Quick Look: Salmon Fried Rice
- Ready in: 35 minutes
- Method: Blackstone or stovetop
- Key tip: Use cold, day-old rice for best texture
- Protein: Fresh salmon (or leftover works too – like from our air fryer salmon bite recipe!)
- Flavor: Savory, slightly crispy, better than takeout
Share and summarize this recipe:
During those warm, summer months we love nothing more than to bring the heat out of the kitchen to cook outside! We fire up our trusty Blackstone griddle and get to work. After perfecting a chicken fried rice and shrimp fried rice, we knew it was time to create a new option with one of our all-time favorite proteins – salmon! Most of this quick meal can be prepped ahead of time to make the cooking process super fast. The whole family will love this simple weeknight dinner or quick lunch!
Why We Can’t Stop Making This One
- It’s faster than ordering takeout (and honestly better)
- The salmon stays tender while the rice gets perfectly crispy
- Works on both a Blackstone and stovetop
- Easy to customize with whatever veggies you have
- Great for weeknights but still feels like something special
Looking for More Recipes Like This?
If you love flat top recipes as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Hibachi Chicken!
What You Will Need
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- fried rice sauce – the best part is our super easy homemade fried rice sauce brings all the best flavor – you have to try it!
- soy sauce – an essential ingredient when making any type of fried rice.
- salmon fillets – we love picking up fresh salmon from our local grocery store, but feel free to use frozen salmon too. Just make sure you thaw completely before using.
- olive oil – option to sub with avocado oil to keep that cook top oiled up as you continue adding ingredients to cook.
- frozen peas & carrots – we always have a bag of these frozen veggies or stir fry veggies to make this easy meal.
- large eggs – a great way to add more texture and protein to a classic fried rice.
- cooked rice – any variety of rice will work here (i.e. white rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, etc.), just make sure it has fully cooled or is day old rice to help prevent it from getting too sticky.
How To Make Salmon Fried Rice
Step 1: The first steps to making this easy recipe are to put the cubed salmon in a bowl with soy sauce, toss to coat, and let marinate for 15-20 minutes.
Step 2: Heat griddle to medium, add oil, and cook salmon bites 3–4 minutes (to 145°F), turning as needed. Remove and rest 5 minutes.
Step 3: Now add another tbsp of oil, add garlic and onion to cook, and then the frozen vegetables. Move around to cook for a few minutes and then move to the side. Add the final tablespoon of oil and then the beaten eggs. Scramble to cook and move to the side.
Step 4: Next, add the leftover cold rice to the hot cooktop along with half the green onions, cooked salmon, seasonings, and move the cooked veggies and egg mixture back in the mix. Toss everything together with half of the fried rice sauce.
Pro Tip: Day Old Rice
Fried rice works best with cold, day-old rice so it crisps up instead of getting soggy – so make it the day before and store in the refrigerator (or use leftover rice from another recipe).
Step 5: Serve in individual bowls with the remaining green onions and a drizzle of that fried rice sauce.
Step 6: Enjoy!
Pro Tips for the Best Fried Rice
- Use cold rice: freshly cooked rice = mushy fried rice
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: helps everything crisp instead of steam
- Cook salmon separately first: keeps it flaky, not overcooked
- High heat is key: especially on a Blackstone for that signature texture
Blackstone vs. Stove Top
Yes—this recipe is written for a Blackstone (or flat top griddle), but it works just as well on the stovetop with a large skillet.
Cooking on a Blackstone gives you more space and consistent high heat, which helps the rice develop that lightly crispy texture without overcrowding. It also makes it easy to cook everything side-by-side and keep ingredients moving.
If you’re using a stovetop, simply follow the same method using a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan:
- Cook the salmon first, then remove and set aside
- Use high heat and avoid overcrowding the pan
- Add the salmon back in at the end and toss gently
The key difference is space—so if needed, you can cook the rice in batches to keep that classic fried rice texture.
Can I Use Leftover Salmon?
Absolutely. Leftover salmon works really well in this recipe.
Just break it into chunks and add it at the end of cooking, tossing gently until warmed through. This helps prevent it from drying out or overcooking. If it was a whole cooked salmon (like from our foil baked salmon), it will naturally flake apart so you won’t have symmetrical “salmon bites”, but it will still be absolutely delicious.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- Why put egg in fried rice? Cooked eggs are a traditional ingredient in many fried rice recipes because it adds color, texture, and protein.
- Storage: if you have any leftover salmon or fried rice, simply place in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Meal Prep: this is a great recipe to prep ahead of time, especially since the rice is best when it is a day old! Simply cook the rice, mix up the sauce, and cut salmon into small pieces the night before you plan to cook. Store in separate containers in the fridge for the next day.
- What to Serve With It: this is honestly an all-in-one meal with your rice, protein and veggies all mixed together – but, these Marinated Cucumbers would be yummy and so would a fun Blueberry Mojito!
Other Fried Rice Recipes You Might Like
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Ingredients
Fried Rice Sauce:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce, sub tamari for gluten-free
- 1-2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 3 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2-4 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Salmon Fried Rice:
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided (sub Tamari)
- 1 pound salmon fillets, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, sub avocado oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup yellow onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 3 cups packed cooked rice, preferably day-old*
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 green onions, sliced
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- kosher salt, to taste
- for serving: poached or fried eggs, additional green onions, or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Marinate Salmon: place salmon in a shallow bowl or reusable silicone bag along with 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Ensure salmon is fully coated and let marinate 15-20 minutes.
- Make Fried Rice Sauce: while the salmon marinates, combine sauce ingredients in a mason jar. Seal the lid and shake to combine (alternatively you can whisk together in a small bowl). Prep remaining ingredients and have them ready to go (this makes cooking go much smoother).
- Cook Salmon: Bring Blackstone to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil; move around to coat the flat top. Cook marinated salmon bites (discard excess soy sauce) and let cook 3-5 minutes (moving around and flipping) or until the internal temperature reaches 145℉. Transfer to a plate and let rest 5 minutes.
- Cook Veggies: Add another tablespoon of oil to the cook top. Add garlic and onion, move around until garlic becomes fragrant, approx. 30 seconds. Add frozen peas and carrots. Move around approx. 2-3 minutes. Move veggies off to the side.
- Cook Eggs: Add 1 tablespoon oil to the cook top along with 2 whisked eggs. Move eggs around until cooked through. Move them off to the side.
- Combine it all with Sauce: Add the rice to the flat top and move the cooked veggies and egg back over to combine with the rice along with the cooked salmon pieces, ground black pepper, 1/2 the green onion slices, red pepper flakes (if using), and approx. 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Gently move around until well combined and rice is warmed through. Add approx. 1/2 the Fried Rice Sauce and stir to combine.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately with the remaining Fried Rice Sauce, remaining sliced green onions, crushed red pepper flakes, or even a fried egg!
Notes
- *Rice: for best results, it is highly recommended that you use day-old rice (or leftover rice) – so make it the day before and store in the refrigerator – this helps dry the rice out and prevents it from getting too sticky.
- Blackstone vs Cast Iron Skillet: you can definitely make this recipe in a large cast iron skillet instead of a flat top/Blackstone!
- Gluten-Free: Use Tamari instead of soy sauce to make this gluten-free.
- Jazz it up: feel free to jazz up that salmon by pouring a little bit of this teriyaki sauce recipe over top of it before serving!
Nutrition
Other Salmon Recipes You Might Like
Bridget says
An easy weeknight dinner that we love making all the time!
Erin Jensen says
Yay!! Awesome to hear!
Liz says
I wasn’t sure how salmon would taste in fried rice, but I love it enough to try it and I’m so glad that I did! DELICIOUS.