Salmon Bowls

These salmon bowls have it all! Wonderfully flavored wild salmon, bright salsa, creamy dill sauce, and fluffy coconut rice. Nutritious, easy to make, satisfying and so very delicious!

The salmon recipe is simple and makes the most tender, juicy salmon ever. For the rice, you can use your favorite type of rice, but I like to use coconut rice because it pairs so well with the tropical flavors going on in these bowls.

The pineapple cucumber salsa adds a fresh kick to the bowl and the dill sauce is simply out of this world. For the sauce, you will only need mayo or yogurt, lemon, and dill. Blend those ingredients in a food processor and pour it all over the salmon rice bowls for an incredible dish that makes the perfect healthy lunch or dinner.

Absolutely delicious salmon bowl! Made it tonight according to the recipe. Easy to follow instructions. We all loved this recipe! Thank you, Kim!

— Fran

Reasons to love this recipe

So much about these salmon rice bowls to love, but here are a few reasons why this dish is becoming one of my all-time favorite dinners!

• Oven baked salmon. Baking salmon is pretty effortless because there’s very little hands-on time needed and it bakes up buttery and juicy (without using butter!). It is the perfect method when you want tender, juicy, flavorful fish. As an added plus, salmon is packed with protein, healthy fats and other nutrients.
• Dill sauce. I’m absolutely in love with the combination of dill and salmon. And this sauce is creamy, tangy and adds that special something to take your salmon bowl over the top.
• Make ahead. These bowls are easy to prep ahead of time. You can even just prep certain components ahead of time. For example, I like to prep the sauce and rice the day before we plan to eat our meal. Then, just before dinner, I bake the salmon and while that’s cooking, I make the salsa. Easy peasy!
• Easy. The ingredient list for this may seem a little lengthy, but I promise all of the different components for these bowls are really very easy to throw together.
• Versatile. We love this recipe as-is, but there are so many different ways to mix things up. Feel free to add in other favorite ingredients or swap out my recommended ingredients with your favorites!

Ingredients needed

Along with the simply seasoned, delicious wild salmon, these gorgeous salmon bowls include:

• lemon dill sauce. This tasty sauce is a simple mix of mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill and salt & pepper. Feel free to sub the mayo with Greek yogurt, if you prefer.
• pineapple cucumber salsa. Optional, but it’s vibrant flavors and textures take this bowl recipe to the next level, so please don’t skip it! The combination of the fresh fruit salsa with the tangy dill sauce and seasoned salmon is perfection.
• coconut rice. Once you try this rice, you may not want plain white rice again! Coconut rice is such a tasty upgrade to other types of plain rice. And you’ll love how the fat of the coconut milk makes it seem almost buttery.

What’s the best salmon to buy?

Baked salmon meals are a little pricier than chicken dinners, but you can serve these for much less than the cost of dining out – and they taste so much better! If you’re going to the expense of enjoying salmon at home, I recommend spending a little extra on high-quality, wild salmon because you can definitely taste the difference!

• what is high-quality salmon? You want to purchase wild-caught salmon, which is usually king, coho or sockeye.
  • king salmon, also known as Chinook, is considered to be the finest of the wild Pacific salmon. It is known for its high content of healthy omega-3 oils and because of the higher fat content, it tastes the richest and is considered the most delicious of all your salmon choices.
  • coho salmon, also known as silver salmon, has a lighter taste, which may appeal to some. It pairs well with sauces and it’s more versatile in cooking, making it possible to serve in a wider variety of ways. The flavor of coho salmon is similar to king salmon, but it’s more of an any-day kind of salmon. It’s a great, less expensive option than king salmon.
  • sockeye salmon, also known as red salmon, has the strongest flavor of the bunch, but is not overly fishy. It is rich and flavorful, and many prefer it over king salmon. It is leaner than both king and coho salmon, so you’ll want to be careful not to overcook it.
• what size salmon is best? For this recipe, you can use either four 5 to 6 ounce salmon fillets OR 1 large wild Alaskan salmon fillet. I prefer individual fillets because I feel like they are easier to work with, considering they are already cut in perfect portions.
• where to purchase salmon? High-quality salmon can be found at the seafood counter of most grocery stores. This is a great option because you know it’s fresh and you’ll be able to select fillets of uniform size.
• can I use frozen salmon? If you happen to only have frozen wild salmon available – that works! Just make sure to thaw it before cooking. I often buy frozen Alaskan salmon from Costco and it’s wonderful.
• what salmon should I avoid? Always buy wild-caught salmon (preferably Alaskan) and avoid farm-raised Atlantic salmon. Farm raised Atlantic salmon are particularly fatty and often fed an artificial diet, which means they are far less nutritious, waterier and don’t yield the best results when cooked.

How to make this recipe

This dish is simple and comes together pretty quickly, especially if you make the coconut rice and dill sauce ahead of time (that’s what I often do). Here’s a quick summary of the recipe and you’ll find the full, printable recipe at the bottom.

1. Make the dill sauce. Stir together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble bowls.
2. Make the pineapple salsa. Combine salsa ingredients (red bell pepper, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, pineapple, cilantro, garlic, lime juice and salt) in a bowl and then cover and refrigerate it until it’s time to assemble your bowls.
3. Cook the salmon. Prepare the salmon with lemon pepper seasoning and then place it on a baking sheet, lined with parchment or foil, and bake it for about 15 minutes or just until the salmon starts to flake. Be cautious not to overcook it.
4. Cook the coconut rice. Simmer rice ingredients (jasmine rice, water, full fat coconut milk, sugar and salt) on low heat for 15 minutes. Once cooked, keep the lid on and remove from heat. Let rice stand for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
5. Serve and enjoy! Assemble the salmon rice bowls with all of the components and dig in!

Frequently asked questions

Recipe notes and tips

Here are a few tips to make sure your salmon bowls turn out just as amazing as mine do!

• Pineapple. I always buy the pre-cored (or pre-diced) pineapple (with the skin removed) from the produce department of my grocery store. It’s not too much more expensive and the pre-cored/skinned pineapples are usually perfectly ripe. It’s also less mess and hassle and makes the salsa recipe a breeze. (If you’ll be coring it yourself, here’s a great guide to cutting one). Alternatively, a pineapple corer/slicer will also save time and is great to have if you eat a lot of pineapple!
• Make rice ahead of time. If you want to save time, make a big batch of rice at the beginning of the week and use it in recipes throughout the week. You can also use leftover rice in fajita chicken burrito bowls, stuffed bell peppers and Mexican rice.
• Dill. Forgot the fresh dill? You can use dried. I’d start with 1 teaspoon dried dill weed and then add more if needed, since dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh.
• Cooking salmon. The thickness of salmon can vary. If your salmon is a bit thicker and not done after the suggested cooking time, just add another few minutes. On the other hand, if your salmon is thin and smaller, you may need to take it out of the oven sooner. If it has skin, I recommend removing that once the fish is cooked. It’s much easier than trying to remove it when the fish is raw.
• Cauliflower rice. Looking to keep this meal low-carb? Instead of coconut rice, use my cilantro lime cauliflower rice. It would work wonderfully in these bowls.

Customize this recipe

We love this recipe as written, but feel free to experiment and switch up some of the ingredients depending on what you have on hand and what flavors you’re craving.

• Meat. Make these bowls with grilled chicken or grilled fish. The cod recipe in my super popular fish tacos would also be amazing! Or keep it vegetarian and use tofu.
• Grains. Any type of cooked rice works. You could even try another grain, like quinoa, farro, couscous or orzo. To keep this recipe gluten free, be sure to use a gluten-free grain.
• Veggies. Bulk up the bowls by adding in some tasty vegetables, such as diced zucchini, corn, or tomatoes.
• Other fun ingredients. Try topping the bowls with crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco. You could also add sliced avocado, guacamole, black beans, green onions, sesame seeds or slaw. For a spicy salmon bowl, add a drizzle of sriracha.

Make ahead option

If you will be meal prepping this healthy recipe for another day, cook the salmon and rice and place them in one airtight container. Store the salsa in a separate container, then the sauce in small container. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply heat up the salmon and rice, then pour on the salsa and sauce for a super tasty, ready-to-go meal! Leftovers keep well for about 3 to 4 days.

If you try this salmon bowls recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.