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Mediterranean Salmon Bowl with baked salmon, quinoa, fresh vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and tzatziki sauce on white plate

Mediterranean Salmon Bowl

A healthy and flavorful bowl featuring baked salmon, fresh vegetables, quinoa, and homemade tzatziki sauce with Mediterranean herbs and spices.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Marinating Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Calories: 500

Ingredients
  

  • 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil for marinade
  • 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon, for marinade
  • 2 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 2 tsp dried
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped or 2 tsp dried, for marinade
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced for marinade
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
  • 0.5 teaspoon sea salt for marinade
  • 0.25 teaspoon black pepper for marinade
  • 4 salmon fillets 1 to 1.25 lbs total, about 1-inch thick
  • 1.5 cups cooked quinoa from about 0.5 cup dry quinoa
  • 4 cups romaine or mixed greens
  • 1 cup English cucumber, sliced for bowl
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 0.5 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 15 oz garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 1 can
  • 0.33 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 0.5 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 avocado, sliced or diced
  • 0.5 cup English cucumber, grated water squeezed out completely, for tzatziki
  • 0.5 cup plain Greek yogurt for tzatziki
  • 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice for tzatziki
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for tzatziki
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 tsp dried, for tzatziki
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced for tzatziki
  • 0.25 teaspoon sea salt for tzatziki
  • 0.25 teaspoon black pepper for tzatziki
  • 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Shallow dish or plate for marinating
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Grater
  • Kitchen towel or paper towels

Method
 

  1. If using dry quinoa, cook it according to package directions (typically 15 minutes). You can also use pre-cooked quinoa from the refrigerated section. Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, oregano, 1 tablespoon dill, 2 cloves minced garlic, honey, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until well combined.
  3. Place salmon fillets in a shallow dish and pour half of the marinade (reserve about ¼ cup for vegetables) over them, coating each piece well. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature. Don't marinate longer than 30 minutes at room temperature.
  4. Transfer marinated salmon skin-side down onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes until salmon reaches 145°F internal temperature and flakes easily with a fork. The flesh should look opaque with slightly pink center. Let rest for 5 minutes after removing from oven.
  5. While salmon bakes, combine 1 cup sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and garbanzo beans in a medium bowl. Toss with reserved marinade and set aside to let flavors meld.
  6. Make tzatziki by grating ½ cup cucumber and squeezing out all excess water using a clean kitchen towel. Mix squeezed cucumber with Greek yogurt, 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon dill, 2 cloves minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until smooth and creamy.
  7. Build bowls by starting with greens, then adding quinoa and marinated vegetable mixture. Top each with salmon fillet (remove skin if desired), tzatziki dollop, crumbled feta, olives, and fresh avocado. Garnish with parsley.

Notes

You'll need 2 lemons total for this recipe. Make sure to squeeze excess water from grated cucumber for tzatziki to prevent watery sauce. Salmon can be marinated up to 24 hours ahead in refrigerator for deeper flavor. Store components separately for best results when meal prepping. Frozen salmon works well if completely thawed in refrigerator before marinating. If your tzatziki turns out watery, you didn't squeeze the cucumber enough.