Firecracker Salmon and Cauliflower Rice Recipe!
In this recipe, I will show you how to perfectly sear salmon at home, better than a restaurant! Crispy salmon skin with 4 ingredients savory-sweet & spicy sauce… you can’t resist!!
Simple, easy, healthy perfect weeknight meal for yourself and your loved ones. You will find yourself making this firecracker salmon recipe over and over and over again because I did! For that, you must stock up some salmon and riced cauliflower from Costco. That’s what I did. lol!
So happy to share a new salmon recipe with you all because I know that not only will you love this recipe but your family and friends will do too!
Are you ready to jump into this delicious firecracker salmon and cauliflower rice recipe?
Let’s get started!
Chop 1 to 2 green onions and a small handful of cilantro for cauliflower rice. Make sure to have some extra for later for garnish.
Combine all ingredients for firecracker sauce and set aside.
My Firecracker sauce needs only 4 ingredients and they are…
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sambal
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic (approximately 3 to 4 cloves)
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or a regular skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil and 1 lb riced cauliflower.
I used frozen riced cauliflower from Costco. They are fantastic. They’re organic, cook well, and the texture is great so I highly recommend it if you don’t want to bother ricing cauliflower yourself. You can use a fresh one if you prefer.
Cook cauliflower until there’s no moisture, about 5 minutes.
Transfer cauliflower rice from the skillet to a mixing bowl. Add 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro that we chopped earlier into cauliflower rice. Mix well and set aside.
In the same skillet, add 2 tbsp cooking oil or enough oil to cover the skillet.
I believe cast iron pan is the best for searing salmon and my next choice will be stainless skillet for the best crispy searing effect. Non-stick skillet can do the job, it’s just not as crispy and even.
Season salmon steak with a generous amount of salt and pepper and place on the preheated skillet, skin side down.
ALWAYS COOK SKIN SIDE FIRST when you’re cooking fish with skin.
Sear until salmon skins are crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip them over with tongs and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until about 1 minute left to your desired doneness.
DO NOT FLIP too many times, it will break delicate fish meat.
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This cast iron pan is 3 layered seasoned with flaxseed oil so you don’t have to season them before use.
The best part of this cast iron pan is you can wash with soap!! Yes, I said it, you can wash this cast iron pan with soap!
This cast iron pan is proudly 100% hand crafted in Korea! 🇰🇷
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My Coupon Code: SEONKYOUNG
Turn off the heat if you’re using a cast-iron skillet or reduce heat to low if you are using a nonstick or stainless skillet.
Tap out excess oil then pour the sauce mixture all over the salmon and the skillet. Swirl the salmon to coat evenly with the sauce.
Push salmon to a side of skillet then place cauliflower rice into an empty spot of skillet. Garnish with extra chopped green onion, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Firecracker Salmon and Cauliflower Rice
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 2 pieces of 8 oz salmon steak (total 1lb)
- 3 tbsp cooking oil, divided
- salt & pepper
For Firecracker Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sambal
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic (approximately 3 to 4 cloves)
For Cauliflower Rice
- 1 lb riced cauliflower
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 to 2 green onions, chopped
- small handful cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for firecracker sauce and set aside.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet or a regular skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil and riced cauliflower. I used frozen riced cauliflower, you can use fresh one if you prefer. Cook cauliflower until there’s no moisture, about 5 minutes. Transfer cauliflower rice from skillet to a mixing bowl. Add sesame oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, sesame seeds, green onions and cilantro into cauliflower rice and mix well. Set aside.
- In same skillet, add 2 tbsp cooking oil or enough oil to cover skillet. Season salmon steak with a generous amount of salt and pepper and place on preheated skillet, skin side down. Sear until salmon skins are crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip them over, cook 3 to 4 minutes or until about 1 minute left to your desired doneness.
- Turn off heat if you’re using cast iron skillet (reduce heat to low if you are using nonstick or stainless skillet), tap out excess oil then pour sauce mixture all over salmon and skillet. Swirl salmon to coat evenly with sauce. Push salmon to a side of skillet then place cauliflower rice into empty spot of skillet. Garnish with extra chopped green onion, cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Another EASY Seafood recipe? How about 4 Minutes of Spicy Garlic Shrimp?
20 comments
I love your recipe
I just made this today and can I say OMG! this was amazing. I have got to do it again like real soon. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us!
***** 5 Stars
Thank you for trying my recipe!
Can gochujang be substituted for sambal?
I would use sriracha rather than gochujang if you can. Hope this helped!
What can be a good substitute for sambal?
You can use siriracha instead if you can!
I just made this for dinner and it is absolutely fantastic! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Happy Holidays to you!!!
I have made your salmon many times since you’ve published it. I actually crave it – it’s SO good on top of hot, fresh rice. I double it so I can have it for leftovers during the week. Cooking it for one meal doesn’t satiate the craving. Thank you!
YES!! This recipe is so simple but so delicious! So glad I could help (:
I make this regularly at this point. Only change is to add some fresh ginger and a splash of sake into the sauce but otherwise it’s perfect. SO GOOD!
Made this yesterday (but was out of cauliflower), very easy, and very yummy! Thanks for explaining the recipe!
Glad to help! Thank you for the rating!
This was amazing. So good the family loved it. I did swap sugar with honey.
5 STARS I’ve made this for years, love it! Especially the cauliflower rice. The salmon is of course a bit spicy but you can always adjust the amount of sambal. We like the spice, plus the rice tames it!
Thank you Morgan! Also sorry for my late reply… But I’m very happy to hear your love my firecracker salmon recipe with cauliflower rice!
OMG! This recipe is so good and spicy! I love it. Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
I so happy you liked it 🙂
I rarely leave comments but this was soooo good! Substituted Sriracha for Sambal and also used frozen cauliflower rice. New fave.
Thank you so much for your comment Julia!! It meant so much to me!!