Gochujang Salmon Rice Bowls

GOCHUJANG SALMON RICE BOWLS😍

If you haven’t guessed by now, weeknight dinners that pack a major flavor punch are kinda my jam. If you’ve never cooked with Gochujang, it’s a savory, sweet, and spicy Korean red chili paste that adds a ton of depth of flavor to proteins, sauces, soups, etc. The best part? It’s so flavorful you can skip the marinating process, which means you’re that much closer to kicking your feet up and binging Love Island season 5 for the 6th time.. No? Just me? Anyways.. You’ve gotta make this!

Gochujang FAQs:

Gochujang is a savory, sweet, and spicy Korean red chili paste. It’s flavor is quite unique, so it’s not easily compared - I’d say it’s like a more savory, slightly sweeter taste to sriracha.
I find gochujang in the Asian section of my standard grocery store (Vons), but depending on where you live, you may need to head to an Asian grocer or order on Amazon here.
**Note: The spiciness of the paste will vary GREATLY depending on the brand. The brand I find most readily available and the most mild is Chung Jung One. The ones sold in Asian grocery stores tend to be spicier, so be sure to taste the paste before making the sauce. If it’s very spicy, use part gochujang part ketchup to make it milder.
How to use it: I love to use it in marinades (especially ribs or pork), mixed with mayo or aioli for a dipping sauce, tossed with cauliflower and roasted, and even added to ramen or soups.

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

For the Sheetpan Gochujang Salmon Bowls:

2 salmon filets
2 tbsps gochujang **See note above
4 tsps grated ginger
1 tbsp grated garlic
2 tsps coconut aminos
2 tsps honey
2 tsps rice vinegar
2 tsps mirin (optional)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 cup rice (I used sticky rice but you can use jasmine)
1 ⅓ cups water*
Salt to taste

For the Gochujang Aioli:

2 tbsps aioli
2-3 tsps gochujang

Optional Toppings:

Cucumber salad (I did persian cucumbers, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, gochukaru and salt)
Edamame
Roasted broccoli

*Note: if I’m using my rice cooker, I use 1 ¼ cups water to 1 cup rice. For stovetop, I do a bit more water since it tends to evaporate faster via stovetop.

Directions:

For the Gochujang Salmon Rice Bowl:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Rinse the rice with water to remove the starches. Repeat 2-3 times or until the water runs clear. Drain.
Add drained rice to a pot with water and a pinch of salt. Cover with a tight fitting lid and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until water has absorbed. No peeking! Shut off heat, and leave the saucepan covered for 10-15 more minutes. Fluff with a fork prior to serving.
Make the gochujang sauce by whisking the gochujang, ginger, garlic, coconut aminos, honey, sesame oil, mirin, and rice wine vinegar.
Pat salmon dry and season with salt. Add half of the gochujang mixture equally over both salmon filets and add to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake for 11-12 minutes, top with the remaining gochujang mixture and broil for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is just starting to caramelize.
Mix the aioli and gochujang and serve with the rice, salmon, and preferred toppings. Enjoy!

Raquel Hazlett