Name: Salmon Tomato Fried Rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 8 oz salmon fillet (can sub with steelhead); 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil (divided); 1 shallot (peeled and diced); 3 garlic cloves (peeled and diced); 2 large eggs; 1 small ripe tomato (diced); 1/2 teaspoon fine ground sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 3 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice (about 1 lb); 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions and/or cilantro

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Fried rice is a great way to clean out the fridge, especially when you only have a little bit of each ingredient.

I have fried rice in many varieties, from crab, chicken, SPAM, BBQ pork and shrimp to Chinese sausage.

This week, I had a small piece of salmon and one small but super sweet tomato from the garden. So, salmon tomato fried rice to the rescue for a simple family dinner. Everything cooks in one pan and comes together in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients for Salmon Tomato Fried Rice

What You Will Need

To make this version of fried rice, gather the following ingredients:

Salmon Fillet: You can use salmon or really any type of fish. I’m actually using steelhead in these pictures, which is a much cheaper alternative to salmon. We’re using skin-on so we can crisp up the skin and incorporate it into the rice.
Day-Old Jasmine Rice: Jasmine rice is a long-grain rice, which is what we want for fried rice. Cold rice straight from the fridge works best. The grains separate easily and toast nicely without clumping.
Aromatics: Fresh shallot and garlic. Pan fry with a bit of neutral oil to bring out their aroma.
Tomato: Searing ripe tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness even more, so you do not need added sugar for balance like in other Asian fried rice dishes. As they cook down, they also give the rice a very nice reddish-orange color. You only need a small tomato because too much tomato will make the fried rice soggy.
Seasonings: A combination of salt, ground black pepper, soy sauce, and oyster sauce provides a balanced, savory Asian flavor.

How to Make Salmon Fried Rice

Step 1: Prepare the salmon

Rinse the salmon to get rid of any fishy smell, then pat dry with paper towels. If using a nonstick pan, no need for oil. Otherwise, add about 1/2 tablespoon of oil to a wide skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

Frying Salmon for Salmon Tomato Fried Rice — Searing salmon skin side down

Add the salmon and sear skin-side down for 4 minutes or until the skin is crispy then flip over.

Remove the skin and set aside, then break up the salmon flesh into bite-sized pieces. We want the salmon to still be pink on the inside because it will continue cooking as we push it to the edge of the skillet. Otherwise, it can become overcooked and dry.

How to Make Salmon Tomato Fried Rice — Break it up into large clumps

Step 2: Add aromatics

Clear the salmon pieces from the center of the skillet and add more oil if needed.

Add the shallot and minced garlic, then sauté in the oil until fragrant (about 15 seconds).

Step 3: Add eggs

Crack in the eggs and gently scramble until just set, then push them to the side as well.

Step 4: Add tomatoes

To the center, add the tomatoes. Let the liquid evaporate slightly and lightly sear the tomatoes to bring out more of their sweetness (about 30 seconds).

Step 5: Add rice

Add the cold day-old rice, using the back of a spatula to break up any large clumps.

Step 6: Season to taste

Add salt, ground black pepper, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir-fry everything until the rice is evenly coated with the seasonings.

Step 7: Finish and serve

If using the salmon skin, cut it into small pieces, add it back to the fried rice, and mix well.

Using Salmon Skin for Salmon Tomato Fried Rice

When ready to serve, garnish with optional sliced green onions and roughly chopped cilantro for a beautiful finish.

Helpful Cooking Tips

Use day-old rice: Freshly cooked rice holds too much steam and moisture, which can lead to soggy fried rice or, even worse, a giant rice ball because the grains get mushed together during stir-frying. But all is not lost. If you don’t have leftover rice, cook fresh rice with a tad less water than you normally would.
Crispy salmon skin: Don’t discard the salmon skin. Searing it until crisp and cutting it into bite-sized pieces adds great texture and flavor to the fried rice.
Have everything ready before you start cooking. Because I’m just sweeping ingredients to the side of the skillet as they finish cooking, having everything prepped and ready to go is key. No overcooking here. But if you’re a bit slower in the kitchen, play it safe and remove the cooked ingredients from the skillet entirely then toss everything together at the end.