Today I’m going to show you how to make a delicious salmon fried recipe that’s also gluten free, and allergy friendly. Whilst we won’t be using ingredients like soy sauce and sesame oil, we will end up with something that’s MEGA delicious. I’ll also include some allergy friendly brand info if you would like to use more traditional ingredients.
Just a heads up, we”ll be cooking the egg free fried rice and salmon separately, then you can combine them at the end, or keep them apart. When I make this salmon and rice recipe for my kids, they prefer to have it separate. This also makes storing leftovers easier.
Allergy Status
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts, Peanut, Shellfish, Sesame, Apple, Avocado, Banana, Beans & Lentils, Berries, Buckwheat, Celery, Cinnamon, Citrus, Coconut, Cruciferous, Lupin, Mustard, Nightshade, Oat, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry, Red Meat, Seeds, Squash & Gourd, Stone Fruits, Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
Compatible With: Cane/Refined Sugar Free (see recipe notes)
Salmon Fried Rice Recipe Video
If you’d like to see me make this before you jump in, here’s a short video you can watch.
Ingredients For This Salmon Fried Rice Recipe
For the Sweet Maple Salmon (Salmon Part 1)
- 900g Salmon of Choice (32 ounces/2 lbs)
- 50g Cooking Fat/Oil of Choice (just under 2 ounces)
- 2 tsp Sea Salt
Salmon Ingredients Part 2
- 2 tsp Kelp Granules
- 85g Cooking Fat/Oil of Choice (I use dairy free butter, 3 ounces)
- 220g Organic Dark Brown Sugar (see notes for more info)
- 20mL Organic Maple Extract (this is the brand that I use)
- 1.5 tsp Organic Ground Ginger
- 1 tsp Organic Garlic Granules
Salmon Ingredients Part 3
- 225mL Milk of Choice (8 ounces/1 US cup)
For the Fried Rice (Fried Rice Ingredients Part 1)
- 65g Cooking Fat/Oil of Choice (just over 2 ounces)
- 275g Organic White Onion, diced (just about 10 ounces)
- 270g Organic Purple Onion, diced (just about 10 ounces)
- 170g Organic Shiitake Mushrooms, roughly chopped (6 ounces)
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
Fried Rice Ingredients Part 2
- 560g Frozen Organic Peas and Carrots (Two 10 ounce bags for a total of 20 ounces)
Fried Rice Ingredients Part 3
- 3 TBSP Mirin (this is the one that I use)
- 1 TBSP Kelp Granules (this is the brand that I use for a lot of my sea vegetables)
Fried Rice Ingredients Part 4
- 1.23KG Organic Cooked Rice of Choice (44 ounces)
- 2 tsp Sea Salt
- Optional: Organic White Pepper or Organic Black Pepper to Taste
- Optional Garnish: Sliced Green Onions
Ingredient Notes
Salmon: You can use any type of salmon including salmon strips or salmon fillets. Since they break down as they cook, you don’t need to cut them first. You can use fresh salmon or thawed frozen salmon. It can be wild-caught salmon or farmed salmon as well. If you don’t like salmon but are a fan of trout, you can swap that 1:1.
Sea Salt: If you want to add a little extra pop to your meal, swap this for smoked salt. *chef’s kiss*
Cooking Fat: I used dairy free butter for this recipe, but you can use sesame oil, perilla seed oil (an alternative if you have a sesame allergy), tallow, or any other cooking fat you enjoy working with.
Kelp Granules: You can swap these for other seaweed products including dulse, kombu, and nori. You can also use a blend of sea vegetables instead of the one. It’s important to know your audience though because my kids will tell you, some sea vegetables should be used sparingly.
Brown Sugar: This is a sweet recipe because that’s what my kids LOVE. When they were younger, they hated fish and by making it sweet, I was able to get them to enjoy a new protein whilst getting a good dose of healthy fatty acids. You can reduce or eliminate the sugar. You can also swap it for other granulated sweeteners including organic maple sugar, organic coconut sugar, or organic date sugar. For the best results, I’d avoid organic white sugar since it lacks that extra flavour depth and just reads as purely sweet.
Maple Extract: This is a specific product that lets your salmon the rich flavor of maple without having to use loads of maple syrup. Don’t swap this for anything else, and for best results, use this brand.
Frozen Peas & Carrots: If you’re not a fan, can’t have this, or have run out, you can swap for frozen corn or frozen green beans. Whilst you don’t have to use frozen vegetables and can add more fresh veggies, I find frozen to make this a quick dinner.
Rice: We’ve all heard that for the best fried rice, you should use day-old rice and that’s because leftover rice has had time to dry out, so it cooks/browns faster and better than freshly steamed rice.
However, I make fried rice ALL the time with fresh white rice (usually sushi rice) and the whole family says it’s their favorite way to eat fried rice. It’s up to you if you use sushi rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, brown rice, and so on. I’ve tried them all and keep coming back to sushi rice. I also use Cal-rose sometimes, which is similar. Most times it’s fresh rice, but every so often, I have a good amount of cold rice in the fridge and use that instead. Unless you’re a fried rice connoisseur, I don’t think you’ll mind either way.
I’ll also note this, at restaurants, they’re using a large wok with super high temperatures you’re not able to get at home. For them, the cooking process is different, and that’s why fried rice from a restaurant will always land differently than fried rice made at home (unless you jump thru a LOT of hoops).
Recipe Tips
Lean Into Meal Prep: The best way to have easy meals throughout the week is to get all of the prep work done one day a week. For me, I’d get groceries delivered on Saturday, then spend the next day chopping up all the fruits and vegetables for the week. If I’d done a Costco run, I’d pre-cut a whole bunch of the meat and sometimes even pre-season some ground meats for easier meals.
I can honestly say, in all of my years of raising kids and doing *all* the things, I NEVER, ever once regretted meal prep. In fact, it saved me so many times, so if you live the busy weeknight life, be sure to plan ahead like that.
How to Get EASY Salmon: So, you know how sometimes you want to use fresh salmon but don’t want to deal with the skin or bones? I got you. Go to a store with a fresh fish counter. Ask the fish guy to debone and remove the skin for you. Kindly let them know you’re going to keep shopping and when it’s ready, they call your name over the speaker to come get your fish.
My goodness… the amount of fish I didn’t have to handle when my kids were growing up is insane. Not only that! But sometimes, I’d even ask them to cut it into little cubes for me. Talk about amazing service, and what I like to call, easy salmon.
Gluten Free & Allergy Friendly Products
If you’re a fan of Asian cuisine and are looking for gluten-free and allergy friendly products you can incorporate, here are some options to investigate.
- Chickpea Miso
- Coconut Aminos
- Gluten Free Soy Sauce
- Organic Mirin
- Miso Paste
- Oyster Sauce
- Perilla Seed Oil (an excellent substitute for sesame oil if you have an allergy)
- Rice Koji (great for adding depth of flavour to a stir fry and more)
- XO Sauce
Need more product recommendations? Check out this article on soy sauce alternatives where I share a wide range of gluten free and allergy friendly products you can check out.
Salmon Fried Rice Recipe Instructions (With Pictures)
Sweet Maple Salmon Directions
Heat a deep/large pan on medium-high heat (7/10 for me). Once hot, add your cooking fat/oil of choice. In my case, it’s dairy free butter. Allow the fat to heat/melt, then add your salmon and sea salt. Cook for 8 – 10 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent burning/sticking. Towards the end of your time, you should start to have flaky salmon, and you can start to break it into small pieces.
Sprinkle the kelp all over, and reduce the heat to medium heat (5/10 for me). Add the 85g/3 ounces of your cooking fat, then stir and continue to cook for 3 – 4 minutes.
Add your sugar, maple, ginger, and garlic. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
Finally, add all of your milk. Give everything one last good stir and cook for an additional 3 – 5 minutes.
Turn the heat off and set your salmon aside. With this cook time, your salmon should be a-OK, but if you’d like to check, the internal temperature should be 145f/63c.
Egg Free Fried Rice Directions
Start by prepping your produce. Once it’s all ready, heat a large/deep frying pan on high heat (8/10 for me).
When you’ve got a hot pan, add the cooking fat (I use dairy free butter), then add the rest of the ingredients for Fried Rice Part 1 (veg + sea salt). Mix everything together, and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
Next, add your frozen vegetables, mix everything together and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes.
Now, ad the mirin and kelp granules. Mix them into the veg very well and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Finally, add the rice and sea salt (Fried Rice Ingredients Part 4). If you’re working with cold rice, continue to cook until the rice is hot and ready to be served. If you’re using warm rice from your rice cooker, you can turn the heat off, mix in the rice, and you’re ready to roll.
Now, if you ask me, the best thing about this easy weeknight meal is that it’s like having awesome takeout, but without the extra cost (and allergens in you’re living a free-from life).
Salmon Fried Rice Storage
Your fried rice, if served separately, can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for several months (be sure to use a freezer-safe container). If it’s mixed with your salmon, you’ll want to eat it within 2 days.
Leftover salmon tends to do well the next day, and should absolutely be eaten within 2 days of cooking. Be sure to store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Do not freeze leftover salmon.
More Gluten Free Dinner Recipes
If you need gluten free and allergy friendly recipes for dinner (and lunch, well, breakfast as well because there are no rules), I’ve got you covered.
- Vegan White Chili Recipe (you can also make this with chicken if you’re not vegan)
- Easy Peach BBQ Gluten Free Stew Recipe
- Nightshade Free Stove Top Chicken and Rice Recipe (Gluten + Top 9 + Top 14 Free)
- Honey Mustard Bacon Pasta Recipe (I’m told this is soooooo delicious)
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Fun Ways to Use Your Leftover Salmon
If you us my measurements and your whole family loves salmon, you won’t have too much leftovers. However, if you smash the rice and have extra salmon, here are some delicious ways to use said leftover salmon as part of a quick meal.
For a quick lunch, make a salmon salad. Place chopped greens (romaine is epic) tangerine segments, quartered cherry tomatoes, leftover salmon, and something crunchy like seeds in a large bowl. Give it a mix and add optional dressing.
Make BES wraps. Cook beaten eggs in a small pan. On a wrap, place strips of bacon or bacon bits, cooked eggs, and your leftover salmon. You can also add sliced spring onions and tomatoes. Wrap that up and enjoy.
Make Salmon Quinoa Bowls. This is great way to use up your salmon whilst rotating through different gluten free grains. Personally, I do this with leftover quinoa from the fridge for my kids. Cook quinoa in a large nonstick skillet with a little olive oil. This allows you to develop a crispy texture on the bottom. When the quinoa is ready, top with leftover salmon, quartered tomatoes, and anything else you fancy.
It’s important to cook quinoa in a large skillet if you want the crispy parts because it has a large surface area.
Answering Your Salmon Fried Rice Recipe Questions
Can this salmon fried rice be made with canned salmon?
This is a great idea if you’re short on time. However, when you’re starting with canned flaked salmon, the cooking directions change drastically. For the salmon, cook everything else but the salmon. Essentially, you’re making a really tasty sauce.
In the last five minutes of cooking, add the canned salmon and break it up into little pieces. Try not to cook it in the sauce for too long because it’s already a fully cooked product.
Could I add eggs to the fried rice?
You sure can! One of my kids can’t have eggs, so it’s rare that I make anything with them. You can grab a few large eggs, whisk them in a cup or bowl, then cook them in a small hot skillet with a little bit of oil.
Cooking them separately will allow you get a really nice scramble on the eggs, and it’s easier to break up really large pieces so you can have something consistent when you add it back to the main dish.
However, that being said, you can cook the eggs alongside the rice towards the end of cooking. You’ll want to preseason the eggs before whisking so you don’t have bland egg bits all throughout your fried rice. Just be sure to mix the rice, veg, and eggs very, very, very well to distribute the eggs as the cook.
You can also push all of the rice and veg to the side of the pan, cook the eggs on the other side, then mix everything together. Ultimately, there’s no right or wrong answer so long as it tastes good to you.
Can the fried rice be made with cauliflower rice?
Technically, yes, however, the recipe would change considerably. If you need to use cauliflower rice, I suggest seasoning and cooking it separately first, then set aside. Cook the rest of the fried rice ingredients as instructed. Once everything is cooked, you’ll have to determine a good ratio and mix in the right amount of cooked cauliflower rice. Sample and mix and sample again because you don’t want to go overboard with the cauliflower.
