Easy Asian Protein Bowl
A fresh pairing of wild salmon and vegetables in a tangy, Asian inspired glaze
Need something flavorful, and fresh? An easy meal that is both balanced and filling? Filling, but still light? Cue Asian salmon bowl. Made with easy to find ingredients, this meal can be prepared in little to no time!
These delicious salmon bowls are sure to be a favorite whether you’re cooking for yourself, your family, or friends. This dish screams summer nights to me, and I am HERE for it!
This recipe was inspired by my most recent trip to Trader Joe’s. You’ll soon catch on to my love for the kitchy grocery store. Justin and I refer to “Joe” as my boyfriend, all jokes of course, but back to my most recent trip to TJ’s. I was stocking up on my usual leafy greens in the refrigerated section when the bok choy was staring back at me. I plucked it off the shelf accepting the challenge, and well, its safe to say I was successful.
Not only do I have this everlasting love for my boyfriend, Trader Joe, but also Asian flavors when cooking. Thus, the Asian protein bowl, filled with sticky brown rice, crunchy sugar snap peas, sweet and salty sesame glazed salmon, bright bell peppers, onions, shredded carrots, flavorful mushroom caps, and the best wilted bokchoy I’ve ever tasted.
My lovely sister in law sent us an enormous cast iron skillet during the winter months, and boy has it gotten use! Nothing compares to that sizzle.
For this particular recipe, the cast iron perfectly cooks the vegetables, not too mushy, not too crunchy, with that infamous cast iron flavor. So, let’s make a little protein bowl!
First, preheat your oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. I like to use frozen wild sockeye salmon fillets from Costco, they’re just as good, if not, better than most deli filets I’ve brought home from the grocery store. They defrost quickly and last forever in the freezer. Also, individually packaged, huge plus. So, just rinse your defrosted fillet, or fillets and set them aside on the baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, sesame seeds, and salt and pepper to taste. If you’re a Trader Joe’s nut like myself, you can use the “Island Soyaki” sauce for this step and just add honey! Wisk it all together until it is a glaze like consistency, not too thick, but not too runny.
Next, rinse all of your vegetables and gently pat them dry. I separate the vegetables in different corners of the cutting board, or in small glass bowls to keep flavors from mixing.
Trim any unsightly leaves from bok choy, and slice lengthwise. Julienne bell peppers of your choice and onions, set aside separately. I personally prefer the bright, sweet flavors of red, orange, or yellow bell peppers over green for this dish. Next, dice stocks off mushrooms and chop caps in quarters, set aside. Lastly, trim both ends of the sugar snap peas and set them aside as well.
Using a spoon or kitchen brush, coat salmon filet generously with honey soyaki glaze. It’s ok if the glaze runs off of the fillet onto the foil or parchment paper. Top filet with sesame seeds and salt and pepper. Set the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes, checking periodically. The glaze will thicken and bubble while in the oven, this is normal!
While your salmon is in the oven, go ahead and heat your cast iron skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. At medium heat, add your bok choy face down in the middle of the pan. In “corners” of the pan, add vegetables in the order they would cook. For example, add mushrooms last, as they take the least amount of time to cook. Onions, carrots, and snap peas generally go first.
Once the veggies are cozy in the pan without touching, add 3 tablespoons of your soyaki sauce mixture, roughly chopped garlic cloves, and fresh ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste and just let those veggies chill. You can give each “pile” a little stir and and turn the heat down to low. If you find that your vegetables are burning, turn down the temperature, and add a bit more oil to the pan.
I don’t know about y’all, but rice just seals the deal for me, especially with asian dishes. This recipe is delicious with all types of rice, coconut, jasmine, brown, basmati, and good ole classic white rice. I happened to make it with brown rice, but coconut is definitely on my list of things to try in the future.
Before your oven timer goes off, start your rice either on the stove, or pop your packet into the microwave, whatever floats your boat. At this point your vegetables should be just about ready anyway.
Once your salmon is ready, line the bottom of your bowl with rice and gradually add your vegetables around the perimeter of the bowl. If the salmon fillet has skin, it should slide right off with a spatula as you transfer the filet onto your bowl. Top with sesame seeds, and voila! The most delicious salmon bowl. Justin said this is one of his favorite dinners I’ve made, ever! I hope you all enjoy it just as well. If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to tag @Junk.in.Love in your photos, can’t wait to see what y’all create!
Recipe
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tbs honey
1 tbs sesame seeds
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, roughly chopped
1 cup rice
1 fresh or frozen wild salmon filet
1 bok choy stock, sliced length wise
1/3 cup white mushroom caps, quartered
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup julienned bell peppers
1/3 cup trimmed sugar snap peas
1/3 cup diced yellow onion