This Honey Sesame Salmon is easy to prepare and packed with flavor! Served over an Asian black rice salad studded with edamame, red bell peppers, red onions and cilantro, and finished with a silky smooth carrot-ginger sauce, this meal is healthy, yet guaranteed to please!
Oh haaaay, friends!
Today we have some clean eating goin’ on up in here…. up in here. (<– Don’t look at me like that. You secretly love that I just brought it back old school DMX style.)
Truth – I didn’t even realize that I spend approximately 99.98% of my life eating clean until, ohhhhh, about 5 seconds ago when I did a thorough google search of ‘clean eating’.
To be honest, I probably spend 73.76% of my life eating paleo and 42.01% adhering to a whole foods diet.
But, all the rubrics and rules regulating those ‘lifestyles’ confuse me. That is why you never find me labeling meals as such on this here site. I would definitely require a personal assistant, or life coach, to make those life altering, and labeling, decisions for me.
And that is just not in the budget.
So I totally feel like we should take a moment and applauded the fact that I DID look up all the ingredients in this dish to make sure it’s clean.
And, it’s SQUEAKY clean, y’all. I’m talking, cleaner than your church shoes type of clean.
Are you silent golf clapping for me right now? 👏
Thank you.
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Honey Sesame Salmon with Asian Black Rice Salad & Carrot-Ginger Sauce
AKA my new OBSESSION.
Luscious, tender, flaky salmon smothered with a sweet honey sauce and generously sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Served over fluffy, nutty forbidden black rice, studded with soft edamame beans, sweet red bell pepper, pungent red onions and herbaceous cilantro.
Topped with a rich, silky, smooth, naturally sweet, umami packed sauce spiked with carrots, miso and ginger.
This entire dish is literally an EXPLOSION of flavors like KAPOOOWWW. 👊
If this dish had a theme song, it would definitely be ‘too legit to quit’.
Hay. Hay.
⬆️ I know, I know. I’m all over the place today with my genres of music.
How to make Honey Sesame Salmon at home:
Truth bomb 💣 – this dish is a three part-er.
I’m not a magician, and in all honesty, the instant pot couldn’t even make this dish in one fell swoop. Or three swoops for that matter.
And clearly I am not as wizardly as the instant pot.
Sooo, THREE PARTS.
Yay?
Hold up! Don’t run away!
The three steps are preposterously easy and totally worth the whole shebang of salmon INSANITY that is sure to blow your mind.
Step one. Marinate the salmon. It is just as easy as it sounds. Whisk together some ingredients (think sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, etc.) and pour it over the salmon filets. Just make sure the salmon is in a baking dish or a zip-closure bag. <– Duh. 😉
Step two. Make the carrot-ginger sauce. Add some carrots and ginger to the bowl of a food processor and pulse away. Add in some miso, a splash of rice vinegar and a drizzle of sesame oil, then blend it up. With the processor running, slowly add in the oil and process until everything is silky smooth.
Step three. Bake. Remove the salmon from the marinade, transfer it to a baking dish, sprinkle it with sesame seeds and bake until opaque and cooked to your liking.
Step four. Oops. I lied. 🙊
Don’t click that X in the upper right corner or your screen!! This isn’t really a ‘step’ per say. It’s just plating everything together. So let’s simply call this ‘to serve’, and NOT step four…
Grab a plate and pile on the black rice.
Top it with all the veggie fixin’s.
Generously dollop the carrot-ginger sauce ALL over the plate…and then drizzle some in your mouth (because it’s that good).
Slap on the salmon.
And DEVOUR.
The end.
Notes, Tips & Tricks for Honey Sesame Salmon & Asian Black Rice Salad recipe:
- For the most flavor, marinate the salmon overnight. If you’re pressed for time you can get away with marinating it as little as 30 minutes, but it obviously won’t be as packed with flavor.
- You can use either black, white or a combination of sesame seeds for the honey sesame salmon. I used a combination for aesthetic purposes only.
- The carrot-ginger sauce uses sweet miso. I’ve seen it as labeled as white miso or ‘shiro’ miso, but if you aren’t sure, just look for the word ‘sweet’.
- Make sure you use a neutral flavored oil in the carrot-ginger sauce! Grapeseed, corn, canola or vegetable oil are all fine. If you use a flavored or scented oil such as olive oil, it will overpower the other ingredients.
- If you want a sauce that is thinner, and more dressing-like in consistency, simply add in more oil (with the processor running), one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
- The amount of time the honey sesame salmon needs to bake will depend on the thickness of your salmon and your desired level of done-ness. 12-15 minutes as indicated in the recipe is an approximation.
- If you want a crispier top on your salmon, switch the oven to high broil during the last minute or two of baking. Just make sure you keep a VERY CLOSE eye on it to avoid burning!
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring or bland! Add this Honey Sesame Salmon & Asian Black Rice Salad to your fit and fabulous food line up!
Until Thursday friends, cheers – to livin’ that clean life.
XOXO
Cheyanne
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How to make Honey Sesame Salmon & Asian Black Rice Salad recipe 👇
Honey Sesame Salmon with Asian Black Rice Salad & Carrot-Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
Salmon:
- 4 (6 ounce) Salmon Filets (or 1 ½ pounds salmon)
- 2 TBS Sesame Oil
- 2 TBS Honey
- 2 TBS Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 cloves Garlic – minced
- ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 TBS Sesame Seeds , plus more for garnish
Salad:
- 1 Cup Black Rice – cooked according to package directions(equals 3 cups of cooked rice)
- ½ Red Onion – finely diced
- 1 small Red Bell Pepper – finely diced
- 1 Cup Edamame Beans – cooked
- Cilantro , to taste
Dressing:
- 1 large Carrot – peeled and roughly chopped(about 1 1/3 cup)
- 2 TBS Ginger – grated
- 2 TBS Sweet White Miso or yellow miso; also known as Shiro Miso*
- 2 TBS Unseasoned Rice Vinegar
- 1 TBS Toasted Sesame Oil
- ¼ Cup Neutral Oil *
Optional Garnishes & Add-ins: Scallions, Thai Chili, Micro Greens, Avocado
Instructions
- Marinate the Salmon: In a small bowl whisk together the sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Place the salmon filets in a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the salmon, turning to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Meanwhile make the Dressing*: Add the carrots and ginger to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add in the remaining ingredients, except the oil and blend pureed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the motor running, slowly stream in the oil, and process until smooth*.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
- Bake the Salmon: Remove the salmon from the marinade and transfer the salmon, skin side down, to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops of the salmon with sesame seeds and season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes depending on thickness, or until opaque. Optional: for salmon with a crispier top, broil the salmon on high for the last 2 minutes of baking. Just make sure you watch the salmon VERY closely to avoid burning.
- To serve: Spread some of the dressing on serving plates. Top with rice, veggies, salmon and optional garnishes. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Simply delicious, Cheyanne! I was looking for a sauce like this one that I can use for fish!
Oy my word! Cheyanne – I don’t know where to start! THAT salmon! THAT Asian Black Rice Salad or THAT Carrot-Ginger Sauce!!! But wait, no “or” needed cos you have ands all around! What a treat!
Happy Tuesday! xo
That carrot ginger sauce grabbed my attention and like you mentioned – POW! I’m hit with all kinds of healthy flavas. Looks amazing!
I love all of the elements of this meal, but especially the carrot ginger sauce! And it’s so pretty!
In the nutrition (science) world, we actually call “clean eating” a food fad word….along with all of those other labels that are so hard to keep track of! Yet, I still keep track of all of those labels 😉 I find it so much easier to actually eat clean without overthinking it! Get what I’m saying? Or did that not make any sense? Anyway, this salmon looks AMAZING. Clean eater or not, everyone will love this one! 🙂
Beautiful photos, beautiful plating, and super exotic looking dish. I am also in love with the name fo this black rice salad, Cheyanne. And that carrot ginger sauce so flavorful. I love carrot ginger chutney so I can tell I am gonna love this. Have a lovely week my friend.
I love the sound of that sauce, definitely need to try 🙂
I like your style! I have a hard time with the “labels” too as my daily diet doesn’t adhere to any one diet or way of eating! Eat mostly healthy and all in moderation right? Also, I love the DMX reference. I am guilty of blasting that song in the car occasionally when I’m kid-free (don’t tell anyone). I never really know what to do with salmon so I’m loving this new recipe! Good one!! Cheers!
haha oh this made me chuckle! I can barely keep up with all the different diets for everything! I feel like a new something or other comes out every day! But anyway, I am still a bit afraid of cooking salmon myself since it is a new enjoyment for me … buttttttt I should probably learn instead of spending so much money at one restaurant haha This sounds deeelicious!!
Silent golf clapping Lol!! Yes I am!!! I’m right there with you, I don’t have the time or the energy to figure out how to label food…nor do I really desire to. I like to just live and keep it all in balance and keep it under the umbrella of ‘food that feeds my soul’ 😀 This carrot ginger sauce reminds me of a salad dressing that our local sushi place serves that is TO DIE FOR!!!! I’ll have to try this on salmon. YUM idea friend!!!
The flavors and colors in this dish is why I love cleaning eating so dang much!
These pics are gorgeous! Absolutely loving the dressing and that there is a healthy serving on the plate
🙂 , the black rice makes the other colors really pop and sesame and salmon are the perfect combo. Gourmet! Take care.
The colors and the photography are just beautiful!
Honey Salmon??? Black Rice? You are speaking my language. Wait, you always speak my language so I shouldn’t be surprised lol. I need these clean eating recipes since the Bahamas is in my near future. I eat a vegan diet 45% of my life which is weird because I’m not even vegan, I love cheese and eggs but veggies are my go to. I just purchase some salmon and honey today, perfect timing.
What a stunner, Cheyanne! I mean really absolutely gorgeous. I don’t even try to keep track of all the food fads and rules – just keep it real, right!? Which you do beautifully.
I love accidentally clean eating and need to do it more often! This salmon looks fab, Chey! I’ve never had black rice, but am now inspired. That carrot ginger business is super creative too! Beautiful pics! ❤️❤️❤️
Chey, I’m applauding you. Twice. First time cause you asked:) But second set is absolutely voluntary cause you’ve created something fabulous. Fancy, sophisticated, modern, and scrumptious. These pictures are ment to be on fashion food magazines. And on my plate too. Fantastic work, buddy!
Salmon happens on a weekly basis here and this looks like something I need to try ASAP! Can I add this to the meal plan that I publish every weekend?? I love black rice and don’t make it enough — it’s the perfect side for this salmon. Gorgeous dish Cheyanne!
that sesame seed crust on the salmon looks so good and that carrot miso ginger sauce sounds so flavorful. i made a carrot miso dip for crudites once, and loved it that first day, then promptly forgot about it. until i found it in the back of the fridge a few weeks later, and the miso had gotten a bit more funky than i tend to like. your sauce yield sounds small enough to avoid this prob (;
Chey! this looks amazing, I love salmon, and eat it as much as I can, but I have never tasted black rice, so I am really intrigued, I am pinning! Happy monday girl! xoxoxo
Just so you know, my mom would be ALL over this recipe!! I mean, soon-to-be our mom!! She’d be like, “Cheyanne is my favorite daughter. She cooks SO well!!” Then I’d totally have to give you a dirty look… because that’s how sisters roll! Lol. Clean eating: Yes!!! I have always thought that about your recipes!! Also, they’re pretty much all paleo. Dude!! But you’re just naturally cool like that. And you don’t even have to try. 😉 Here’s to like 500 rounds of golf claps for this recipe. Muah! xoxo
Your writing is so fun and engaging. I LOL’d atleast 3 or 4 times. Always keeping it real- food and in general. I find I eat clean most of the time too- quality ingredients and real food is just so dang good ya know? Love the umami ginger carrot sauce- this would be so good with tofo too #justsayin
You have my tummy rumbling so loud over here! I love all the colours and flavours. This is my kind of meal, the fact that it is classed as clean eating is just a bonus. I wish it was dinner time already!!
Okay. I have a secret to share. I have never made salmon. Never ever not once. And I was saying to Dom the other day – I wish we had a good recipe for salmon. And now look at this. The universe responded in my favorite kind of generosity – NSN generosity! This look incredible! I can’t get beyond the color happening here! And it won’t surprise you to know that I too would need an assistant to get all the labels right! 😉 Have a great day, dear! xo
I love a quick meal but I never mind a three-parter when it’s as gorgeous as this! And hi, it’s more clean than my church shoes? Yes, this is a meal I can get behind. Sesame is one of my all-time favorite flavors so I’m craving this like crazy now. And all those colors and textures and flavors. . .I swoon. Truly, i just swoon. Have a great week, Chey!
Yay for clean eating that’s also delicious and beautiful! I gave up trying to figure out that stuff a long time ago, but I always know what I love and I love this! (Was just thinking about salmon for dinner tonight, too 🙂
Labeling foods and styles can get so confusing! I never do it either, but I don’t fall into a specific category, I’m kinda all over the place haha. We eat salmon ALL the time, it’s our favorite kind of fish! In fact, we just had it the other night, and i’m wishing it would’ve contained these yummy flavors. I often get stuck in a rut with the same kinds of seasoning and sauces, so this sounds perfect to spruce it up! I’m loving the honey seasame combo, Cheyanne! And that black rice and ginger sauce…swoon! What an amazing combo! I’m pinning this baby and can’t wait to try out. Hope your Monday is off to a wonderful start!
Thanks for getting those songs stuck in my head! Now I’ll be thinking about that all day, lol 😀 I mostly eat clean too and if everything looked as good as this, why wouldn’t every body?? I love sesame seeds because taste and texture, but also cause they look so pretty! Is it wrong that I totally want this for breakfast right now cause I would eat this in a second! That carrot ginger sauce sounds perfect too! P.S. Isn’t black rice totally freaky to look at? I just love it on a plate and the contrast it gives. Just me? Weird? Anywho…… Pinned! Have a great week, Chey! xo
This is totally my kind of clean eating dih Chey! I love the ingredients in the marinade, that fabulous rice salad (that even Tom would eat…yay!!) and that carrot ginger dressing sounds perfect! I have a few good friends who I totally know would love this one too. Can’t wait to try it out on them. I’ll unclean it a bit with a glass of wine on the side of course, but I won’t be able to help myself! Happy Monday!
I’m not at all surprised that you’re a mostly clean eater! And you know I lean that way too so this is all kinds of my style of dinner deliciousness! Salmon is my favorite fish, that carrot sauce sounds crazy good and black rice just makes everything seem fancier! Pinned and can’t wait to give this a try! Have a wonderful week my friend! XO
I love that carrot ginger sauce..so good with seafood. I tried it with scallops and shrimps, but haven’t with salmon. Can’t wait to try it because salmon is another favourite.
Have a fabulous week ahead, Chey.