Spelt Teriyaki Salmon Rice-Style Bowls with Edamame

Spelt teriyaki salmon rice-style bowls pair glazed salmon fillets with pearled spelt cooked and fluffed like rice. The grain stays chewy and nutty, and the sauce stays glossy. The whole bowl is ready in 40 minutes.

Pearled spelt replaces white rice here. It simmers for about 25 minutes and holds its shape, so leftovers don't turn mushy. That makes the bowls easy to prepare ahead.

The teriyaki sauce is a quick homemade version made with soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger. It simmers for 3 minutes. Half glazes the fish and half goes over the finished bowls.

Bake the salmon until it reaches 145 F / 63 C and flakes easily. Thin tail ends finish a few minutes early and dry out, so check them first.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Pearled spelt gives a chewy, nutty base in 25 minutes
Salmon bakes on one sheet pan with no flipping
Homemade sauce uses pantry staples and stays glossy
Components keep 3 days, so bowls are easy to prepare ahead

Salmon fillets brushed with dark teriyaki glaze on a parchment-lined sheet pan, with sauce dripping off the brush

Ingredient Notes

pearled spelt: Pearled spelt has the outer bran removed, so it cooks in about 25 minutes. Whole spelt berries work too but need 45 to 60 minutes.
salmon fillets: Choose skin-on fillets about 2.5 cm thick and of similar size so they finish together. Skin-on fish stays moist, and the skin slips off after baking if you prefer.
honey: Honey gives the glaze body and a clean sweetness. Maple syrup works as a one-to-one swap.
frozen shelled edamame: Edamame goes straight into the spelt pot for the last 4 minutes, so no separate pan is needed. Peas are a fair substitute.

Two bowls and chopsticks on a linen napkin beside a small dish of extra sauce and a glass of water, evening light

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Cooking Method: Mixed

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Courses: Dinner

Difficulty: Easy

Cooking Temp: 200 C

Servings: 4

Estimated Cost: 6.50

Calories: 177

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains fish, Contains gluten (spelt), Dairy-Free, Egg-free, High Protein, Pescatarian

Description

Pearled spelt takes the place of rice under salmon fillets coated in a soy, honey and ginger glaze. The grain stays chewy and the sauce stays glossy.

Ingredients

Teriyaki sauce

60 ml soy sauce
60 ml water
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
1 tbsp fresh ginger (finely grated)
2 tsp cornstarch (stirred into 1 tbsp cold water)

Spelt

200 g pearled spelt (rinsed)
750 ml water
1/2 tsp fine salt
150 g frozen shelled edamame

Salmon and toppings

4 skin-on salmon fillets ((150 g each); about 2.5 cm thick)
2 carrots (medium (150 g); peeled into ribbons)
1 cucumber (medium (200 g); thinly sliced)
1 ripe avocado (large; sliced)
3 spring onions (thinly sliced)
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1
Whisk the soy sauce, water, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and cornstarch mixture in a 1-quart / 1 L saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring, until it coats the back of a spoon. Pour half into a clean bowl and set it aside for serving.
2
Peel the carrots into ribbons and slice the spring onions. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and line a 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch sheet pan with parchment.
3
Heat the oven to 200 C / 400 F. Rinse the spelt in a fine-mesh sieve, then add it to a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan with 750 ml water and the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a steady simmer, and partly cover.
4
After the spelt has simmered for 10 minutes, set the salmon skin-side down on the pan. Brush the fillets with the sauce left in the saucepan. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the flesh is opaque, flakes easily, and reads 145 F / 63 C at the thickest part. Check the thin tail ends first.
5
While the salmon bakes, slice the cucumber and avocado. When the spelt has 4 minutes left, stir in the edamame. After 25 minutes total, check that the spelt is tender with a slight chew, then drain well in the sieve and fluff with a fork.
6
Divide the spelt and edamame among four bowls. Top each with a salmon fillet, cucumber, carrot ribbons and avocado. Spoon over the reserved sauce and finish with spring onions and sesame seeds.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 177kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 32g50%
Saturated Fat 6g30%
Cholesterol 85mg29%
Sodium 1050mg44%
Potassium 1240mg36%
Total Carbohydrate 66g22%
Dietary Fiber 9g36%
Sugars 19g
Protein 44g88%

Vitamin A 6300 IU
Vitamin C 10 mg
Calcium 90 mg
Iron 3.5 mg
Vitamin D 650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg
Vitamin K 25 mcg
Thiamin 0.5 mg
Riboflavin 0.5 mg
Niacin 14 mg
Vitamin B6 1.2 mg
Folate 130 mcg
Vitamin B12 5 mcg
Phosphorus 625 mg
Magnesium 140 mg
Zinc 3 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Use fillets about 2.5 cm thick so 12 to 14 minutes at 200 C / 400 F stays accurate.
Keep the reserved sauce in its own bowl. Never spoon it back over raw fish.
Start tasting the spelt at 22 minutes. It should be tender with a slight chew.
Whisk in 1 tsp warm water if the reserved sauce thickens while the salmon bakes.

Keywords: spelt teriyaki salmon bowls, spelt rice bowls, teriyaki salmon bowl, pearled spelt recipes, salmon meal prep bowls

Equipment

3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan with lid
1-quart / 1 L small saucepan
sheet pan 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch
fine-mesh sieve
pastry brush
instant-read thermometer

Tips

Rinse the pearled spelt in a sieve until the water runs mostly clear, which keeps the cooked grains separate and clean tasting.
Reserve half the sauce in a clean bowl before brushing the salmon, so the sauce you serve never touches raw fish.
Choose fillets of similar thickness, about 2.5 cm, so they finish together and none dry out at the edges.
Add the edamame to the spelt for the last 4 minutes, so one pot and one sieve handle both.
Slice the avocado and cucumber just before serving, so the cucumber stays crisp and the avocado stays green.

Variations

Swap salmon for pressed firm tofu cubes, baked on the same sheet pan for 25 minutes and turned once.
Use cooked short-grain brown rice in place of spelt, and tamari in place of soy sauce, for a gluten-free bowl.
Add 1 tsp sriracha or a pinch of chili flakes to the sauce for gentle heat, then top with sliced radishes.

Storage and Reheating

Spelt teriyaki salmon bowls keep for 3 days in the refrigerator when you store the parts separately. Use airtight containers for the spelt, the salmon and the reserved sauce. Slice the cucumber and avocado on the day you eat.

To reheat, cover the salmon with foil and warm it in a 150 C / 300 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Microwave the spelt for 60 to 90 seconds with 1 tbsp water. The texture stays soft and the grains stay separate.

Cooked spelt also freezes well for up to 2 months in a flat freezer bag. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

Spelt teriyaki salmon bowls work best assembled just before eating, so the vegetables stay crisp against the warm fish. Spoon the reserved sauce over the top. Finish with spring onions and sesame seeds.

For a family table, set out each part in its own dish and let everyone build a bowl. Anyone who wants heat can add chili flakes. Anyone who doesn't can skip the spring onion.

Steamed bok choy or a small bowl of miso soup rounds out the meal. Both stay light and let the glaze remain the main flavor.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/spelt-teriyaki-salmon-rice-style-bowls/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!