This Salmon Fried Rice is so easy to make, completely customizable and ready in 20 minutes or less! This healthy twist on takeout fried rice tastes amazing and it’s a meal the entire family will love!!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Mix the stir fry sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, mirin, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.
Prepare and cook salmon: Season salmon on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon and cook, turning over once, until just opaque throughout, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove salmon and transfer to a plate. Flake or slice the salmon into large pieces while the eggs and vegetables cook in the next steps.
Cook the egg: Reduce heat to medium and add ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the egg and let cook, undisturbed, until just starting to set around the edges. Cook, using a spatula to gently break the eggs into large pieces, until the eggs are barely set, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to the plate with the salmon. Set aside.
Stir-fry the vegetables: Increase heat to medium-high and add another tablespoon of oil to the pan along with the onion, carrots and cabbage. Stir fry until 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown. Add in the garlic, ginger and season with salt and pepper. Stir fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to a separate plate and set aside.
Stir Fry the Rice: Increase heat to high and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. Once oil is shimmering, add the quinoa and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa starts to crisp, about 5 minutes.
Add the vegetables and sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Return the cooked vegetables to the pan along with the sauce. Toss to combine. Reduce heat to low and gently fold in the salmon, eggs and scallions.
Serve: Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt, pepper and soy sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds, more scallions and drizzle with hot sauce if using. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Quinoa: 1 ½ cups of UNCOOKED dry quinoa will yield approximately 3 cups COOKED quinoa.
Make sure you do not overcook your quinoa or it will stick to the pan when stir-fried.
Make sure your quinoa is cold! Cold quinoa will produce a much better texture than freshly cooked quinoa! For the best results, cook the quinoa at least 4 hours, preferably a day in advance. Allow the cooked quinoa to cool to room temperature before transferring to an air-tight container and storing in the refrigerator.
To quickly cool quinoa: If you don’t have any leftover or cold quinoa, no worries. Simply prepare quinoa and transfer it to a large, rimmed baking sheet. Spread the cooked quinoa out in an even layer. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and allow the quinoa to cool while you prep all the ingredients!
Wok: If you do not have a wok, make sure you use a large skillet that can withstand high levels of heat!
Make sure your wok or skillet is HOT! Add a tiny sprinkle of water to the pan, if it sizzles right away your skillet is hot.
Stir-fry quickly! Quinoa has a tendency to stick, so make sure you work quickly and move the quinoa around.
If you are looking to save time and money, you can substitute canned salmon. Make sure you drain the salmon well. Skip step 2 and add the salmon to the pan along with the cooked vegetables and sauce. Cook until salmon is heated through.
To make gluten free fried rice: Use tamari instead of soy sauce.
To perfectly cook quinoa: (method from CookieandKate.com)
Rinse 1 cup of quinoa in a fine mesh strainer with cool water and drain well.
Transfer quinoa to a saucepan and add 3 cups of water. Season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook quinoa, stirring occasionally, until all of the water is absorbed, about 15-18 minutes, reducing heat as necessary.
Remove pan from heat and cover. Let the quinoa steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove lid, fluff and season generously with salt and pepper. Proceed with recipe.
Recipe Serves: 4 to 6 peopleNutritional information is an estimate based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.