This Salmon Quinoa Bowl has everything I want in an easy a healthy lunch or dinner: fluffy quinoa, perfectly cooked salmon, cucumber, creamy avocado, tomatoes, salty olives, sun-dried tomatoes, my homemade marinated butter beans (that you have all been LOVING), and a creamy homemade Greek yogurt salad dressing that brings it all together. Packed with protein and fibre and so light and fresh.
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This bowl is super nutritious with a great balance of protein, fibre and healthy fats. You get plenty of protein from the salmon, quinoa, butter beans, and yogurt dressing, healthy fats from the avocado and salmon, and lots of texture and flavour from all the fresh and Mediterranean-inspired toppings.
This bowl feels hearty and wholesome, without being heavy - it's great for meal prep too.
This recipe is also a brilliant way to use up a batch of cooked quinoa from my previous quinoa post, along with homemade marinated butter beans and homemade Greek yogurt salad dressing. Once those are ready (or you have leftovers), the whole bowl comes together so quickly.
It is also incredibly flexible. You can change the vegetables, swap the dressing, or serve it warm or cold.
Looking for more healthy salmon recipes? Why not try our spicy Bang Bang Salmon, easy Smoked Salmon Bagel or our delicious Smoked Salmon Risotto?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Salmon - You can either make Air Fryer Salmon, or cook it in the oven if you prefer.
- Quinoa - Use 2 portions of quinoa from my How To Cook Quinoa recipe.
- Salad - Cucumber, avocado, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and olives all add lots of colour and flavour. You could use stuffed olives with chillies or garlic if you wanted extra flavour.
- Butter beans - You could use plain cooked butter beans, or a different beans, but this salmon quinoa bowl uses our marinated butter bean recipe, which is incredible.
- Salad dressing - This uses a homemade Greek yogurt salad dressing. But you could use a Tahini Dressing or a Lemon Vinaigrette instead.
Variations
Spicy - Add chilli flakes to the salmon seasoning or stir a little hot sauce into the Greek yogurt dressing.
Crunch - For extra crunch, scatter over toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or chopped roasted nuts just before serving.
Protein - For a different protein, swap the salmon for air fryer chicken, grilled halloumi, prawns, or tofu.
Vegetables - For a warm roasted vegetable version, add roasted peppers, courgettes, aubergine, or red onion. Try our Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables.
Pesto - Instead of the salad dressing, you could add a spoonful of pesto like our Mixed Herb Pesto or Spinach Pesto.
How To Make Salmon Quinoa Bowls
Step 1
Cook the quinoa.
Step 2
At the same time, cook the salmon fillets. We air fried ours.
Step 3
Add the cooked quinoa to a bowl and then top with the cooked salmon and the rest of the ingredients.
Meal Prep and Storage
This recipe is excellent for meal prep because the different components can be made ahead and stored separately.
Meal prep - Cook the quinoa in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This makes assembling the bowls much quicker.
You can also make the salad dressing and butter beans in advance and just give them a good mix through before serving.
The salmon can be cooked ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. It is delicious served cold in the bowl, or you can gently reheat it if you prefer.
For the freshest texture, chop the cucumber and tomatoes ahead of time, but slice the avocado just before serving.
Storage - Once made up, the whole salmon quinoa bowl can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It is best stored without any dressing though, as it will go soggy quickly.
If you want to build ready-to-go lunch bowls, layer the quinoa first, then add the cucumber, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and butter beans. Keep the avocado, dressing, and salmon in separate containers if possible, then add them just before eating for the best texture and flavour.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Use cooked quinoa that has fully cooled if you want a more defined, fluffy texture. Freshly cooked quinoa can be softer and more delicate, so cooling it first helps it hold up better in the bowl.
- If air frying, do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. The salmon cooks more evenly and gets a better finish when there is space for the air to circulate.
- Let the salmon rest for a minute or two after cooking. This helps the juices settle and keeps the fish lovely and flaky.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon right before serving brightens everything and lifts all the flavours.
- If your sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, drain them well before adding them to the bowls so they do not make the whole dish oily.
- This salmon quinoa bowl is fairly high in calories for a meal (but also very nutritious), so I would usually have it on a high activity day. You can always adapt it if you need it to be lower in calories. Reduce the beans, take out the olives and sun-dried tomatoes and reduce the avocado.
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be either. If you want something more like a grain bowl, serve the quinoa and salmon warm. If you prefer a fresher salad-style meal, use chilled quinoa and cold or room temperature salmon. Both versions are delicious.
Cannellini beans or chickpeas are good substitutes, although the butter beans add a particularly creamy texture. Since your homemade marinated butter beans are already packed with flavour, they really make this bowl extra special.
Yes. If you do not have an air fryer, you can bake the salmon in the oven at 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 until cooked through, usually around 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness.
More Meals in a Bowl
If you've tried this salmon quinoa bowl recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Salmon Quinoa Bowl
Ingredients
- 240 g (8.5 oz) Salmon fillets - approx 120g/4.25 oz per fillet
- 2 portion Cooked quinoa
- 0.5 Cucumber - sliced
- 0.5 Avocado - sliced
- 10 Cherry tomatoes - halved
- 4 Sun-dried tomatoes - chopped
- 10 Olives - halved
- 2 portion Marinated butter beans
- 2 portion Greek yogurt salad dressing
Instructions
- Prepare 2 portion Cooked quinoa.
- At the same time, cook 240 g Salmon fillets - we air fried ours.
- Divide the cooked quinoa between bowls and then top with the cooked salmon. Add 0.5 Cucumber, 0.5 Avocado, 10 Cherry tomatoes, 4 Sun-dried tomatoes, 10 Olives, 2 portion Marinated butter beans and 2 portion Greek yogurt salad dressing.
Recipe Tips
- Use cooked quinoa that has fully cooled if you want a more defined, fluffy texture. Freshly cooked quinoa can be softer and more delicate, so cooling it first helps it hold up better in the bowl.
- If air frying, do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. The salmon cooks more evenly and gets a better finish when there is space for the air to circulate.
- Let the salmon rest for a minute or two after cooking. This helps the juices settle and keeps the fish lovely and flaky.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon right before serving brightens everything and lifts all the flavours.
- If your sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, drain them well before adding them to the bowls so they do not make the whole dish oily.
- This salmon quinoa bowl is fairly high in calories for a meal (but also very nutritious), so I would usually have it on a high activity day. You can always adapt it if you need it to be lower in calories. Reduce the beans, take out the olives and sun-dried tomatoes and reduce the avocado.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
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