Grilled Salmon Power Bowls (Printable)

A vibrant bowl with grilled salmon, fluffy quinoa, creamy avocado, cherry tomatoes, and citrus dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Salmon

01 - 4 salmon fillets (5.3 oz each), skin removed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Quinoa

06 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
07 - 2 cups water
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Bowl Toppings

09 - 2 ripe avocados, sliced
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
12 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
13 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
14 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

→ Citrus Dressing

15 - 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
17 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
18 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
19 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
20 - 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
21 - Pinch of sea salt
22 - Pinch of black pepper

# Steps:

01 - In a saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - Brush salmon fillets with olive oil, then season evenly with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika on both sides.
03 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill salmon for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until opaque and just cooked through. Remove from heat and allow to rest.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
05 - Divide cooked quinoa equally among 4 bowls. Top each with grilled salmon, avocado slices, cherry tomatoes, spinach, red onion, pumpkin seeds, and cilantro.
06 - Drizzle citrus dressing over each bowl just before serving.

# Tips from the Pros:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours cooking but comes together in barely half an hour.
  • The salmon gets perfectly caramelized on the outside while staying buttery inside, and the citrus dressing ties everything together like magic.
02 -
  • Don't walk away from the salmon while it's grilling—it goes from perfect to overdone in about 30 seconds, and overcooked salmon is a tragedy nobody needs.
  • The quinoa will double in size as it cooks, so don't be alarmed when what looked like a small amount suddenly fills half your pot.
03 -
  • Make your citrus dressing a day ahead and store it in a jar—the flavors deepen and meld overnight, and you'll have less to do when you're actually assembling bowls.
  • If your salmon is thicker than half an inch, start it skin-side down on the cooler side of the grill, then move it to higher heat for the final minute to get that beautiful crust without cooking it through too fast.
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