Salmon and Rice Recipe (Rice Cooker Recipe)

This salmon and rice recipe is one of those meals that feels almost too easy to be real. You rinse the rice, season a few ingredients, place everything in the rice cooker, and press start. That’s it. No standing over the stove, no complicated timing — just a simple, comforting bowl of salmon rice that cooks itself.

The fresh ginger adds a clean, bright flavor that lifts the whole dish, and the dashi brings gentle umami that makes the rice deeply satisfying without being heavy.

If you’re looking for a salmon rice recipe easy enough for a weekday, a simple salmon rice recipe, or one of those simple rice cooker recipes that always works, this is it.

Why This Is the Best Simple Salmon and Rice Recipe

• Everything cooks in one pot
• No frying, no flipping, no separate pans
• Fewer dishes, easy cleanup
• The rice cooker does all the work
• Perfect for busy weekdays

It’s one of those best rice cooker recipes that fits into real life — start it, walk away, and come back to something warm and ready.

What This Tastes Like

The rice absorbs the soy sauce, mirin, and dashi as it cooks, becoming savory and fragrant with gentle umami. The salmon stays tender and flaky, and the ginger adds a fresh, slightly spicy brightness that keeps the dish light and balanced.

It’s cozy, comforting, and quietly flavorful — the kind of meal you want on a regular weeknight.

Try It If You’re Looking For…

Ingredients (Serves 2)

Rice (uncooked): ¾ US cup (1 Japanese rice cup)
Salmon: about ⅓ lb
Salt: ½ tsp
Black pepper: ½ tsp
Shiitake mushrooms: 2
Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
Sake: 1 tbsp
Mirin: 1 tbsp
Dashi powder: 1 tsp
Fresh ginger: about ½ inch, julienned
Sesame oil: 1 tsp
Green onion (scallion), sliced: 1 tbsp
Water: as needed (to reach the “1-cup” line inside the rice cooker bowl)

Instructions

Step 1: Rinse the Rice
Rinse the rice gently under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well.
Wiping the bottom of the inner pot helps it heat faster.

Step 2: Prep the Toppings
Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and slice both the caps and stems thinly. Cut the salmon into two pieces and season both sides with salt and black pepper. Julienne the ginger into fine matchsticks and slice the green onions.

Step 3: Season the Rice
Add the rinsed rice to the rice cooker bowl. Add soy sauce, sake, mirin, dashi powder, and sesame oil.

Step 4: Add Water & Ginger
Add the julienned ginger. Pour in enough water to reach the “1-cup” line inside your rice cooker bowl, then gently stir so the seasonings are evenly distributed.

Step 5: Add Salmon & Mushrooms
Place the seasoned salmon on top of the rice and arrange the sliced shiitake around it.

Step 6: Cook
Close the lid and cook using the normal rice cooking setting.

Step 7: Flake & Finish
Once cooked, gently break the salmon into large flakes and fold it into the rice. Sprinkle with sliced green onion and serve warm.

Salmon and Rice Recipe (Rice Cooker Recipe)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• ¾ US cup Rice(uncooked) =1 Japanese rice cup
• ⅓ LB Salmon: about ⅓ lb
• ½ tsp Salt: ½ tsp
• ½ tsp Black pepper: ½ tsp
• 2 Shiitake mushrooms: 2
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
• 1 tbsp Sake: 1 tbsp
• 1 tbsp Mirin: 1 tbsp
• 1 tsp Dashi powder: 1 tsp
• ½ inch Fresh ginger: about ½ inch julienned
• 1 tsp Sesame oil: 1 tsp
• 1 tbsp Green onion scallion, sliced: 1 tbsp
• Water to reach the “1-cup” line inside the rice cooker bowl

Method

 

1. Rinse the rice gently under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well. Wiping the bottom of the inner pot helps it heat faster.
2. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and slice both the caps and stems thinly. Cut the salmon into two pieces and season both sides with salt and black pepper. Julienne the ginger into fine matchsticks and slice the green onions.
3. Add the rinsed rice to the rice cooker bowl. Add soy sauce, sake, mirin, dashi powder, and sesame oil.
4. Add the julienned ginger. Pour in enough water to reach the “1-cup” line inside your rice cooker bowl, then gently stir so the seasonings are evenly distributed.
5. Place the seasoned salmon on top of the rice and arrange the sliced shiitake around it.
6. Close the lid and cook using the normal rice cooking setting.
7. Once cooked, gently break the salmon into large flakes and fold it into the rice. Sprinkle with sliced green onion and serve warm.