One-Pot Miso-Turmeric Salmon and Coconut Rice

Published May 15, 2025

One-Pot Miso-Turmeric Salmon and Coconut Rice
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(1,594)
Comments
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In this layered spinach, salmon and rice dish, a bed of greens layered on simmering coconut rice acts as a steamer basket for the fish nestled on top, allowing it to cook gently. The rice starts cooking while easy-to-eat salmon pieces are coated with savory miso and colorful turmeric. A bit of lime balances the rich flavors. It’s a recipe to play with, depending on whim and what you’ve got on hand: Swap the spinach for chopped chard or kale; stir in preserved lemon for brightness or sliced ginger for a warming kick; or serve with fresh avocado or radish slices.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2cups white jasmine rice
  • 1(15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4scallions, light white and green parts thinly sliced
  • 2tablespoons white miso paste
  • 2tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1tablespoon olive oil
  • 1teaspoon ground turmeric
  • pounds skinless salmon fillets, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces 
  • 5packed cups/5 ounces baby spinach
  • 1lime, quartered 
  • Cilantro leaves (optional), for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

976 calories; 50 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 85 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 47 grams protein; 1073 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large Dutch oven or other large heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, combine the rice, coconut milk and 2 cups of water; season with 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, covered, over high.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the scallions with the miso, soy sauce, olive oil, turmeric and a few grinds of pepper to form a chunky paste. Add the salmon; toss to coat.

  3. Step 3

    When the rice starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, adjusting it as needed to maintain a simmer. Stir to make sure nothing is sticking on the bottom.

  4. Step 4

    Layer the spinach on top of the rice. Squeeze 2 lime quarters over the spinach. Nestle the salmon pieces on top in an even layer, scraping in any scallions remaining in the bowl. Cover and cook until the salmon is just cooked through, breaking apart the thickest piece to check, 12 to 16 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Squeeze the remaining lime quarters over the salmon. Top with cilantro, if using. Scoop into bowls or plates to serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,594 user ratings
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Comments

@Chris I highly recommend soaking the rice for at least an hour before you cook it, which will soften it, allowing it to cook quicker, but even then I find you need at least 20-25 minutes to cook rice! It then has to stand off the heat for 5-10 minutes, so I would add the salmon after rice has been cooking for about 10-15 mins.

@Chris the rice has a head start while it comes to a boil and you layer the spinach. Total rice cooking time is longer than the fish cooking time by about 5 minutes or so. My concern was the opposite. The fish might be overcooked at 16 minutes. But I’ll just add it a minute or two later.

I made this mostly per the recipe. Replaced the olive oil with toasted sesame and the spinach with some other firm greens (mustard?). WOW, delicious. You will not regret making this one. Adding it to favorites.

Fabulous! Very forgiving recipe. Everything was prepped and ready to cook when the extended family told me they wanted to eat at 6:30, so I started the rice about 6. Then they all ran and jumped in the pool. No way they were going to want to eat at 6:30. The rice cooked rice and then the steam dried up. What to do? Added some water to keep it from drying out and waited. When the swimmers dried off, I added the spinach & fish, stirred the all the ingredients around and put the whole covered soup pot in at 425* oven for a few minutes. Delicious! The fish did break up but the flavor was out of this world! The swimmers went back for seconds and there were no leftovers. Oh—by the way, I used inexpensive haddock. Perfect.

Cooked this tonight. Generally I liked it but the spinach seemed really out of place. It feels like bok choy or carrots would go better with the flavor profile but these would have to be cooked outside of the Dutch oven.

I agree with those who say the rice cooking time is not sufficient. I cooked the rice 20 minutes before adding the spinach which in the end was barely enough. And that’s after soaking my basmati rice for 2 hours. The flavor was bland for my taste. Maybe swap out the turmeric for Thai curry paste…that might be good.

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