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5 from 2 votes

Salmon with Quinoa and Spinach

Salmon with Quinoa and Spinach-is very easy to make, so delicious and nutritious. Tossed in a flavorful dressing, this protein-packed meal is ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for meal prep, lunch, or dinner.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: gluten-free, one bowl recipe, quinoa, salmon
Servings: 4
Calories: 818kcal
Author: Lora

Ingredients

  • DRESSING
  • 1 piece 3inches fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • ½ cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce, use tamari if gluten-free
  • ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • ¾ cup oil avocado or another mild flavored oil
  • QUINOA AND SPINACH
  • 1 cup quinoa red, white, black, or mixed
  • 2 cups water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 cups packed baby spinach leaves
  • SALMON
  • 4 salmon steaks cut 1 1/4-inches thick, each 5 to 6 ounces or 1 1/4 pounds boneless salmon from the thick end, cut into 4 pieces
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • vegetable oil for the grill
  • TO SERVE
  • ½ English cucumber halved lengthwise and sliced
  • 2 jalapenos sliced (green or red) *optional
  • 1-2 scallions sliced thin (use more or less, however you like)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • DRESSING
  • If making in a blender or a processor, blend/pulse until nice and smooth and creamy.
  • Or finely chop ginger and place dressing ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together until smooth and creamy.
  • Or finely chop ginger and place dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Seal jar tightly and shake very hard to combine all the ingredients. Taste the dressing, and add more rice wine vinegar and lime juice if it needs more tartness. Add another splash of coconut aminos if it's needing a bit more salt. Adjust the dressing to your taste.
  • MARINATE SALMON
  • In a casserole or deep plate, place the salmon. Add on 1/3 cup of the ginger dressing, reserving rest of dressing for the bowls/platter. Turn the salmon around in the dressing to coat it and let it marinate while you prep the grill (or the oven if you’re roasting).
  • While the salmon is marinating, prep the quinoa and heat the grill pan or gas grill (or prep the oven to roast).
  • COOK QUINOA
  • If not pre-rinsed quinoa, place quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer and rinse the quinoa under cold water for 30 seconds. Drain well.
  • Leave the pan uncovered and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat, please the lid on the pan, and let it simmer until the water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
  • Leave the pan uncovered and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat, please the lid on the pan, and let it simmer until the water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and cover for 5 minutes to finish cooking. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
  • Add 1 cup water to a small sauce pan. Add in the quinoa and teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and keep it a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the germs (tiny spirals) separate and curl around the seeds and the water is absorbed. Use a spoon to check bottom of pan and see if water evaporated. If you still see water, keep cooking few more minutes. Place the spinach on top of the quinoa. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff quinoa with a fork. Transfer the quinoa and spinach to a large bowl while you prep rest of ingredients.
  • While the quinoa is simmering, cook the salmon.
  • SALMON
  • Prepare grill pan or your gas or charcoal grill with some oil (you could spray it on or use a paper towel to spread it all around the grill pan or grates). Heat the grill pan on the oven to medium-high, or gas grill (turn to medium-high), or light your charcoal grill.
  • As soon as it heats up, add the salmon skin side up, cook for 2-4 minutes (or until it has grill marks). Use a spatula to flip it over and grill for 2-4 more minutes, or until cooked through.
  • Remove salmon and cool briefly. Use a fork to break the fish into chunks, removing the skin, and the bones if you cooked steaks. Once the salmon fillets have cooled, break them apart using a fork and toss in the quinoa salad.
  • PREP PLATTER OR BOWLS
  • Add the quinoa to a large serving platter or you could prep individual bowls. If serving in individual bowls, spoon quinoa into bottom of each bowl. Drizzle on some of the dressing and toss to combine a little. Check seasoning and add a little salt and pepper, if you like, to taste.
  • Add the salmon pieces and whatever other vegetables you are serving. Drizzle on some more dressing and a little extra-virgin olive oil.
  • Add the scallion, cucumber, and carrot to the bowl of quinoa. Drizzle 1/3 cup of the dressing over it and toss gently. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if you like.
  • Serve warm, room temperature or cold. Enjoy!
  • To serve, spread the salad on a platter or individual serving bowls (or plates).

Notes

TIPS
DRESSING
Double dressing recipe and use it throughout the week for other salads or recipes.

QUINOA
If you buy pre-rinsed quinoa, you don’t have to rinse it. Check package and if it’s not pre-rinsed, you will need to rinse it as it will be bitter if you don’t.
If you double quinoa portion, you could let the extra quinoa cool down and then freeze it for meal prep. Let it cool down completely and place in freezer bag or freezer safe container. Simply thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.
SALMON

Cook the salmon whatever way you prefer. If you don’t mind turning on your oven, roast it. If you have a grill pan, cook it on your grill pan.
If you have an outdoor grill, go ahead and grill it. If you like to pan sear, go ahead and cook in your pan. Whatever way you choose to cook it, it will be fine for this recipe. Or if you have leftover salmon from another recipe, it’s perfect to use in this recipe.
All of the ingredients could be cooked ahead of time. When ready to assemble, remove ingredients and assemble platter or bowls.

Nutrition

Calories: 818kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 1159mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 4mg