Crispy Rice Salmon Bowl (Printer View)

Pan-seared salmon over crispy rice with Mediterranean vegetables and 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 chopped fresh dill or parsley
22 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

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

# Method Steps:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, 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 another 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 a 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 adds an unexpected crunch that turns plain leftovers into something restaurant-worthy.
  • Everything cooks in under 30 minutes once your rice is ready, making it perfect for weeknights when youre too hungry to wait.
  • The lemon-yogurt drizzle is bright and tangy enough to balance the richness of the salmon without feeling heavy.
  • You can swap the salmon for chicken, tofu, or even chickpeas and the bowl still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Pressing the rice into the pan and leaving it alone is the hardest part, if you stir it too early, it wont crisp, so resist the urge for at least 6 minutes.
  • Overcooked salmon turns dry and chalky, so pull it off the heat when the center is still a little translucent, it will finish cooking from residual heat.
  • If your yogurt drizzle tastes flat, add more lemon juice or a tiny pinch of salt, acidity and seasoning make all the difference.
03 -
  • Use a nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet for the rice, it makes flipping and scraping so much easier.
  • If your salmon has skin, leave it on and cook it skin-side down first, it crisps up beautifully and protects the flesh from overcooking.
  • Taste the yogurt drizzle before serving, it should be bright and tangy, if its not, add more lemon juice or a pinch of salt.
  • Let the salmon rest for a minute after cooking so the juices redistribute and it stays moist when you cut into it.
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