High-Protein Gochujang Salmon Rice Bowl

Gochujang, Korea’s beloved fermented chili paste, lends sweet heat to this modern salmon rice bowl. Glazed fillets sit over short-grain brown rice with crisp cucumber, carrots, and spinach for a bright, satisfying lunch.

Serves 4 · 15 min prep · 12 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 485 cal
• 38g protein
• 42g carbs
• 18g fat
• 3g fiber

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 1.25 lb skinless salmon fillets
• 3 tbsp gochujang paste
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 3 cups cooked short-grain brown rice
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 4 soft-boiled eggs
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. 1Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Whisk gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a small bowl until smooth to form the glaze.
2. 2Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the neutral oil. When the oil shimmers, place the salmon in the pan and sear without moving for 3 to 4 minutes until the underside is golden and releases easily.
3. 3Flip the salmon carefully and brush the tops generously with half of the gochujang glaze. Continue cooking 3 to 4 minutes more until the fish is just opaque in the center and flakes easily, reaching about 145°F internal temperature.
4. 4Remove the skillet from heat and brush the remaining glaze over the salmon. Let the fillets rest 2 minutes so the glaze sets into a sticky lacquer.
5. 5Warm the cooked brown rice if needed and divide it among four lunch bowls as the base. Scatter a generous handful of baby spinach over the hot rice so it wilts slightly from residual heat.
6. 6Flake or slice the glazed salmon into large chunks and arrange it over the spinach and rice. Nestle cucumber slices and julienned carrots beside the fish for crunch and color.
7. 7Peel the soft-boiled eggs, halve them, and place one half on each bowl. Sprinkle sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds over everything.
8. 8Drizzle any remaining pan juices from the salmon over the bowls. Serve warm or pack into meal containers with the egg and fresh vegetables kept slightly separate until ready to eat.