Crispy Rice Salmon Bowl (Printable)

Pan-seared salmon with golden crispy rice, 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 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

# How to Make It:

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 the 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 the 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • The salmon comes out impossibly tender while the rice underneath gets golden and shatteringly crisp in the same pan.
  • It feels like restaurant food but comes together in under an hour, even if you're moving slowly.
  • That lemon-yogurt drizzle tastes fancy but it's literally just whisking five ingredients together.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of patting the salmon dry, because any moisture on the surface will prevent browning and you'll end up steaming it instead of searing it.
  • Use leftover rice, not fresh rice, or spread hot rice on a plate to cool it down first, because warm rice will never get crispy no matter how long you cook it.
03 -
  • Marinate your salmon in olive oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic for thirty minutes before cooking and you'll taste the difference in every bite, the flavors actually penetrate the fish instead of just sitting on top.
  • Make the yogurt drizzle up to a few hours ahead and let it sit in the fridge, the lemon flavor becomes more assertive and the yogurt gets creamier as it rests.
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