Salmon Rice Bake is a one pan dish that combines honey soy salmon and sticky rice. Needing only minimal prep we marinade the salmon whilst the rice starts cooking. From there we combine the salmon and rice and bake it till the salmon easily flakes with a fork.
Recipes like the Baked Chicken Legs And Rice, Chicken And Rice Tray Bake and Tuna And Rice Casserole are all about a protein and rice combination.
The Honey Soy Pork Ribs and the Sticky Pork Rashers have a similar flavor profile to this salmon and rice bake.
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🤍 Recipe Highlights
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about this easy salmon recipe in the points below:
- Quick and easy: this salmon and rice tray bake comes together with minimal effort. That makes it the perfect weeknight friendly dish that won't set you back hours and hours in the kitchen before dinner can be on the table. The whole family will love this flavorsome combination.
- Simple ingredients: each of the ingredients needed to make the recipe are simple and easy to get your hands on at most grocery stores. They are also each year round available ingredients.
- Complete meal: all of the elements of this dish can be done in the one casserole or baking dish. Then we have 'dinner done' without multiple parts needed to come together.
🥗 Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.
As you can see this easy recipe calls for:
- Salt and pepper: we use the salt and a little bit of black pepper for seasoning.
- Garlic: chunky chopped, minced or fresh garlic cloves.
- Ginger: minced or jarred ginger.
- Sesame oil: adds an aromatic touch to the flavor profile of the salmon.
- Sweet chilli sauce: adds flavor and sweetness. It also helps thicken the marinade a little bit. This is not a hot chilli sauce. It is very mild in flavor.
- Soy sauce: for that delicious 'honey soy' flavor pairing.
- Worcestershire sauce: adds a little 'oopmh'.
- Honey: as above with the soy sauce, the primary combination for the marinade is a 'honey and soy' one.
- Onion: peeled and diced. This adds great texture to the oven baked rice.
- Basmati rice: long grain, easy to cook with great texture.
- Hot chicken stock: we heat this in the microwave before pouring it into the casserole dish. This helps us to have an accurate cook time and also not a lengthy cook time.
- Salmon fillets: I like to use skin on salmon fillets for the recipe. You can usually get a 4 pack which is the perfect amount of salmon to pair with the fluffy rice.
🍳 Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by making the marinade.
- Gather the marinade ingredients (Photo 1)
- Whisk to combine (Photo 2)
- Reserve some of the marinade (Photo 3)
- Marinate the salmon (Photo 4)
👩🍳 How to Make Salmon Rice Bake
To make the salmon and rice bake we start by creating the honey soy marinade. To do this add the honey, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper to a jug and whisk to combine.
Then pour a small about (1-2 tablespoons) into a small bowl and reserve this to add flavor to the rice (optional).
Next use a pair of tongs to place the salmon fillets in the marinade. Give them a flip and a stir to cover both sides and then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
Now we get started on the rice. As it takes a lot longer to cook than the oven baked salmon we want to give it a chance to start cooking whilst the salmon marinates.
- Add the rice (Photo 5)
- Then pour in the hot stock and reserved marinade (Photo 6)
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes (Photo 7)
- Add marinated salmon (Photo 8)
Spread the diced onion across the base of a greased baking dish. Then sprinkle the rice over the top.
Microwave the chicken stock for 2 minutes on high and then pour that over the top.
Next pour the reserved marinade into the baking dish (optional).
Once done cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.
When the initial cook time is up use oven mitts to remove the baking dish from the oven and set it onto a heatproof surface.
Discard the tin foil and then use a pair of tongs to nestle each marinated salmon fillet into the rice.
Next return the dish to the oven (middle shelf) and let it cook for a further 12-15 minutes.
- Remove the salmon, fluff the rice (Photo 9)
Once the 2nd cook time is up, use oven mitts to remove the baking dish from the oven and set it on a heat proof surface.
Use the tongs to remove the baked salmon fillets and use a wooden spoon to fluff the rice. Then place the cooked salmon back on top of the rice.
Get your garnish on and then the dish is good to go!
🍽 Serving Suggestions
I have developed this recipe as a one pan wonder where your dinner is pretty much done once the salmon is cooked. The flaky salmon pairs well with the rice and it feels like a complete meal.
That being said, I think it is nice to have some fresh leafy greens on the plate as it adds an extra vegetable and helps to complete the meal. To achieve this I usually plate the dish with a handful or 2 of fresh spinach like you see below.
For a bread side try the Tortilla Garlic Bread, Garlic Pizza Bread, Ciabatta Garlic Bread or the Turkish Garlic Bread.
And just like that dinner is done. Drizzle some spicy mayo over the top if that's your thing. Regular mayo or kewpie mayo will do the trick too.
👍 How to Guide
How to Store
Once the salmon has cooked and cooled, you can transfer leftovers into a sealed, airtight container and place them into the fridge. They will last for 2-3 days and need to be reheated before being consumed.
How to Freeze
Or portion and stack individual portions in the freezer. These can be kept for up to 3 months and are best thawed before being reheated.
How to Reheat
Transfer refrigerated leftovers to a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Reheat on high in the microwave for 1-3 minutes until warmed through.
For frozen portions of the dish let these fully thaw. Once thawed, reheat using the method above. Thawed leftovers often take 1-2 minutes longer to be fully warmed through.
😉 Substitutions and Variations
Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:
- Rice: you can use brown basmati rice if you wish too.
- Rice flavor: adding the reserved marinade to the rice is an optional step. If you are a 'white rice' type of person you may want to skip this step. The rice does get a little of the marinade flavors added to the mix regardless when we place the salmon into the rice.
- Garnish: I like to garnish the dish with sliced green onions and red chilli pieces. I feel that the combination of red and green really makes the dish pop. If you don't want to use the chilli (re heat/spice factor) you can simply leave this off.
- Herbs: For alternative garnish you can try a fresh herb like parsley or basil.
- Texture: Sesame seeds either raw or toasted are another way to finish the dish if you choose this option.
💡 Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:
- Baking dish: we do want to grease the baking dish. This helps to ensure that nothing will stick to the edges of the pan. This also means the clean up process for that baking dish will be easier.
- Cook times: the rice and the salmon have largely different cook times. For this reason it is important to let the rice cook for a bit before adding the salmon. If you try and do it all at once the salmon will be cooked but the rice will still be hard and chewy.
- Salmon Marinade: regarding the point above. So I do put the salmon into the fridge whilst it is marinading but I also take it out of the fridge after about 15 minutes so that it has come back to room temperature before adding to the rice.
- One pan: do you love 'one pan' dinners? Then you might like the Chorizo Pasta Bake, Savoury Mince Pasta, Mince Potato Bake, Mince Pasta Bake.
- Similar ideas: for more complete meals that you can slow cook try the Slow Cooker Curried Sausages, Slow Cooker French Onion Pork Chops, Slow Cooker Savoury Mince, Slow Cooker Dahl, Slow Cooker French Onion Beef or the Slow Cooker French Onion Beef 😉👌.
- Similar flavors: For fish/seafood recipes try the Salmon Noodle Stir Fry, Fettuccine Alfredo With Tuna, Tuna Fritters, Fettuccine Alfredo With Scallops, Prawn Fettuccine or the Salmon Potato Salad.
🤓 Frequently Asked Questions
How to cook rice for salmon?
Cook the rice for 30 minutes covered in a large casserole dish with diced onion and hot chicken stock. Then add the marinated salmon and bake for a further 12 to 15 minutes.
A long grain rice like basmati is a great choice to serve with baked salmon.
Salmon can be seasoned with sauces like honey, soy, sweet chilli sauce and flavors like garlic and ginger.
For 1 cup of long grain rice use 2 cups of water or chicken broth when making rice in the oven.
😍 More Easy Dinner Recipes
When it comes to the main meal of the day I think having plenty of options up your sleeve is the key to success. Here are some more ideas that you can add to your dinner rotation:
- Slow Cooker Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
- Chorizo Fried Rice
- Slow Cooker Beef Massaman Curry
- Cheeseburger Sausage Rolls
- Dumpling Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Massaman Lamb Shanks
- Air Fryer Pork Roast
- Roasted Capsicum Pasta Sauce
- Savoury Mince Pies
It is time to get our salmon and rice bake on my friend! You can also find all of my dinner recipes or seafood recipes in the one spot.
Adrianne
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📖 Recipe
Salmon Rice Bake
Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup/125ml honey
- ⅓ cup/80 ml soy sauce
- ¼ cup/60 ml sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil Note 1
- 1 tablespoon garlic Note 2
- 1 tablespoon ginger Note 3
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Rice
- ½ large brown onion skin peeled and diced
- 1 cup basmati rice Note 4
- 2 cups/500ml hot chicken stock Note 5
Salmon
- 4 salmon fillets skin on
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: preheat the oven to 180°C / 350-375°F / Gas Mark 4-5.
- Marinade: add the honey, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, salt and black pepper to a large glass jug and whisk to combine. Then reserve a small amount (1 tablespoon) in a separate bowl.
- Marinate: next use a pair of tongs to place the salmon fillets into the marinade. Flip them to cover both sides, give them a stir and then cover the bowl with cling wrap. This can then be placed into the fridge whilst we cook the rice.
- Rice: grease a large baking dish with cooking oil. Then spread the diced onion across the base. Next sprinkle the rice over the onion. Then use a heatproof jug to microwave the chicken stock for 2 minutes on high. Once done pour the boiling chicken stock into the baking dish over the rice and onion. Next pour the reserved marinade in (optional). Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and place it into the oven on the middle shelf. Let the rice bake for 30 - 35 minutes.
- Combine: after the initial cook time is up use a pair of oven mitts to remove the baking dish and set it onto a heatproof surface. Remove the aluminum foil and discard. Next use a pair of tongs to nestle each marinated salmon fillet into the rice. Then place the baking dish back into the oven and bake for a further 12 to 15 minutes.
- To serve: once the total cook time is up remove the baking dish from the oven. Then use a pair of tongs to remove each salmon fillet and a wooden spoon to fluff the rice. Once done place the salmon fillets back into the pan. Garnish with chopped green onions and sliced red chilli.
Video
Notes
- Note 1 - Sesame oil: this adds both fragrance and aroma. For an alternative you can use ½ as much peanut oil ie ½ tablespoon or omit. Olive oil won't have the same effect. So if that is all you have, leave the oil out completely.
- Note 2 - Garlic: I like to use chunky chopped garlic from a jar as it makes life easy. You can do the same thing, or use mince or fresh garlic cloves (1-2).
- Note 3 - Ginger: jarred minced ginger is what we are after.
- Note 4 - Basmati rice: no need to rinse. Simply add to the baking dish. You can use another long grain white rice or brown rice basmati if you prefer.
- Note 5 - Chicken stock: we want this to be hot (boiling) when we add it to the rice. This ensures a shorter cook time as well as accuracy in the cook time. I add the 2 cups to a microwave safe jug and heat for 2 minutes on high then pour it into the dish.
Ebony Geerhy says
This looks fantastic! We love salmon.
Adrianne says
Thanks Ebony 😊.