Name: Salmon Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4-6 ounces leftover salmon filet (or a store-bought filet such as Sea Cusine that can be prepared in 5-7 minutes.); 1/2 tablespoon butter or ghee; 1/2 yellow onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 cup cooked cold white rice (leftover rice is preferred); 1 cup frozen cauliflower rice (optional); 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots; 2 large eggs, whisked; 1/2 tablespoon tamari sauce, low-sodium or coconut aminos (or soy sauce, if not gluten-free); 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil; green onions, sesame seeds, for garnish (optional); sriracha mayo (optional)

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Leftover salmon and rice, with veggies comes together to make an easy Salmon Fried Rice recipe. A quick meal you can whip up in just 20 minutes!

Fried rice and cauliflower with flaked salmon on a white plate

I love a good stir-fry recipe for an easy weeknight dinner, especially when I can use up leftovers already hanging out in the fridge. This salmon fried rice is my favorite way to give leftover salmon a second life. I usually have cold rice (or cauliflower crumbles) from my chicken fried cauliflower rice or shrimp fried rice, so all that’s left to do is toss everything into a skillet. Add a little creamy sriracha mayo on top, and you’ve got a quick dinner that tastes way more exciting than leftovers.

ingredients in this recipe

In a pinch, I’ll use pre-seasoned salmon fillets that I can toss into a skillet while I prep everything else. But this salmon fried rice is really designed for leftover salmon, making it a great way to give last night’s dinner a second life. The best part? You can use almost any vegetables you have on hand, but here’s my go-to combination:

Leftover salmon: baked, air fryer, grilled, or skillet salmon all work well. You can even cook a pre-seasoned salmon fillet specifically for this recipe if needed.
Cold cooked rice: day-old rice is ideal for fried rice because it crisps up better in the skillet. White rice is my preference, but brown rice or jasmine rice work great too.
Butter: adds flavor and helps the rice get lightly crisp and golden. Ghee works well, too.
Frozen peas and carrots: a classic fried rice vegetable combination. No need to thaw—just add them straight from the freezer to the skillet.
Riced cauliflower: optional, but a great way to add extra vegetables and stretch the rice a little further. Fresh or frozen cauliflower rice both work well.
Onion and garlic: these simple aromatics add flavor and texture to every bite.
Tamari: adds savory umami flavor. Use soy sauce if gluten-free isn’t a concern.
Sesame oil: A little goes a long way. Stir it in at the end as a finishing oil.
green onions: the perfect fresh garnish to finish this salmon fried rice.

Other veggie ideas that you can add in to this fried rice with salmon

broccoli
corn
bell pepper
mushrooms

TIPS to make THE BEST FRIED RICE:

Use cold rice. Thoroughly chilled cooked white rice is the way to go. A fresh batch of warm (or even lukewarm) rice will not fry up when it drops into the hot pan, and will result in soggy and sticky clumps — no good. So leftover refrigerated rice is ideal!
Use butter. Butter (or ghee is fine too) will give a nice layer of flavor. You don’t need a massive amount. Just enough to add flavor to crisp up that chilled, leftover rice.
Add toasted sesame oil. This makes a huge difference in the flavor and a little goes a long way! Sesame oil is meant as a finishing oil, not a cooking oil, so remove the pan from the heat and then stir it in for maximum flavor.

That being said, if you have leftover brown, basmati, or jasmine rice – use it! This is an easy weeknight Salmon and Rice Recipe, and there’s no need to stress about it!