✔ Updated · fixed card amounts + salmon and rice safety tips
My salmon fried rice is a 30-minute dinner of cold cooked rice, scrambled egg, vegetables and flaked salmon tossed in a sweet-salty soy and ginger glaze. It's one of the best ways to use up leftover or canned salmon.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Use cold, day-old rice and a very hot pan, and add the salmon last so it stays in big, tender flakes.
Why You'll Love This Salmon Fried Rice
- Ready in 30 minutes, with one pan and ingredients you probably already have.
- Flexible salmon: leftover, freshly baked or canned all work.
- Better than takeout texture, with separate, lightly toasted grains, soft egg and big flakes of salmon.
What Makes Good Salmon Fried Rice?
Great fried rice comes down to three things: dry, cold rice, a hot pan and not overcrowding it. I cook extra rice the night before on purpose. Salmon adds richness and protein, but because it is delicate, it goes in near the end so it stays in tender flakes rather than shredding into the rice.
The sauce is deliberately simple, just how I like it. Soy sauce and a little brown sugar make a quick sweet-salty glaze, a bit like a light teriyaki, while fresh garlic and ginger give the whole pan a fragrant base. A teaspoon of toasted sesame oil at the end is optional but adds a nutty finish.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Use cold, day-old rice. Freshly cooked rice is soft and steamy, so it clumps and turns mushy. Rice cooked the day before and chilled has firmer, drier grains that fry up separate and lightly toasted. In a pinch, spread fresh rice on a tray and chill it uncovered for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Get the pan very hot. High heat and a large skillet or wok let the rice fry rather than steam. If your pan is small, cook the rice in two batches.
- Add the salmon last. Salmon is already cooked, so it only needs to heat through. Fold it in gently near the end so it stays in big, tender flakes instead of breaking into crumbs.
- Cook the egg first. Scrambling the egg in the pan before the rice goes in keeps it in soft pieces instead of coating the rice in a heavy omelet.
- Prep everything before you start. The cooking takes about 10 minutes and moves fast, so have the vegetables chopped, the sauce mixed and the salmon flaked first.
- Season at the end. Soy sauce and canned salmon are both salty, so taste before adding any extra soy sauce or salt.
Salmon Fried Rice
4
servings15
minutes15
minutes495
kcal30
minutesQuick salmon fried rice made with cold cooked rice, scrambled egg, red onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger and peas, tossed with flaked salmon and a sweet-salty soy glaze. Use leftover, freshly cooked or canned salmon.
Ingredients
- For the Sauce
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
- For the Fried Rice
2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, such as vegetable or avocado oil
1 small red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about a thumb-sized piece)
3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
2 large eggs, beaten
4 cups cold cooked white rice, preferably a day old (jasmine or basmati)
1/2 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
2 cups cooked salmon, flaked, skin and bones removed (about 12 oz, or two 6-oz cans, drained)
Directions
- Prep
- If you are cooking salmon for this, season a 14-ounce fillet with salt and bake it at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until it flakes easily and reaches 145°F in the thickest part. Let it cool slightly, then flake it into large pieces, removing the skin and any bones. Leftover or drained canned salmon can be flaked straight in.
- In a small bowl, stir the soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil (if using) until the sugar dissolves. Set aside a small handful of the green onion tops for garnish.
- Fry the Rice
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until it shimmers. Add the red onion and bell pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and most of the green onions and stir-fry for 1 minute more, until fragrant and slightly softened.
- Push the vegetables to one side and pour the beaten eggs into the empty side of the pan. Let them set for a few seconds, then scramble until just cooked and break them into small pieces. Mix them into the vegetables.
- Add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps with a spatula. Spread it across the pan and let it fry for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until every grain is hot and some are lightly toasted.
- Add the peas and flaked salmon, then pour the soy mixture around the edge of the pan. Toss gently for about 2 minutes, until the rice is evenly coated and the salmon and peas are heated through, keeping the salmon in chunks.
- Taste, adding a splash more soy sauce if needed, and serve hot topped with the reserved green onions. Refrigerate leftovers within 1 hour.
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Fresh, Leftover or Canned Salmon
- Leftover salmon: the easiest option. Baked, grilled or pan-seared salmon from the night before flakes neatly and needs only to heat through.
- Freshly cooked salmon: bake a 14-ounce fillet at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until it reaches 145°F and flakes easily, then cool it slightly and flake it.
- Canned salmon: two 6-ounce cans, drained, work well and keep this a pantry meal. Taste before adding extra soy sauce, because canned salmon is salty.
- Smoked salmon: hot-smoked salmon flakes like cooked salmon and adds a smoky flavor. Use a little less soy sauce, since it is already salty.
- More ideas: see our leftover salmon recipes and the spicy sushi salmon bake.
Rice Safety, Storage and Reheating
Cooked rice should not sit out. Spores of a bacterium called Bacillus cereus can survive cooking and multiply when rice is left at room temperature, so cool rice quickly and get it into the fridge within 1 hour of cooking.
- Cooling rice for fried rice: spread freshly cooked rice in a thin layer on a tray so it cools fast, then cover and refrigerate it within 1 hour. Use it within 3 to 4 days.
- Storing leftovers: refrigerate salmon fried rice in an airtight container within 1 hour of cooking and eat it within 1 to 2 days.
- Reheating: reheat in a hot skillet with a splash of water, or covered in the microwave, stirring halfway, until steaming hot and 165°F throughout. Reheat only once.
- Freezing: freeze portions in airtight containers for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat to 165°F. The salmon will be a little softer after freezing.
Variations and What to Serve With It
- Extra vegetables: add diced carrot, corn, edamame or shredded cabbage with the onion and pepper.
- Spicy: stir a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce or sriracha into the soy mixture, or finish with chili crisp.
- Hibachi style: add a tablespoon of butter with the rice, as in our hibachi fried rice.
- Other fried rice: try Benihana-inspired fried rice or Panda Express-inspired fried rice.
- Sides: serve with a simple cucumber salad, steamed greens, or any of these side dishes for salmon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned salmon in fried rice?
Yes. Two 6-ounce cans of salmon, drained, replace the 2 cups of cooked salmon. Remove any large bones and skin if you prefer, flake it into chunks and add it near the end so it just heats through. Canned salmon is salty, so taste before adding extra soy sauce.
What temperature should salmon be cooked to?
Cook salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F, when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Leftover or canned salmon is already cooked, so in fried rice it only needs to be heated through with the rest of the dish.
Why should I use cold rice for fried rice?
Cold, day-old rice has firmer, drier grains, so it fries into separate, lightly toasted pieces. Freshly cooked rice holds more moisture and tends to clump and go mushy. Cool cooked rice quickly and refrigerate it within 1 hour of cooking, then use it within 3 to 4 days.
How do I store and reheat salmon fried rice?
Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate them in an airtight container within 1 hour. Eat them within 1 to 2 days, since the dish contains both rice and fish. Reheat in a skillet or microwave, stirring, until steaming hot and 165°F throughout, and reheat only once.
What kind of rice is best for salmon fried rice?
Long-grain white rice such as jasmine or basmati works best because the grains stay separate. Medium-grain rice also works but is a little stickier. Brown rice can be used for a nuttier, chewier result; it just needs a minute or two longer in the pan to heat through.
