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Teriyaki-glazed salmon cubes over white rice with cucumber, scallions and sesame seeds in a white bowl on a blue background.
Dinner · Japanese

Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowls

Homemade teriyaki is soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic and ginger stirred together in a bowl, with a little cornstarch so it thickens into a glaze right in the pan. Cutting the salmon into cubes gives it more sides to sear and more surface for the glaze to cling to. One pan, no sweat.

Quick facts

20 min(12 prep, 8 cook)

2 servings

  • Dairy-free

Contains: Fish, Soy, Wheat, Sesame

Step 0

Get it all out

Tick things off as they hit the counter.

  • 2 skinless salmon fillets, about 6 oz each
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil, like canola
  • 3 cups cooked white rice, leftover or from microwavable pouches
  • ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 2 scallions, thinly slicedoptional
  • 1 tsp sesame seedsoptional

For the teriyaki sauce

  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
Then

Let 'em cook

Tap Done as you go. Each step lists what goes in.

  1. 1

    In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, water, cornstarch, garlic and ginger until the sugar and cornstarch dissolve and no white lumps remain.

    • 3 tbsp soy sauce
    • 2 tbsp mirin
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp water
    • 1 tsp cornstarch
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 1 tsp fresh ginger
  2. 2

    Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Put the cubes on a plate and sprinkle them all over with 2 pinches of salt. Wash your hands, the knife and the cutting board with hot, soapy water.

    • 2 skinless salmon fillets
    • 2 pinches salt
  3. 3

    Put the rice in a microwave-safe bowl, break up any clumps with a fork and cover the bowl with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave until the rice is steaming hot all the way through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Leftover rice should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. For microwavable pouches, follow the package directions.

    • 3 cups cooked white rice
  4. 4

    Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Tip the salmon from the plate into the skillet in a single layer. Wash your hands and the plate. Cook without moving it until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes.

    • 1 tbsp neutral oil
    • 2 skinless salmon fillets
  5. 5

    Turn the cubes with tongs or a spatula and cook until another side is golden, about 2 minutes more.

    • 2 skinless salmon fillets
  6. 6

    Turn the heat down to medium. Stir the sauce again, pour it into the skillet and cook, gently turning the salmon, until the sauce bubbles and thickens into a glossy glaze that coats the cubes, 1 to 2 minutes. The salmon is done when the center is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, or an instant-read thermometer in a cube reads 145°F. If the centers still look glassy, turn the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook 1 minute more, then check again. Turn off the heat.

    • 2 skinless salmon fillets
    • 3 tbsp soy sauce
    • 2 tbsp mirin
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp water
    • 1 tsp cornstarch
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 1 tsp fresh ginger
  7. 7

    Divide the rice between 2 bowls. Top with the salmon and spoon over any glaze left in the skillet. Add the cucumber to the side of each bowl, then sprinkle with the scallions and sesame seeds. Refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours.

    • 3 cups cooked white rice
    • 2 skinless salmon fillets
    • ½ English cucumber
    • 2 scallions
    • 1 tsp sesame seeds