Sticky Orange Salmon Rice (Printer-Friendly)

Salmon glazed in tangy orange-gochujang sauce, paired with buttery jasmine rice and scallions.

# What You Need:

→ Salmon & Marinade

01 - 4 skin-on salmon fillets (5.3 oz each)
02 - 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
03 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
04 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons honey
06 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
08 - 1 garlic clove, minced
09 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ Rice

10 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
11 - 3 cups water
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Garnish

14 - 3 scallions, thinly sliced
15 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
16 - Orange zest (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Whisk together gochujang, orange juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil in a medium bowl until smooth.
02 - Pat the salmon fillets dry, place them in a shallow dish, and coat with 2 tablespoons of the glaze. Let marinate for 10 minutes while preparing the rice.
03 - Rinse jasmine rice under cold water until clear. Combine rice, water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
04 - Set oven broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil the surface.
05 - Place salmon skin-side down on the baking sheet. Brush with additional glaze. Broil 5–7 inches from heat for 6–8 minutes, brushing with more glaze halfway through, until salmon is caramelized and cooked to medium (125–130°F internal temperature).
06 - While salmon cooks, simmer the remaining glaze in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
07 - Divide buttery rice among bowls, top with glazed salmon, drizzle with the thickened sauce, and garnish with scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and orange zest as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The glaze gets sticky and glossy under the broiler, creating this addictive caramelized crust that tastes restaurant-quality but takes barely twenty minutes.
  • Gochujang has this deep, complex heat that plays beautifully with bright orange and sweet honey—it's the kind of flavor combination that makes people ask for the recipe.
  • Everything cooks while your rice steams, so you're barely managing multiple pans, and cleanup is genuinely minimal.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the salmon dry—wet fish won't brown properly, and you'll end up with a steamed texture instead of that beautiful caramelized crust.
  • The broiler is hotter and closer than your oven, so watch the salmon carefully after the halfway mark; it can go from perfectly cooked to overdone in about one minute.
  • Let the glaze thicken on the stovetop—when you drizzle it over the finished bowl, it should coat the salmon and rice like a glossy sauce, not run off like a soup.
03 -
  • Make extra glaze and keep it in the fridge; it's incredible on roasted vegetables, drizzled over rice bowls, or whisked into mayo for a sandwich spread.
  • If you can't find gochujang, don't try to improvise—it's inexpensive and available at most grocery stores now, and it's genuinely not replaceable without changing the entire character of the dish.
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