Garlic-Lemon Salmon with Rice and Vegetables

Bake salmon to a thermometer-verified temperature, brown a colorful skillet of vegetables, and serve it with simply seasoned rice and measured garlic-lemon butter.

Cooked salmon fillet with white rice, broccoli, carrot, red pepper, onion, lemon wedge, and a glossy topping of unknown formula on a white plate.

4 dinner portions per full batch · About 20 min hands-on · about 45 min total

https://cyrusramsey.com/garlic-lemon-salmon-rice-vegetables/

Ingredients

Rice

  • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) long-grain white rice
  • 2 1/4 cups (530 ml) water
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, for the rice

Salmon

  • 4 salmon fillets, about 5 ounces (140 g) each and roughly 1 inch thick, thawed
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, for the salmon
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (from the listed 1/2 teaspoon)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Vegetables and lemon butter

  • 2 cups small broccoli florets
  • 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, for the vegetables
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (remaining amount)

Method

Recipe by Heather Schiefelbein.

  1. Set up. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Set a rimmed baking sheet aside for the salmon and bring a 2-quart saucepan, a 12-inch skillet with a lid, and a food thermometer to the stove. Wash and cut the vegetables before handling the raw fish.
  2. Cook the rice. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs mostly clear and drain well. Combine it with the water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir once, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Turn off the heat and let it stand covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
  3. Bake the salmon. Pat the thawed fillets dry and place them on the baking sheet with space between them. Rub with the 2 teaspoons oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of the divided salt and the black pepper. Bake until the thickest part of each fillet reaches 145°F (63°C), usually 10–15 minutes for fillets about 1 inch thick. Start checking at 10 minutes; thicker fillets need longer. Use the thermometer rather than the clock as the safety check.
  4. Cook the vegetables. While the salmon bakes, heat the 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion, and carrot. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the onion begins to soften. Add the broccoli and bell pepper in a loose layer. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring once or twice and leaving the vegetables briefly undisturbed so a few edges brown. Add the 2 tablespoons water, cover for 1–2 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and just tender, then uncover and cook for 1–2 minutes until the water evaporates and the pan is dry. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  5. Make the lemon butter. Move the vegetables to a serving dish and lower the skillet heat to low. Add the butter and garlic; stir for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice. Spoon the garlic-lemon butter over the salmon and vegetables. Taste a cooked vegetable and add a pinch of salt if needed. Serve with the rice.

Serving, useful notes and storage

Equipment: 2-quart saucepan with lid, fine-mesh strainer, rimmed baking sheet, 12-inch lidded skillet, cutting board, knife, spatula, measuring tools, and an instant-read food thermometer. The 12-inch skillet gives the vegetables room; cook in two batches if your pan is smaller.

Frozen option: thaw frozen salmon in the refrigerator according to its package directions, then pat it dry and use the thermometer endpoint above; time varies with thickness. Two cups of frozen broccoli florets can replace the fresh broccoli. Thaw them in the refrigerator, drain and pat dry, then add them with the carrot, pepper, and onion. Cook briefly, add the water, cover until tender, then uncover until the pan is dry; they will be softer and brown less than fresh broccoli.

Serve one salmon fillet with about 1 1/8 cups cooked rice and one quarter of the vegetables per dinner portion. This is a complete meal; it does not need another starch.

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the air is above 90°F. Keep at 40°F (4°C) or colder and use within 3–4 days of the original cooking date. Reheat each portion to 165°F (74°C). Cooked rice, salmon, and vegetables should be cooled and stored promptly; reheating does not restart the storage clock.

Photo is serving inspiration; the visible topping formula is unknown. This garlic-lemon version was developed independently.

Photo: Alberta Studios / Pexels: Original photo on Pexels · Pexels License.

Food-safety references: safe temperatures, cooling and refrigeration, and cold-storage chart.