Crispy Rice Salmon Bowl (Printable)

Pan-seared salmon over golden crispy rice with fresh Mediterranean vegetables and tangy lemon-yogurt sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 5.3 oz each), skin removed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Rice

05 - 2 cups cooked jasmine or basmati rice, preferably cold or leftover
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Mediterranean Vegetables

08 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
09 - 1 small zucchini, diced
10 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
11 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
13 - 2 tablespoons capers, optional
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Lemon-Yogurt Drizzle

18 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
20 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
21 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill or parsley, chopped
22 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

23 - Fresh dill or parsley, chopped
24 - Lemon wedges

# Step-by-Step:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, dill or parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, zucchini, and red onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add cherry tomatoes, olives, capers if using, oregano, salt, and pepper. Sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
03 - In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add cooked rice, pressing it down into an even layer. Cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes until the bottom turns golden and crispy. Season with salt. Flip or stir to crisp additional sides if desired. Divide among serving bowls.
04 - Pat salmon fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. In a separate nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add salmon fillets and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through.
05 - Top crispy rice with sautéed vegetables. Place one salmon fillet on each bowl. Drizzle with lemon-yogurt sauce, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crispy rice layer is genuinely addictive, like the best textural contrast happened by accident.
  • Everything comes together in under 45 minutes without any complicated timing choreography.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and impressive enough that nobody notices they're eating something that's also good for them.
02 -
  • Cold leftover rice crisps infinitely better than fresh rice, so this is one of those rare dishes where leftovers are actually an advantage.
  • Salmon overcooks in seconds once it's done, so pull it off heat when it still looks slightly translucent in the very center because carryover cooking finishes it perfectly.
  • Press the rice layer down and let it alone instead of stirring, which is how it develops that crispy bottom layer that makes the whole bowl worth making.
03 -
  • A 30-minute marinade of olive oil, lemon, and smashed garlic on the salmon before cooking adds so much subtle depth that people always ask what you did differently.
  • The vegetables can be prepped the morning of and stored in containers, which makes this dish actually feasible on a busy weeknight.
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