• Salads
  • Quinoa Salad with Salmon

    This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a commission. Read my disclosure page here.

    Quinoa Salad with Salmon – so delicious, nutritious and easy to make. It takes only 20 minutes to make and it’s perfect for dinner or lunch. Full of bright and zesty flavors it’s a great healthy family meal.

    quinoa salmon salad

    Email Me This Recipe

    Enter your email and we'll send the recipe directly to you!

    Save Post

    By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Delicious Meets Healthy.

    Today, I am going to share with you a very simple quinoa salad with salmon. The dressing in this salad makes all the difference though – quick and easy to make and yet it has a sophisticated taste. 

    The flavor is truly amazing – white wine vinegar, water, coconut sugar, garlic and jalapeno slices are mixed together and cooked for a couple of minutes on the cooktop. It adds a really nice sweet tangy taste to the salad and pairs well with the salmon.

    For more salmon recipes, be sure to try my honey sriracha salmon and blackened salmon tacos.

    Salmon salad with quinoa

    Ingredients to Make Quinoa Salmon Salad

    • Wild salmon fillet
    • Salt, pepper and garlic powder
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Quinoa
    • Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onions and basil leaves.

    For the dressing

    • White wine vinegar + Water
    • Coconut sugar
    • Garlic cloves
    • Jalapeno
    • Salt and pepper
    quinoa salad with salmon

    How To Make Quinoa Salad with Salmon

    • Bake the salmon in the oven until cooked through.
    • Wash the quinoa thoroughly and cook according to package instructions.
    • Wash the vegetables and chop/dice them.
    Three photos to show how to prep the salad
    • When salmon is done, flake fillet with a fork into small chunks.
    • Combine cooked quinoa, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber and onion, chopped basil leaves and salmon, in a large mixing bowl.
    • Season with the remaining salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    • Drizzle with olive oil and the salad dressing on top, and toss gently to combine.
    process shot of quinoa salad with salmon

    Can you make it ahead of time?

    You can cook the quinoa ahead of time and store it in the fridge. That way it won’t take you but 15 – 20 minutes to prepare this quinoa salad with salmon the next day. The dressed salad will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, so it’s great for meal prep lunches.

    I like to serve this salad warm, but you can also serve it cold.

    What’s the best salmon to use?

    I like to use wild fresh salmon fillets in the recipe. You can use frozen, but be sure to thaw them and pat off any extra moisture before baking them. If you are in a pinch, you can use tinned salmon, just drain it and add it straight to the salad.

    Quinoa Salmon Salad

    Is quinoa good for you?

    Quinoa is a great addition to any well-balanced diet. It is gluten-free, high in protein, and contains essential amino acids. It’s a great substitute for rice and it is a great base for this hearty quinoa salad with salmon.

    Recipe Notes and Tips

    • Depending on the thickness of your salmon fillets, you may need to adjust your cooking time. The salmon is cooked when it easily flakes with a fork.
    • Be sure to rinse your quinoa before you cook it. It can sometimes have a bitter taste otherwise.
    • You can also freeze cooked quinoa. Simply let it cool and place it in a container or freezer bag. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before using it.
    salmon and quinoa salad

    More Quinoa Recipes

    quinoa salmon salad
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Review Pin It!

    Quinoa Salad with Salmon

    Quinoa Salad with Salmon – so delicious, nutritious and easy to make. Takes only 20 minutes to make. Perfect for dinner or lunch.
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 373kcal

    Email Me This Recipe

    Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!

    Save Post

    By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Delicious Meets Healthy.

    INGREDIENTS

    Dressing

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Sprinkle salmon evenly with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Place salmon on a foil lined baking sheet and broil for about 10 minutes.
    • Combine vinegar, water, sugar (or honey), garlic, jalapeno slices, and 3/4 tsp salt in a small bowl.
    • When salmon is done, flake fillet with a fork into small chunks.
    • Combine salmon, cooked quinoa, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber and onion, and chopped basil leaves in a large bowl. Season with the remaining salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and with the salad dressing on top, and toss gently to combine. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!

    TIPS & NOTES

    • Depending on the thickness of your salmon fillets, you may need to adjust your cooking time. The salmon is cooked when it easily flakes with a fork.
    • Be sure to rinse your quinoa before you cook it. It can sometimes have a bitter taste otherwise.
    • You can also freeze cooked quinoa. Simply let it cool and place in a container or freezer bag. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before using.

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 263g | Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 21.1g | Fat: 11.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9.6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 615mg | Fiber: 5.8g | Sugar: 3.7g
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Keyword 30 Minutes, Dairy Free, Easy, Gluten Free, Healthy, Quick, Spring, Summer
    Did you make this recipe?

    Use the tag #DeliciousMeetsHealthy when posting a picture of your recipe, and make sure to follow @deliciousmeetshealthy on Instagram!

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Comments

    Marianna

    5 stars
    This was so simple to make, but delicious flavours – thank you!

    Chrissie Baker

    5 stars
    Your Salad has everything in it: Beauty, glamor, freshness, goodness, sunshine, warmth, life.
    Thanks for such an inviting recipe 🙂

    Bee

    5 stars
    This food blogging is giving me quite the waistline. This looks fantastic for quick and easy meals that’s healthy and flavourful! and I LOOOOVE salmon!! 🙂 Thanks for this

    Mary Bostow

    5 stars
    I really need to eat more salmon and this looks like the perfect recipe to get me started! I love quinoa and a healthy meal that only takes 20 minutes? Sold! Can’t wait to make this!

    Mahy Elamin

    5 stars
    I get a lot of salmon from my in-laws, and have been looking for new ways to prepare it. This recipe looks so fresh and healthy! Perfect for an after-workout meal or lunch to bring to work.

    Julia Mazurchak

    5 stars
    Oh I can see this flavorful salad in my meal prep future! Love all things salmon and quinoa!

    Sophie

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! Great way to use leftover salmon from dinner for lunch the next day. I added some feta cheese and I think I’ll top with avocado next time too.

    Terry

    5 stars
    I liked this salad so much that it was really hard not to eat more than my share. Used cilantro in place of the basil and honey in place of the coconut sugar. Grilled the salmon. Wish there were leftovers for lunch.

      Delicious Meets Healthy

      So glad to hear you loved this salad, Terry! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

    Joanie @ Zagleft

    5 stars
    We eat salmon a few times a month and I love your idea of incorporating it into a salad. Quinoa gets overlooked sometimes at my house, this is a great way to bring it into our meals. I know my family would love this.

    Erin

    5 stars
    Two of our favorite things – salmon and quinoa! This looks great. Love that it’s served warm.

    Dee Dee (My Midlife Kitchen)

    I love how healthy this is! I love salmon pretty much any which way it’s served, but I am on a quinoa kick lately now, too, so of COURSE I should be combining the two! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Carolyn

    Still working on getting my kids to like quinoa. It’s a bit of tough sell at times but we’re getting there!

    Abigail

    5 stars
    Yummy! I will let hubby know about this as he’s a huge salmon and quinoa fan so this is so perfect for him! Pinned.

    Regina

    5 stars
    Hello Neli,

    This recipe is so refreshing and I have to say delicious – salmon & quinoa are perfect together.
    Reading you recipes I see that they are easy, healthy & refreshing, perfect for summer nights.

      Delicious Meets Healthy

      Thanks Regina! Yes, my main goal is to create and share easy, healthy and delicious recipes, and I am so glad that you think they are. 🙂

    Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily

    We’ve had unusually cool and rainy weather here in Phoenix, AZ. which can only mean crazy weather every where else! We all adore salmon and eat it often. Thanks so much for sharing a recipe we will enjoy. Saving, sharing and a new fan here 😉

      Delicious Meets Healthy

      Enjoy! 🙂 I love salmon too, and we eat it all the time – I love trying out new ways to prepare it. Thanks for stopping by, Gwen! 🙂

    Kelly - Life Made Sweeter

    This is such a gorgeous and healthy dish! We adore salmon dishes. I love all the bright and fresh flavors in here!

      Delicious Meets Healthy

      Salmon is my favorite sea food too, I eat fish at least couple times a week. Thanks for stopping by, Kelly!

    Annie @ ciaochowbambina

    5 stars
    This dish screams spring and I love it! So bright and fresh and pretty, by the way!! Delicious!

    Lisa @ Strum Simmer Sip

    This looks so amazing and healthy! I’ve been thinking of a dish to make this weekend to help detox from Memorial Day. I’ll have to try this!

    xo, Lisa | Strum Simmer Sip

    Spring Salads

    5 Quick Tips To Simplify Dinner Time