🍚 Sticky Honey Garlic Salmon Rice Bowl Recipe

I recently found this incredible method from Molly Thompson at What Molly Made, and it completely changed my weeknight dinner game. The salmon is smothered in a sweet and sticky sauce that is honestly addictive. And we cannot forget the fresh avocado cucumber salad on the side. It adds this perfect crunch.

The best part? You can get this entire meal on the table in under 30 minutes. You start the rice, and while it cooks, you make everything else. By the time the rice fluffs up, you are ready to eat. It is fast, it is fresh, and it makes you feel good.

💖 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 30-Minute Magic: The timing is perfect. Everything finishes right when the rice is done.
• Texture Heaven: You get sticky sauce, fluffy rice, and crunchy cool vegetables all in one bite.
• Coconut Rice Upgrade: We aren’t just using plain water here. The rice is creamy and rich.
• Healthy Fats: Between the salmon and the avocado, this bowl is packed with good-for-you ingredients.

🥣 Ingredients

Here is your shopping list. It looks like a lot, but you probably have the sauces in your pantry.

For the Coconut Rice

For the Salmon & Sauce

For the Cucumber Avocado Salad

👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Guide

Follow this order, and you won’t feel rushed. We are multitasking a little bit, but it is easy.

Step 1: Rinse the Rice (Very Important)

Put your rice in a big bowl and fill it with water. Stir it around with your hand. The water will turn cloudy. Pour that water out. Do this 2 or 3 more times until the water is mostly clear.

Why? This removes extra starch. If you skip this, your coconut rice will be gummy and thick. We want it light and fluffy.

Step 2: Start the Coconut Rice

In a medium saucepan, pour in the 1 1/4 cups of clean water. Add the can of coconut milk and the kosher salt. Bring this to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once it boils, dump in your rinsed rice. Stir it just once. Turn the heat down to medium-low, put the lid on, and let it cook for 20 minutes. Do not peek!

Step 3: Make the Salad

While the rice does its thing, grab a medium bowl. Toss in your diced avocados and diced English cucumber.

Tip: I like English cucumbers because the skin is soft. You don’t have to peel them. If you use a regular cucumber, you might want to peel it first.

Add the sliced onion, lime juice, and cilantro. Give it a gentle stir. Set this aside to marinate.

Step 4: Prep the Salmon

Take your salmon fillets and cut them into bite-sized cubes (about 1 inch).

Note: I prefer to keep the skin on. It protects the fish from overcooking. But if you hate skin, ask your grocer to remove it, or cut it off yourself before cubing.

Step 5: Whisk the Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the Tamari, honey, sesame oil, grated ginger, Sriracha, and salt. Set this aside.

Step 6: Sear the Salmon

Heat your olive oil or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the salmon cubes. If they have skin, place them skin-side down.

Sear for 2 to 3 minutes until crispy. Flip them over gently with tongs.

Add the minced garlic to the pan now. Stir it around for 1 minute until it smells amazing.

Step 7: Sauce and Simmer

Pour that honey garlic sauce over the salmon. Cook for 2 more minutes. You want the salmon to reach about 135°F inside. It will finish cooking on the plate.

Remove the salmon pieces from the pan. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the sauce bubble in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes. It will get thick and sticky.

Step 8: Assemble

Your rice should be done now. Fluff it with a fork.

Scoop rice into a bowl. Top with the sticky salmon. Spoon that thick sauce over the fish. Add a big scoop of the avocado salad.

Top with sesame seeds if you like. Enjoy!

⏳ Time and Servings

🥄 Kitchen Tools Needed

• Medium Saucepan: With a tight-fitting lid for the rice.
• Large Skillet: For searing the salmon.
• Whisk: To mix the sauce.
• Tongs: To flip the delicate salmon cubes.
• Sharp Knife: For dicing veggies and fish.

📝 Recipe Notes

🥗 Serving Suggestions

This bowl is a full meal, but you can always add more.

• Drink: A cold iced tea or a sparkling water with lime pairs perfectly.
• Appetizer: Edamame with sea salt is a great starter while the rice cooks.
• Extra Veggies: Steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus goes well with the honey garlic sauce.

📊 Nutrition Breakdown (Per Serving)

Estimated values based on 2000 calorie diet.

💪 Health Benefits

This isn’t just tasty; it is fuel for your body.

1. Omega-3s: Salmon is famous for these healthy fatty acids which are great for your heart.
2. Fiber: The avocado and cucumber add fiber to keep you full.
3. Ginger: Fresh ginger is great for digestion and settling the stomach.

❌ Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not Rinsing Rice: Seriously, don’t skip this. Unrinsed rice in coconut milk turns into a gluey mess.
• Burning the Garlic: We add the garlic after flipping the salmon. If you add it at the start, it will burn before the fish is cooked.
• Overcooking Salmon: These cubes are small. They cook fast. 4-5 minutes total is usually enough.
• Crowding the Pan: If your skillet is small, cook the salmon in two batches so it sears instead of steams.

📦 Storage and Reheating

If you have leftovers, you need to store them the right way.

• The Storage Trick: Store the Salad separately from the Rice and Salmon. If you heat up the avocado and cucumber, it tastes weird and mushy. Keep the cold stuff cold!
• Fridge: The salmon and rice will stay good in an airtight container for 3 days. The salad is best eaten within 24 hours because avocado turns brown.
• Reheating: Microwave the rice and salmon for 1-2 minutes. Then, add the cold salad on top fresh.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use brown rice?

Yes, you can. But remember, brown rice takes longer to cook (usually 40-45 minutes) and needs more liquid. You might need to add a little extra water to the coconut milk mixture.

2. Is the salmon skin safe to eat?

Absolutely. When it is seared and crispy, it is delicious. It adds texture. But if you don’t like it, just peel it off after cooking.

3. Can I use chicken instead?

Yes! This honey garlic sauce works great with chicken breast cubes. Just cook them a little longer until they are no longer pink in the middle.

4. My sauce is too thin, what do I do?

Remove the salmon from the pan and let the sauce boil for another minute or two. The sugars in the honey will help it thicken up as the water evaporates.

5. Is this gluten-free?

It is if you use Tamari. Regular soy sauce has wheat in it. Double-check your Tamari bottle to be sure.

💭 Final Thoughts

I love how this recipe is timed out so perfectly. It feels like a magic trick when the salmon finishes right as the rice timer goes off.

This Honey Garlic Salmon Rice Bowl is one of those meals that looks impressive but is actually super simple. It is sweet, savory, creamy, and fresh all at once. I hope you give it a try this week. It might just become your new favorite Tuesday night dinner.