One Pot Golden Salmon Fried Rice
This One Pan Golden Salmon Fried Rice has everything I want in a comforting dinner dish: flaky pan-seared salmon, golden rice, and just enough cabbage for crunch. With my grandma’s secret method, it comes together in about 15 minutes using ingredients you probably already have. In fact, it’s a great recipe to use up some leftover salmon. Now you can have restaurant-quality fried rice at home with only one pan!
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Restaurant-Quality Golden Salmon Fried Rice At Home
Golden fried rice is my ultimate girl dinner. It’s the meal I come back to when I want something warm, flavorful, and easy made with ingredients I have in the fridge. My grandma taught me the secret behind that golden, fluffy fried rice you get at Chinese restaurants. All you have to do is mix egg yolks into the rice. This step lightly coats each grain so the rice stays separated, and comes out rich, golden, and toasty.
This version adds flaky pan-fried salmon and chopped cabbage, which makes this easy dish a balanced, one-pan meal. It’s low-effort and satisfying, but the flavor, color, and texture is restaurant quality!
For a fully vegetarian version, try my Chili Oil Golden Fried Rice – it takes only 10 minutes!
Salmon Golden Fried Rice Ingredients
The ingredients for golden salmon fried rice are simple, but the preparation of these ingredients makes all the difference. Here’s what you’ll need to get that golden, restaurant-style fried rice at home.
- 3 cups cold cooked rice
- 3 egg yolk
- 2 salmon fillets about 300–350g total
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 2 cups chopped Cabbage
- 2 tbsp oil neutral or sesame oil
- 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp dashi powder or substitute with chicken stock powder
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 stalks green onion chopped
Best Rice For Golden Fried Rice
The most important thing when it comes to fried rice isn’t the type of rice, but actually the rice temperature. You can use any variety of rice you’d prefer, like Japanese short grain rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, etc. Regardless of variety, make sure you’re using COLD cooked rice.
I always make extra rice, so I can store some to make fried rice later. Once the cooked rice has cooled down, I store around two portions each in a resealable freezer bag, either overnight in the fridge or for longer in the freezer. I flatten the bag so the rice will be easier to break apart once I’m ready to cook.
Using Egg Yolks For Golden Fried Rice
Golden Fried Rice is one of my favorite ways to make perfect fried rice. And, it’s also my grandma’s secret trick. Before stir-frying, I mix only the egg yolks into cold rice so every grain gets evenly coated. This helps the rice fry up fluffier, richer, and toastier, with that signature golden color you usually only see at restaurants.
If you’re worried about wasting the egg whites, no worries! You can choose to toss them in while stir-frying the chopped cabbage, or save your egg whites for a different dish.
Save Your Egg Whites For These Recipes Later!
Flaky Pan Fried Salmon in Fried Rice
The flaky salmon in this recipe makes this dish a super balanced one-pan meal. Seasoned with simply salt and pepper, the salmon is first pan fried. Instead of a full filet, we then break it up into bite-sized chunks and fold it into the rice for just the right bite in every spoonful.
This fried rice is also a great way to use up some leftover cooked salmon filet. If you’ve made extra salmon the night before, like my Spicy Honey Glazed Salmon, you can easily flake up the leftovers to add to this fried rice instead of cooking fresh salmon.
How To Make Golden Salmon Fried Rice
- Prepare the Rice: In a large bowl, mix the cold cooked rice with the egg yolks until the grains are evenly coated. Set aside.
- Cook the Salmon: Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the salmon for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Break it apart into bite-sized chunks using a spatula.
- Sauté the Cabbage: Push the salmon to one side of the pan. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then sauté the chopped cabbage in the empty space for 1–2 minutes until slightly softened but still crunchy.
(Optionally, you can also add in the leftover egg whites along with the cabbage too, to prevent wasting egg whites) - Fry the Rice: Add the egg-yolk-coated rice and chopped green onion to the pan. Stir everything together.
- Season & Finish: Drizzle in the soy sauce, sprinkle the dashi powder, and add the butter. Toss everything over high heat for 2–3 minutes until the rice is golden, buttery, and fragrant.
- Serve: Plate and enjoy immediately.
Golden Salmon Fried Rice FAQ
Yes, you can use brown rice for this recipe. Just like you would with white rice, make sure to use cold overnight rice.
We are using egg yolk to coat the cold rice so it gets extra toasty and golden.
My favorite is short grain sushi rice (SEKKA BRAND).
Yes. I love using fried rice as a fridge cleaning dish. I suggest vegetables that are easy to chop up and doesn’t get soggy when cooked, like carrots, onions, peas, and corn.
One Pot Golden Salmon Fried Rice
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 3 cups cold cooked rice
- 3 egg yolk
- 2 salmon fillets about 300–350g total
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 2 cups chopped Cabbage
- 2 tbsp oil neutral or sesame oil
- 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp dashi powder or substitute with chicken stock powder
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 stalks green onion chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Rice: In a large bowl, mix the cold cooked rice with the egg yolks until the grains are evenly coated. Set aside.
- Cook the Salmon: Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the salmon for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Break it apart into bite-sized chunks using a spatula.
- Sauté the Cabbage: Push the salmon to one side of the pan. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then sauté the chopped cabbage in the empty space for 1–2 minutes until slightly softened but still crunchy. Optionally, you can also add in the leftover egg whites along with the cabbage too.
- Fry the Rice: Add the egg-yolk-coated rice and chopped green onion to the pan. Stir everything together.
- Season & Finish: Drizzle in the soy sauce, sprinkle the dashi powder, and add the butter. Toss everything over high heat for 2–3 minutes until the rice is golden, buttery, and fragrant.
- Serve: Plate and enjoy immediately.
Thank you for this recipe. I’ve been following you because of your good content. I’m a foodie here also. This Sarah form the Philippines
Hi Sarah! Thank you so much for being here! I’m glad you loved it!
Tiffy