A few months ago, I shared a spring version of my salmon and quinoa bowl. Now that it’s the heart of June and early summer produce becomes available, I can’t wait for you all to try my early summer version of this.
Sweet corn, tender zucchini, a citrusy herby lemon vinaigrette, and fatty and delicious salmon.
I love every seasonal combination of this bowl, and I’m excited to make a mid-summer one in a couple months.
Make ahead tips:
Want to have this ready for a weeknight dinner in 15 minutes? Feel free to follow these tips to prep most of this ahead of time, and pull it together very quickly. You can also double the recipe for everything and serve this one night with chicken, and one night with salmon!
- Roast the beets, potatoes, and carrots up to 4 days before serving – they will keep and reheat very well. When ready to serve, reheat in the oven at 400F for 10-15 minutes, or until hot.
- Make the vinaigrette ahead of time – double the batch and use this for other salads throughout the week too!
- Make the spice mixture – this can be mixed together and kept in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can also season the salmon and store this in the fridge for a few days. Just make sure the fish is very fresh when you get it. You can also keep the salmon over ice to keep it extra fresh. I wouldn’t recommend keeping your salmon in the fridge for more than 3 days (at this point, just freeze it and defrost it).
- Make the quinoa salad and don’t dress it with the vinaigrette. The quinoa salad will also keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Substitutions and Ingredient Notes:
For the blackened salmon
- Salmon – sub arctic char or steelhead trout
- cilantro or mint – can sub parsley, tarragon, or basil
- brown sugar – can sub honey or maple syrup, or skip. This helps give the protein color when roasting.
- spices (ground oregano, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper) – what gives it the blackened look and deep flavor profile. Can substitute with any other spice mixture you have, or equal part combination of spices you do have!
Roast Veg
- gold beets – can sub radishes, asparagus, parsnips. Just check the roasting time as all vegetables cook at different rates and beets take the longest!
- potatoes – I use red potatoes, but you can use any potatoes like fingerlings, gold potatoes, or even sweet potatoes.
- carrots – can skip or sub other root vegetables you have.
Early Summer Quinoa Salad
- quinoa (uncooked) – can sub a short grain pasta, farro, or a tri-color quinoa
- fresh white or yellow corn – can use frozen corn, or skip
- zucchini – can skip or sub cucumbers
- cilantro or mint – can sub basil, parsley, or tarragon
- jalapeno (deseeded) – can skip or sub 1/2 red bell pepper
Herby Lemon Vinaigrette
- Lemon juice – recommend using fresh lemon juice if possible, or sub champagne or white wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard – can skip or sub whole grain mustard
- Honey – can skip or sub maple syrup
- Champagne vinegar – can sub white wine or sherry vinegar
- Cilantro or mint – can skip or sub basil, parsley, or tarragon
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Recipe:
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Early Summer Salmon and Quinoa Bowl
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
A few months ago, I shared a spring version of my salmon and quinoa bowl. Now that it’s the heart of June and early summer produce becomes available, I can’t wait for you all to try my early summer version of this.
Ingredients
For the blackened salmon:
- 1.5 lbs salmon
- 1/4 bunch cilantro or mint, chopped
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoons ground oregano
- 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
Roast Veg:
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 lb gold beets
- 1 lb red potatoes
- 1/2 lb carrots
Early Summer Quinoa Salad:
- 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
- 1 & 1/2 ears of corn
- 2 small zucchini
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro or mint
- 1 jalapeno (deseeded)
Herby Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup Olive oil
- 1/4 bunch Cilantro or mint
Instructions
Recipe – Blackened Salmon:
- Make the spice mix – combine the brown sugar, ground oregano, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Portion salmon into 6-ounce pieces.
- Season the salmon with kosher salt, then the spice mixture, and chopped cilantro.
- Roast at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, or until salmon reaches 135°F at its thickest part.
Notes:
- Feel free to substitute chicken thighs or portobello mushrooms here instead of salmon.
Recipe – Roasted Veg:
- Slice vegetables: bias cut carrots, quarter beets, and halve potatoes.
- Toss vegetables in oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400°F until tender, about 25-30 minutes.
Note – The beets will likely need more time than the potatoes, so roast this on a separate sheet tray.
Recipe – Quinoa Salad:
- Prep all the vegetables: dice the zucchini (1/4″ square), chop the cilantro, dice the jalapenos, and slice the corn off the cob.
- Cook the quinoa: bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt (like pasta), and add the quinoa. Cook for 12 minutes, then taste and cook another minute as needed.
- Make the herby lemon vinaigrette. Add everything to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Toss cooled quinoa with all vegetables. Toss with ⅓ cup of the herby lemon vinaigrette and herbs. Taste, add more vinaigrette as desired, and serve alongside the roasted veg and salmon.
Notes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
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