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salmon chunks over veggie rice topped with dill sauce and herbs.
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5 from 5 votes

Salmon & Rice Recipe With Dill Sauce

Treat yourself to a delicious weeknight dinner with this easy salmon and rice recipe for moist tender herby salmon on a bed of veggie rice topped with a creamy dill sauce. Ready in 30 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings (change as needed): 2
Author: Cheryl Avrich

Ingredients

Salmon

  • 3/4 pound salmon, with or without skin 2 salmon filets or one larger piece.
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup chopped herbs and green onion, Note 1 (used for salmon, garnish and rice)

Rice and vegetables

  • 1/2 cup finely diced vegetable, Note 2
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 1/2 cup raw basmati rice, Note 3
  • 3/4 cup water (or chicken broth for more flavor)

Dill sauce

  • 2 tablespoons sour cream, full fat or light (or Greek yogurt)
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, full fat or light
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill (remove stems, then chop)
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (black pepper, optional)

Optional garnish

  • lemon zest, more fresh herbs

Instructions

  • HEAT OVEN TO 425F/218C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with oil.
  • PREPARE AND BAKE SALMON: Rub 1 teaspoon olive oilon salmon fillets and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread half the chopped herbs on top of the salmon (the rest will be used for the rice and garnish). Place salmon fillets on prepared pan, skin side down, and bake for 9-12 minutes, depending on salmon thickness. Note 4 - how to tell when salmon is cooked. Salmon should be warm pink in the center. It will finish cooking when resting. Don't overcook it.
  • MAKE RICE: While the salmon bakes, heat 2 teaspoons butter in medium sauce pan to medium-high heat. Add diced veggies and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add rice and sauté another minute. Add water or broth and salt. Stir. Bring to boil, cover, then lower heat to medium low heat (3/10 on dial) and cook 10-11 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Let sit 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped herbs.
  • MAKE DILL SAUCE: While rice cooks, combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings (more lemon, salt, dill, etc).
  • ASSEMBLE: To plate, divide rice between two plates. To remove salmon skin, slip a spatula between the skin and flesh and lift off salmon onto the rice. Top with a dollop of dill sauce. Alternatively, break up salmon into pieces and serve over the rice. Garnish with herbs or lemon zest if you like.

Notes

  1. Herbs: I use a blend of parsley, dill and green onions. Other good options with green onions are cilantro, chives and fresh thyme. You can replace fresh dill with dried dill (1 tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dried). 
  2. Vegetables: I like finely diced carrots, red pepper, and green onion. Feel free to use what you have on hand e.g. celery, onion, zucchini, snap peas, bok choy, mushrooms, etc. Dice finely.
  3. Rice: I prefer basmati rice or jasmine rice, but any long grain white rice or brown rice will work. Even wild rice. Just follow the directions on the package for how much liquid to add and how long to cook it.
  4. How to tell when salmon is cooked: It should be warm pink in the center (not dry flaky white). Peak inside with a sharp knife which will slide in without resistance. The rule of thumb is to cook salmon 10 minutes per inch (2.5cm). Note that the temperature will rise a few degrees after taking it out of the oven. The final internal temperature should be about 130-135F (54-57C) measured with an instant meat thermometer.
  5. Variations:
    • Use plain rice with no veggies (shortcut).
    • Use store-bought or leftover rice (heat in microwave)
    • Flavor the rice with a pinch of curry powder, garlic powder, coriander, cumin or turmeric
    • Add raisins while cooking the rice and/or chopped toasted nuts after it's cooked.
    • Serve as salmon bowls with rice, salmon chunks, avocado, tomatoes and dill sauce. 
  6. Make ahead: Make the rice and dill sauce a day or two ahead. Heat the rice while making the salmon. Store leftover salmon and rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Rice can be frozen separately. 
 
Nutrition values are estimates for salmon, rice and dill sauce. They include light mayo and light sour cream in the dill sauce. 
Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 996mg | Potassium: 1103mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3832IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3mg