Soy-Sesame Salmon Bowls with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Quick Cabbage Slaw & Fried Egg
A fast, craveable weeknight bowl: crisp-edged roasted sweet potatoes, pan-seared salmon lacquered with a soy-sesame-honey glaze, and a crunchy cabbage-pepper slaw dressed with the same punchy sauce. A fried egg on top makes it rich and satisfying, with the yolk becoming a built-in sauce. Great for meal-prep, and easy to scale for two or more—serve as-is or over rice for extra heft.
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets (5–6 oz each), patted dry
- 1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2–3/4 inch cubes
- 2 eggs
- 2–3 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1–2 tablespoons neutral oil (avocado/canola), plus more as needed
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Optional: sliced scallions, sesame seeds, cooked rice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional but great)
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated (optional)
- Optional: pinch red pepper flakes or sriracha
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Line a sheet pan for easier cleanup.
- Toss the sweet potato cubes with neutral oil, a good pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Spread in a single layer.
- Roast until deeply browned on the edges and creamy when pierced, 20–30 minutes, flipping once halfway.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey (or brown sugar), rice vinegar (or lemon), sesame oil (if using), grated garlic (if using), and chili (if using). Taste: it should be salty-sweet with a bright edge.
- In a mixing bowl, toss cabbage and bell pepper with about 1/3 of the glaze. The slaw should look lightly coated and stay crunchy, not wet.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a thin film of oil.
- Season salmon lightly with pepper and just a pinch of salt (go easy—soy sauce is salty).
- Place salmon in the pan skin-side down (or presentation side down). Sear until the surface is golden and crisp and the fish releases easily, 3–5 minutes.
- Flip and cook 1–3 minutes more, until the center is just barely translucent and flakes with gentle pressure.
- Off heat, spoon another 1/3 of the glaze over the salmon and let it gloss the surface for 30–60 seconds.
- Wipe out the pan if needed, then fry the eggs in a little oil (or butter if you want) until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, about 2–3 minutes.
- Build bowls: roasted sweet potatoes on the bottom, slaw alongside, salmon on top, then the fried egg.
- Drizzle with the remaining glaze to taste. Finish with sesame seeds and scallions if using. Add rice underneath if you want a bigger bowl.
Notes
Gluten-free: use tamari or certified GF soy sauce. No rice vinegar: swap lemon juice or any mild vinegar. No sesame oil: omit and finish with toasted sesame seeds if you have them. If the glaze tastes too salty, whisk in 1–2 teaspoons water and a touch more honey until balanced. Meal prep: keep slaw separate; re-crisp salmon in a hot skillet 1 minute per side or flake it cold into bowls.