienned
13 - 1 cup broccoli florets
14 - 1 cup sugar snap peas
15 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Rice

16 - 1.5 cups jasmine or sushi rice
17 - 1.75 cups water

→ Garnishes

18 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
19 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.
02 - In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook 1-2 minutes until thickened. Set aside.
03 - Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add a splash of oil and sear salmon skin-side down for 3-4 minutes if using skin-on. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until just cooked through.
04 - Brush salmon generously with teriyaki sauce. Cook for 1 minute more, then remove from heat.
05 - In a wok or large skillet, heat vegetable oil over high heat. Stir-fry bell pepper, carrot, broccoli, and sugar snap peas for 3-4 minutes until just tender but still crisp.
06 - Divide cooked rice between bowls. Top with stir-fried vegetables and teriyaki-glazed salmon. Drizzle extra sauce over the top and garnish with sesame seeds and spring onions if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The teriyaki glaze comes together in minutes but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • Salmon cooks so quickly that you'll have dinner on the table before you can second-guess yourself.
  • It's the kind of bowl that works for meal prep, date night, or feeding a crowd without extra fuss.
  • Fresh vegetables stay crisp and snappy instead of turning into mushy disappointment.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice or you'll end up with a starchy, gluey mess instead of fluffy grains that actually taste like something.
  • If your cornstarch slurry isn't fully smooth before adding it to the sauce, you'll get lumps that won't dissolve and will ruin the silky texture you're going for.
  • Overcooked salmon becomes dry and mealy, so watch for that moment when the thickest part just stops being translucent and pull it off heat immediately.
  • The high heat for stir-frying matters more than you'd think, because without enough heat the vegetables steam instead of fry and lose their snap.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for thirty seconds before sprinkling them on top, which brings out their nutty flavor and makes them taste intentional rather than like an afterthought.
  • If you notice your glaze is too thin even after the cornstarch cooks, simmer it for another minute or make a fresh slurry and stir it in, because the difference between a glaze and a sauce completely changes how the bowl feels.
  • Salmon cooks faster than most people expect, so set a timer and check it at the minimum time rather than assuming it needs longer, because carryover cooking will finish it perfectly while it rests.
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