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These pan-seared honey garlic salmon bites with edamame rice have about 38 g of protein per serving and take 40 minutes. The protein comes from salmon, edamame and rice, not powder, so it tastes like the real thing.
A serving is a little over 400 g of food: 125 g of raw salmon, 75 g of shelled edamame and about 210 g of cooked rice. That’s a full plate, not a snack-size portion.
The one thing that goes wrong is the glaze. Honey scorches fast in a hot pan, so the sauce goes in only after the salmon is seared and the heat is down to medium. Burnt honey tastes bitter and you can’t fix it.
My two kids don’t care about macros, but they eat this without negotiating.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 38 g of protein per serving, all from whole foods
- Rice, edamame and salmon are done in 40 minutes
- No marinating wait, and only a saucepan and a skillet
- The glaze uses five pantry staples and nothing specialty
Ingredient Notes
- Salmon: Raw salmon has roughly 20 g of protein per 100 g. Farmed Atlantic is fattier and forgiving, while wild sockeye is leaner and dries out faster, so pull it a few seconds sooner.
- Frozen shelled edamame: Shelled edamame has about 11 g of protein per 100 g. Use it straight from the freezer, no thawing needed. Frozen peas work for color but add far less protein.
- Jasmine rice: Rinse it until the water runs mostly clear so the grains don’t clump. Basmati works at the same water ratio, but it comes out less sticky under the glaze.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: Low-sodium keeps the glaze from turning harsh as it reduces. Use gluten-free tamari 1 to 1 if you need to avoid wheat.
- Honey: Honey gives the glaze its sticky coat. Maple syrup works in the same amount, but the flavor is earthier and the glaze is a little thinner.
Pan-Seared Honey Garlic Salmon Bites and Edamame Rice
Ingredients
Method
- Pat the salmon dry and cut it into 2.5 cm / 1-inch cubes. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar and cornstarch slurry in a small bowl. Slice the scallions, keeping the whites and greens in separate piles.
- Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve for about 1 minute, until the water runs mostly clear. Add it to a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan with the water and salt, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat to its lowest setting, cover with a tight lid and cook for 10 minutes.
- Scatter the frozen edamame over the rice without stirring, put the lid back on and cook 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for a 10-minute rest.
- While the rice rests, heat a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes and add the oil. Lay the salmon cubes in a single layer with a little space between them. Sear about 1 minute per side, turning with tongs, until all four sides are golden, about 4 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium, stir the sauce once and pour it over the salmon. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, turning the cubes gently, until the glaze coats them and the centers are opaque and flake at 145 F / 63 C. Cut one cube open to check, then pull the pan off the heat.
- Fluff the rice and edamame with a fork, drizzle with the sesame oil and fold in the scallion whites. Divide among four bowls and top with the salmon bites. Scrape any glaze from the pan over the top, finish with the scallion greens and sesame seeds, and serve right away.
Notes
- Weigh the salmon after trimming, since 500 g of trimmed fish is the protein target.
- Sear each cube about 1 minute per side so all four sides turn golden.
- Add the edamame frozen, straight from the bag, with no thawing.
- Rinse the rice for about 1 minute until the water runs mostly clear.
- Serve right away, because the glaze is stickiest in the first 10 minutes.
Tips for Success
- Pat the salmon cubes dry with paper towels before they hit the pan so they sear and brown instead of steaming.
- Cut the salmon into 2.5 cm cubes so all four sides brown in about 1 minute each before the centers overcook.
- Lower the heat to medium before the sauce goes in, and keep the cubes moving so the honey doesn’t stick.
- Leave the lid on during the 10-minute rest so trapped steam finishes the rice and keeps the bottom layer from going hard.
- Weigh the salmon after trimming off skin and any pin bones, because 500 g of trimmed fish is what keeps the protein near 38 g.
Variations
- Swap the salmon for 500 g peeled shrimp and sear about 2 minutes per side until pink and curled. Protein stays close to the same.
- Whisk 1 tsp grated ginger and 1 tsp sriracha into the glaze for a sharper, spicier finish.
- Top each bowl with quick-pickled cucumber slices (rice vinegar, a pinch of salt, 10 minutes) to cut through the sweet glaze.
Storage and Reheating
Honey garlic salmon bites with edamame rice keep for 3 days in airtight containers in the fridge. Get the rice into the fridge within 1 hour of cooking, spread flat so it cools fast.
To reheat, microwave a bowl at 50 percent power for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, stirring the rice once and adding 1 tablespoon of water. Low power keeps the salmon from going dry and chalky. Stop when everything is hot all the way through.
The rice and edamame freeze for up to 1 month. The salmon doesn’t, since it turns soft and watery after thawing, so cook fresh seared salmon when you want a second round.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the bowls right after plating. The glaze is stickiest in the first 10 minutes and soaks into the rice after that.
Quick-pickled cucumbers or steamed broccoli go well alongside, since the sharp vinegar or the plain green balances the sweet glaze.
Set out lime wedges, extra soy sauce and sriracha at the table so each person can adjust their own edamame rice bowl.
FAQ
How do I know when honey garlic salmon bites are done?
Honey garlic salmon bites are done when the center is opaque and the flesh flakes under a gentle press, at 145 F / 63 C. Cut one cube open to check, since a thermometer is awkward in 2.5 cm pieces. Expect 5 to 6 minutes total in the pan, glaze included.
Why does my honey garlic glaze turn bitter and dark?
Honey garlic glaze turns bitter when the sugar scorches in a pan that’s too hot. Lower the heat to medium before the sauce goes in, and stir for only 1 to 2 minutes until it coats the salmon. If it already smells burnt, wipe the pan and make a fresh half batch of sauce.
Can I use tamari instead of soy sauce for gluten-free salmon bites?
Yes, tamari swaps for soy sauce 1 to 1 in the glaze. Pick a bottle labeled gluten-free, because regular soy sauce contains wheat. The salmon, rice, edamame, honey and garlic are gluten free on their own, so that one swap makes the whole bowl gluten free.
Can I freeze honey garlic salmon bites with the edamame rice?
Freeze only the rice and edamame, in portions, for up to 1 month. Cooked salmon bites turn soft and watery after thawing, so cook fresh salmon when you’re ready to eat. Reheat the thawed rice in the microwave with 1 tablespoon of water until it’s hot all the way through.
What goes well with honey garlic salmon bites and edamame rice?
Something crisp and sour works best. Quick-pickled cucumbers (1 sliced cucumber, 2 tbsp rice vinegar and a pinch of salt for 10 minutes) cut through the sweet glaze. Steamed broccoli also works, about 4 to 5 minutes in a steamer basket, and neither changes the protein count much.
Where does the protein in honey garlic salmon bites with edamame rice come from?
Across the full pot, about 100 g comes from the salmon, 33 g from the shelled edamame and 20 g from the rice. That’s roughly 153 g, or about 38 g per serving. There’s no protein powder in this recipe, and the numbers shift a little with the salmon you buy.
