Easy Salmon Fried Rice
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 2-3
I bought quite a lot of salmon over the weekend and had some leftover rice, so I made this simple salmon fried rice. You only need a few ingredients: salmon, rice, eggs, garlic, ginger and spring onions. The fried rice is savoury and fragrant, with bits of salmon in every bite.
What Is Salmon Fried Rice?
Salmon fried rice isn’t a traditional Chinese dish. It’s a new, creative way to cook salmon with fried rice, and this recipe was inspired by a post from @happybaes on Instagram. I cooked it Chinese style, the way I make fried rice at home: salmon cubes browned with garlic and ginger, eggs and cooled jasmine rice, seasoned with light soy sauce, black pepper and salt. It’s also a great way to use up leftover rice. If you’d like a version without fish, try my Homestyle Chinese Egg Fried Rice with Dried Shrimp.
Ingredients for Salmon Fried Rice
Serves 2-3
Ingredients (材料):
- 350-400 grams salmon, skinless (350-400克三文鱼，去皮)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, to season the salmon (1/4茶匙盐，用来腌三文鱼)
- A pinch of black pepper, to season the salmon (少许黑胡椒粉，用来腌三文鱼)
- 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice, about 4 bowls cooked rice, cooled or overnight (2杯生茉莉香米，约4碗熟饭，放凉的饭或隔夜饭)
- 4 eggs (4颗鸡蛋)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (6瓣蒜，切碎)
- 10 grams ginger, minced (10克姜，切碎)
- 1 bunch spring onions, diced (1把葱，切小粒)
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil, 3 tablespoons for frying and 1 tablespoon for the eggs (4汤匙食用油，3汤匙用于炒饭，1汤匙用于炒蛋)
Seasoning (调味):
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (2汤匙生抽)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (1/4茶匙黑胡椒粉)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (1/4茶匙盐)
How to Make Salmon Fried Rice
1. Prep the Salmon
- First, rinse the salmon and pat it dry with a paper towel, so the oil doesn’t splatter when it goes into the wok.
- Lift one corner of the skin, then hold the meat down with one hand and gently pull the skin away.
- Cut the salmon into thin slices, then into strips, and then into small cubes.
- Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper, and give it a good mix.
2. Prep the Aromatics and Eggs
- Mince the garlic and ginger.
- Wash the spring onions, remove the roots and cut them into small pieces.
- Next, crack the eggs into a bowl and gently break them up with a fork.
3. Sauté the Garlic and Ginger
- Heat the wok. Once it’s hot, add 3 tablespoons of oil, then the garlic and ginger.
- Sauté until fragrant. Don’t wait for the garlic to turn golden brown, because the garlic and ginger will continue to cook with the salmon and might burn.
4. Sear the Salmon
- Add the salmon and mix it with the garlic and ginger, then let it sear on one side.
- Once the base turns golden brown, toss the salmon and let the edges brown a bit more.
5. Add the Rice
- Then add the rice and mix it with the salmon. If you see big clumps, tap them gently with the spatula instead of cutting into them, so the grains don’t break.
- Toss until well combined.
6. Cook the Eggs
- Push the rice to one side and add 1 tablespoon of oil, then gently pour in the eggs and scramble them slightly.
- Once the eggs are about 70% cooked, fold the rice over the eggs and mix them together. Continue to toss on high heat until the eggs are fully cooked.
7. Season the Fried Rice
- Season with the salt, light soy sauce and black pepper, then toss on high heat until fragrant.
8. Add the Spring Onions and Serve
- Finally, add the spring onions, toss a few times and serve.
Easy Salmon Fried Rice
Ingredients
Ingredients (材料)
- 350-400 grams salmon, skinless (350-400克三文鱼，去皮)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, to season the salmon (1/4茶匙盐，用来腌三文鱼)
- 1 pinch black pepper, to season the salmon (少许黑胡椒粉，用来腌三文鱼)
- 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice, about 4 bowls cooked rice, cooled or overnight (2杯生茉莉香米，约4碗熟饭，放凉的饭或隔夜饭)
- 4 eggs (4颗鸡蛋)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (6瓣蒜，切碎)
- 10 grams ginger, minced (10克姜，切碎)
- 1 bunch spring onions, diced (1把葱，切小粒)
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil, 3 tablespoons for frying and 1 tablespoon for the eggs (4汤匙食用油，3汤匙用于炒饭，1汤匙用于炒蛋)
Seasoning (调味)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (2汤匙生抽)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (1/4茶匙黑胡椒粉)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (1/4茶匙盐)
Instructions
1. Prep the Salmon
- First, rinse the salmon and pat it dry with a paper towel, so the oil doesn’t splatter when it goes into the wok.
- Lift one corner of the skin, then hold the meat down with one hand and gently pull the skin away.
- Cut the salmon into thin slices, then into strips, and then into small cubes.
- Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper, and give it a good mix.
2. Prep the Aromatics and Eggs
- Mince the garlic and ginger.
- Wash the spring onions, remove the roots and cut them into small pieces.
- Next, crack the eggs into a bowl and gently break them up with a fork.
3. Sauté the Garlic and Ginger
- Heat the wok. Once it’s hot, add 3 tablespoons of oil, then the garlic and ginger.
- Sauté until fragrant. Don’t wait for the garlic to turn golden brown, because the garlic and ginger will continue to cook with the salmon and might burn.
4. Sear the Salmon
- Add the salmon and mix it with the garlic and ginger, then let it sear on one side.
- Once the base turns golden brown, toss the salmon and let the edges brown a bit more.
5. Add the Rice
- Then add the rice and mix it with the salmon. If you see big clumps, tap them gently with the spatula instead of cutting into them, so the grains don’t break.
- Toss until well combined.
6. Cook the Eggs
- Push the rice to one side and add 1 tablespoon of oil, then gently pour in the eggs and scramble them slightly.
- Once the eggs are about 70% cooked, fold the rice over the eggs and mix them together. Continue to toss on high heat until the eggs are fully cooked.
7. Season the Fried Rice
- Season with the salt, light soy sauce and black pepper, then toss on high heat until fragrant.
8. Add the Spring Onions and Serve
- Finally, add the spring onions, toss a few times and serve.
Video
Notes
- Use cooled rice. I use jasmine rice, and basmati rice works too. Use overnight rice, or let the rice cool down to room temperature, so your fried rice won’t turn out mushy.
- Pat the salmon dry. Water on the salmon makes the hot oil splatter, so dry it well with a paper towel before cooking.
- Don’t wait for the garlic to turn golden. Add the salmon as soon as the garlic and ginger are fragrant. They will continue to cook with the salmon, so if you cook them until golden first, they might burn.
- Sear the salmon on one side first. Let the base turn golden brown before tossing, then let the edges brown a bit more. That’s where a lot of the flavour comes from.
- Tap clumpy rice, don’t cut into it. Cutting into the rice breaks the grains, so tap the clumps gently and toss.
- Cook the eggs to 70% before folding. The eggs finish cooking with the rice, so they stay soft instead of turning dry.
Tips for the Best Salmon Fried Rice
- Use cooled rice. I use jasmine rice, and basmati rice works too. Use overnight rice, or let the rice cool down to room temperature, so your fried rice won’t turn out mushy. For more rice prep tips, see my Egg Fried Rice recipe.
- Pat the salmon dry. Water on the salmon makes the hot oil splatter, so dry it well with a paper towel before cooking.
- Don’t wait for the garlic to turn golden. Add the salmon as soon as the garlic and ginger are fragrant. They will continue to cook with the salmon, so if you cook them until golden first, they might burn.
- Sear the salmon on one side first. Let the base turn golden brown before tossing, then let the edges brown a bit more. That’s where a lot of the flavour comes from.
- Tap clumpy rice, don’t cut into it. Cutting into the rice breaks the grains, so tap the clumps gently and toss.
- Cook the eggs to 70% before folding. The eggs finish cooking with the rice, so they stay soft instead of turning dry.
What to Serve with Salmon Fried Rice
With salmon, eggs and rice all in one wok, this easy salmon fried rice is a meal on its own. If you’d like something on the side, a light soup like Chinese Style Spinach Soup or a cool side dish like Cold Silken Tofu with Chili Oil and Soy Sauce goes well with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of rice is best for salmon fried rice?
I use jasmine rice, and basmati rice works too. The rice should be cooled, either overnight rice or rice cooled down to room temperature. Cooled rice is drier, so the fried rice stays fluffy instead of mushy.
Can I use freshly cooked rice?
Freshly cooked rice is soft and moist, so it tends to clump and turn mushy in the wok. If you only have fresh rice, spread it out on a plate and let it cool down before frying.
Can I use frozen salmon?
Yes. Thaw it fully, then pat it dry with a paper towel before cutting it into cubes, so the oil doesn’t splatter in the wok.
Do I need to remove the salmon skin?
I remove it so the fried rice has tender salmon cubes all the way through. Lift one corner of the skin, hold the meat down with one hand and gently pull the skin away. It comes off quite easily. You can also buy skinless salmon.
How do I store leftover salmon fried rice?
Let it cool, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and eat it within a day. Reheat it in a wok or microwave until it’s piping hot all the way through.
You Might Also Like:
- Homestyle Chinese Egg Fried Rice with Dried Shrimp
- Salmon Rice in Tea Broth (Ochazuke-Inspired)
- Sour Plum Fish Soup with Leftover Rice
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out! Don’t forget to tag @ruyiasianrecipes if you share it on social media.
