Weeknight Dinner: Salmon Teriyaki Bowls

Flavorful, Balanced & Totally Doable on a Tuesday 🍣🥦🍠Welcome to the first recipe in my Weeknight Dinner Series—a collection of real-life dinners that are nourishing, comforting, and easy enough to make after work. These meals are designed to be simple but special, with minimal cleanup and ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

We’re kicking things off with these Salmon Teriyaki Bowls: roasted broccoli and sweet potato over fluffy white rice, topped with perfectly seared, teriyaki-glazed salmon. It’s sweet, savory, colorful, and packed with feel-good ingredients. Bonus? The extra teriyaki sauce doubles as a dressing for a quick cucumber salad, and the leftovers make the best lunch the next day.

Why You’ll Love This Bowl

✔ Sheet Pan Simplicity – Roast your veggies while you prep the rest✔ Nourishing & Balanced – Protein, fiber, healthy carbs, and veggies✔ Sweet, Sticky Teriyaki Sauce – With double the flavor✔ Quick Cucumber Salad – A fresh bonus side dish✔ Makes Great Leftovers – Perfect for lunch tomorrow✔ Weeknight-Friendly – Done in around 40 minutes

The Recipe: Salmon Teriyaki Bowls

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 4 salmon fillets (about 1.5–2 lbs total), skin removed and cubed

• 4 cups cooked white rice

• 1 medium sweet potato, per person, washed and diced

• 2 large heads of broccoli, cut into florets, or a precut bag

• 2–3 tbsp olive oil

• Garlic salt and black pepper, to taste

• 1–2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced (for optional side salad)

For the Teriyaki Sauce (Double Batch):

• 1 cup soy sauce

• 4 tbsp honey or maple syrup

• 2 tbsp rice vinegar

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger

• 2 tsp cornstarch + 2 tsp water (slurry)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Toss the diced sweet potato with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper. Spread on the sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes.

3. While sweet potatoes roast, whisk together the teriyaki sauce ingredients except the cornstarch slurry.

4. Place the cubed salmon in a bowl or bag and pour in a few spoonfuls of the sauce to marinate while the veggies cook. Set the rest of the sauce aside for finishing the salmon and making a cucumber salad.

5. After 20 minutes, add the broccoli to the pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with garlic salt and pepper, and toss. Roast for another 15–20 minutes, until tender and golden.

6. Meanwhile, cook the white rice rinse 2 cups of white rice and add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then turn to low, and put on the lid, for about 15-20 mins (until finished cooking).

7. In a large skillet, sear the marinated salmon cubes in a bit of oil until golden on all sides (about 5–7 minutes total).

8. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the salmon and let it simmer for a few minutes until coated and glossy.

9. Optional: Toss the sliced cucumbers with a spoonful or two of the teriyaki sauce for a quick, flavorful cucumber salad.

10. Assemble your bowls: scoop rice, add roasted broccoli and sweet potato, top with teriyaki salmon, and serve with cucumber salad on the side. Garnish with sesame seeds or green onions if desired.

Make It Your Own

🍚 Try brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice🌿 Swap in zucchini, carrots, or edamame🌶 Add chili flakes or sriracha for a spicy kick

Why This Dinner is on Repeat at My House- It’s cozy, colorful, and so satisfying. Roasting the sweet potato with the skin on gives it that perfect caramelized texture, while the broccoli gets crispy and golden. The salmon is sweet, savory, and seared to perfection—and that cucumber salad is the easiest little upgrade. It’s one of those dinners that just works, and the next-day leftovers are even better. Salmon is one of my favorite weeknight proteins because it cooks so quickly and is so healthy for you.

If you make it, tag me @Weeknight_Homemaker—I’d love to see your bowls!

Here’s to simple, feel-good dinners,

Lauren 💕