🍱 International Recipe · Salmon Bowl

Tonight I'm Making Salmon Teriyaki.
My Dog Is Too.

Same fresh salmon. Same fluffy rice. Same cozy dinner table.
Just minus the soy sauce, garlic, mirin and sake — and twice as much tail wagging.

⏱ 20 min cook time 🐟 Omega-3 rich 🧬 All breeds
Fresh salmon and rice Japanese bowl
10Ingredients
~20 minTotal Time
All SizesSmall → Giant
HighOmega-3 Content

The Idea Behind This Recipe

There's something quietly lovely about cooking one meal and sharing it with your dog. Salmon teriyaki is a weeknight staple in many households — clean protein, light carbs, simple vegetables. The human version gets soy sauce, mirin, sake and a hit of garlic. Your dog's version gets everything wholesome and none of the toxic bits. Same kitchen, same 20 minutes, two very happy diners.

This recipe is particularly great for dogs with sensitive skin, dull coats, or any hint of inflammation — the omega-3s in salmon are among the most powerful anti-inflammatory nutrients in your dog's diet.

Your Plate vs. Their Bowl

🧑 Your Plate

  • 🐟 Salmon fillet
  • 🍚 Japanese short-grain rice
  • 🥢 Soy sauce
  • 🍶 Mirin + sake
  • 🧄 Garlic
  • 🫚 Sesame oil
  • 🍯 Honey glaze
  • 🌿 Ginger
  • 🥒 Cucumber
  • 🌿 Spring onion garnish

🐕 Their Bowl

  • ✅ Salmon fillet
  • ✅ Japanese short-grain rice
  • Soy sauce → Bone broth
  • Mirin + sake
  • Garlic
  • ⚠️ Sesame oil → Sesame seeds (optional swap)
  • Honey
  • ⚠️ Ginger → tiny pinch optional
  • ✅ Cucumber
  • ➕ Sweet potato, edamame, nori, egg

What Changed — And Why

🚫 These 4 Are Genuinely Off-Limits — Never Feed These to Your Dog

🥢
Soy Sauce
Extremely high sodium — one tablespoon contains 900mg sodium, easily reaching toxic levels for a small or medium dog.
🍶
Mirin & Sake
Both contain alcohol and sugar. Even small amounts of alcohol can cause vomiting, disorientation and liver damage in dogs.
🧄
Garlic
Contains thiosulfates that destroy red blood cells, causing haemolytic anaemia. More toxic than onion, gram for gram. Zero exceptions.
🍯
Honey Glaze
Pure sugar with no nutritional benefit for dogs. Contributes to weight gain and dental decay over time.

✅ These 2 Are Actually Fine — We Just Swapped Them

🫚
Sesame Oil — safe, just swapped
Sesame oil is not toxic to dogs at all. We swapped it for sesame seeds because a big drizzle of oil is very calorie-dense and can cause loose stools in some dogs. But a few drops on the finished bowl? Completely fine if your dog tolerates it well.
🌱
Ginger — safe, optional to include
Fresh ginger is not toxic to dogs. In small amounts it actually has anti-nausea and mild anti-inflammatory properties. We left it out of the base recipe to keep it simple, but a tiny pinch of fresh grated ginger in your dog's bowl is perfectly fine — and may even be beneficial.

Ingredient Amounts by Dog Size

Based on feeding ~2–2.5% of body weight daily. Adjust slightly for your dog's activity level and current weight.

IngredientAmountNotes
🐟 Protein
Salmon fillet (cooked, no skin)70gBake or steam — no oil, no seasoning
Egg (scrambled, no butter)½ egg (~25g)Adds complete amino acids
🍚 Carbs
Japanese short-grain rice (cooked)35gRinsed and plain — no salt
🥦 Vegetables & Extras
Sweet potato (steamed, mashed)30gNatural sweetness dogs love
Cucumber (raw, sliced)15gHydrating, low calorie crunch
Edamame (plain, shelled)10gNo salt, no pod
Nori seaweed (unsalted)1 small strip (~1g)Tear into tiny pieces
🌿 Finishing
Sesame seeds¼ tspSprinkle on top
Bone broth (unsalted)30ml drizzleThe dog's "teriyaki sauce"
Fish oil (salmon oil) COLD½ tspAdd cold after serving — never heat

Total: ~175–185g per meal (once daily). Split into two meals if your dog eats twice a day.

IngredientAmountNotes
🐟 Protein
Salmon fillet (cooked, no skin)150gBake or steam — no oil, no seasoning
Egg (scrambled, no butter)1 egg (~50g)Adds complete amino acids
🍚 Carbs
Japanese short-grain rice (cooked)75gRinsed and plain — no salt
🥦 Vegetables & Extras
Sweet potato (steamed, mashed)65gNatural sweetness dogs love
Cucumber (raw, sliced)30gHydrating, low calorie crunch
Edamame (plain, shelled)20gNo salt, no pod
Nori seaweed (unsalted)1 strip (~2g)Tear into small pieces
🌿 Finishing
Sesame seeds½ tspSprinkle on top
Bone broth (unsalted)60ml drizzleThe dog's "teriyaki sauce"
Fish oil (salmon oil) COLD1 tspAdd cold after serving — never heat

Total: ~375–400g per meal (once daily). Split into two meals if your dog eats twice a day.

IngredientAmountNotes
🐟 Protein
Salmon fillet (cooked, no skin)240gBake or steam — no oil, no seasoning
Egg (scrambled, no butter)1½ eggs (~75g)Adds complete amino acids
🍚 Carbs
Japanese short-grain rice (cooked)120gRinsed and plain — no salt
🥦 Vegetables & Extras
Sweet potato (steamed, mashed)100gNatural sweetness dogs love
Cucumber (raw, sliced)50gHydrating, low calorie crunch
Edamame (plain, shelled)30gNo salt, no pod
Nori seaweed (unsalted)2 strips (~3g)Tear into small pieces
🌿 Finishing
Sesame seeds¾ tspSprinkle on top
Bone broth (unsalted)90ml drizzleThe dog's "teriyaki sauce"
Fish oil (salmon oil) COLD1½ tspAdd cold after serving — never heat

Total: ~600–620g per meal (once daily). Split into two meals if your dog eats twice a day.

IngredientAmountNotes
🐟 Protein
Salmon fillet (cooked, no skin)360gBake or steam — no oil, no seasoning
Egg (scrambled, no butter)2 eggs (~100g)Adds complete amino acids
🍚 Carbs
Japanese short-grain rice (cooked)180gRinsed and plain — no salt
🥦 Vegetables & Extras
Sweet potato (steamed, mashed)150gNatural sweetness dogs love
Cucumber (raw, sliced)75gHydrating, low calorie crunch
Edamame (plain, shelled)50gNo salt, no pod — limit for legume-sensitive breeds
Nori seaweed (unsalted)3 strips (~5g)Tear into pieces
🌿 Finishing
Sesame seeds1 tspSprinkle on top
Bone broth (unsalted)120ml drizzleThe dog's "teriyaki sauce"
Fish oil (salmon oil) COLD2 tspAdd cold after serving — never heat

Total: ~900g–1kg per meal (once daily). Most giant breeds do better split into two meals to prevent bloat.

❄️

Why the COLD tag on fish oil? Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA) are destroyed by heat. Once you've cooked and plated your dog's bowl, let it cool for 5 minutes — then drizzle the fish oil on top. This keeps all the anti-inflammatory benefits intact. Never cook with fish oil.

Why Each Ingredient Earns Its Place

🐟 Salmon Fillet

The star of this bowl. Rich in EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids — the most potent anti-inflammatory nutrients available in food. Supports brain function, skin health, coat shine and joint comfort. Also a complete, highly digestible protein source.

Omega-3 EPA/DHA Complete Protein Vitamin D

🍚 Japanese Short-Grain Rice

Easily digestible carbohydrate that provides steady energy. Short-grain rice has a slightly stickier texture that many dogs prefer and sits more gently on sensitive stomachs than long-grain or brown rice. Plain, rinsed and cooked with no salt or seasoning.

Digestible Carbs B Vitamins

🍠 Sweet Potato

One of the best carbohydrate vegetables for dogs. Very high in beta-carotene (which converts to Vitamin A), plus soluble fibre that feeds good gut bacteria. The natural sweetness makes it a palatability booster — picky eaters rarely reject a bowl with sweet potato.

Beta-Carotene Vitamin A Soluble Fibre

🥒 Cucumber

96% water — excellent for hydration, especially on warm days. Very low calorie with zero fat or sugar, making it ideal for dogs watching their weight. Contains silica which supports joint cartilage. A gentle, cooling addition to any bowl.

Hydration Silica Low Calorie

🫘 Edamame (Plain)

Young soybeans are a good plant-based protein and fibre source. Rich in folate and Vitamin K. Always serve plain and shelled — never in the pod, never salted. Note: breeds with known DCM risk (Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Boxers) should have edamame limited or omitted.

Plant Protein Folate Vitamin K

🥚 Egg

Often called nature's perfect protein — eggs contain all essential amino acids in ideal ratios, plus choline for brain health and riboflavin for energy metabolism. Scrambled with no oil or butter. The biotin in raw egg whites is blocked by avidin — cooking fixes this.

Complete Protein Choline Riboflavin

🌿 Nori (Unsalted Seaweed)

A tiny strip of nori adds a surprisingly powerful nutrient punch: iodine for healthy thyroid function, iron, calcium and a range of trace minerals rare in land-based foods. Buy unsalted nori sheets (the ones used for sushi) and break them into small pieces.

Iodine Iron Trace Minerals

🍵 Bone Broth (Unsalted)

The umami hit that replaces soy sauce — without the sodium. Unsalted bone broth adds flavour, encourages picky eaters, supports gut lining integrity and provides collagen for joints. Make your own or buy a dog-specific version. Check: must say "no onion, no garlic, no salt".

Collagen Glycine Gut Support

🌰 Sesame Seeds

Tiny but notable: sesame seeds are rich in calcium, zinc and healthy unsaturated fats. A small sprinkle adds visual appeal (just like on your teriyaki!) and a mild nutty note. Keep amounts small — a teaspoon or less — as they're calorie-dense.

Calcium Zinc Healthy Fats

🫙 Salmon Oil COLD

Added cold after the bowl cools — this preserves the full omega-3 (EPA/DHA) content that heat destroys. Salmon oil is the highest quality fish oil for dogs: supports skin, coat, brain, and is especially valuable for older dogs and breeds prone to joint issues.

EPA + DHA (intact) Anti-Inflammatory

How to Make It

  1. 1
    Cook the rice

    Rinse the rice until water runs clear. Cook in plain water with no salt or seasoning. Short-grain rice can be made in a rice cooker or saucepan — follow your usual method. Set aside to cool slightly.

  2. 2
    Bake or steam the salmon

    Place the salmon on a lined baking tray with nothing on it — no oil, no marinade. Bake at 180°C for 12–15 minutes until cooked through. Alternatively, steam for 10 minutes. Remove the skin before serving and check for bones by running your finger along the fillet.

  3. 3
    Steam the sweet potato

    Peel and cube. Steam for 10–12 minutes until soft. Mash lightly with a fork — no butter, no salt. While you're at it, this is also when you make your own sweet potato side dish. You both win.

  4. 4
    Scramble the egg

    One quick scramble in a dry non-stick pan — no butter, no oil, no salt. Cook until fully set. You're essentially making a plain egg for your dog while your egg gets to have all the seasoning and butter.

  5. 5
    Prep the cold ingredients

    Slice the cucumber, shell the edamame (make sure no pods). Break the nori sheet into small, bite-sized pieces — about 1cm squares for a medium dog.

  6. 6
    Assemble the bowl

    Flake the salmon over the rice. Add sweet potato, egg, cucumber, edamame and nori pieces. Drizzle the unsalted bone broth over everything. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

  7. 7
    Let it cool — then add fish oil cold

    Wait 5–10 minutes for the bowl to cool to body temperature or below. Then drizzle the salmon oil on top. Serving warm (not hot) is fine and actually encourages eating — but the fish oil must never be heated.

Breed Notes

✅ Especially Great For

Breeds with skin & coat issues — Bulldogs, West Highland Terriers, Shar Peis, Golden Retrievers: the omega-3s in salmon are transformative for itchy, inflamed skin.

Senior dogs of any breed — EPA/DHA supports joint mobility and cognitive function as dogs age.

Dogs with sensitive stomachs — salmon and white rice is one of the most common vet-recommended bland-diet combinations.

⚠️ Small Adjustments

Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Boxers, Irish Wolfhounds — remove the edamame. These breeds have a higher observed rate of DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) linked to legume-heavy diets. All other ingredients in this recipe are fine.

Obese dogs — reduce the egg and sesame seeds. Both are calorie-dense. More cucumber, less rice.

❌ Not Suitable For

Dogs with fish allergies — rare but possible. Signs include itching, ear infections, or digestive upset within hours of eating salmon. Substitute with plain chicken breast and chicken bone broth.

Dogs with confirmed hypothyroidism — check with your vet on nori frequency, as high iodine intake can interfere with thyroid medications.

🍱

Batch cooking tip: Make 3–4 days' worth at once. Cook a large salmon fillet and portion the rice. Store in the fridge (3–4 days) or freeze individual meal portions for up to 3 months. Add cucumber and nori fresh each time — they don't freeze well. Add fish oil fresh every meal.

More "We Eat Together" Recipes Coming

This is the first of our international dog bowl series — real meals adapted for your dog so dinner is a shared moment. Next up: Thai Green Curry Night and Korean Beef Bibimbap.

Browse All Recipes →