Salmon with Quinoa
Salmon with quinoa makes a balanced supper for two on a single baking tray and one saucepan. The fillets roast for 12 minutes while the quinoa simmers, then spinach wilts into the warm grains with a good squeeze of lemon. It all comes together in about 35 minutes, and it also works cold the next day as a packed lunch.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serving
- 590kcal
Seasoning salmon with quinoa
Keep the seasoning simple: lemon, a pinch of salt and pepper. The quinoa carries the rest of the flavour once you stir in lemon juice and olive oil, so there is no sauce to make. A teaspoon of Dijon mustard or a handful of chopped dill or parsley at the end make easy variations.
Quinoa has a nutty taste, so for more depth you can toast the rinsed, drained grains in the dry pan for 2 minutes before adding the water.
Preparing salmon with quinoa
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Heat the oven Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas 6, and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Start the quinoa Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve under cold running water for 30 seconds, which removes its bitter coating. Put it in a saucepan with the water and ¼ tsp salt, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer on a low heat for , until the water is absorbed and the grains are translucent with a little white tail.
- Season the salmon While the quinoa cooks, pat the fillets dry and lay them skin-side down on the tray. Drizzle with half the oil, season with a pinch of salt and the pepper, and lay the lemon slices on top.
- Bake Bake the salmon for , until the flesh is opaque all the way through and flakes easily when pressed with a fork.
- Finish the quinoa Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for . Fluff with a fork, then stir in the spinach, the lemon juice and the remaining oil. The warm quinoa wilts the spinach in about a minute.
- Serve Divide the quinoa between two plates and top each with a salmon fillet.
Serving ideas and variations
Add a few chopped cherry tomatoes, cucumber or toasted seeds to the finished plate for crunch. If you prefer a crisper skin, try pan-fried salmon and serve it on the same quinoa. A creamy sauce also works well, as in salmon with parsley sauce.
Common problems and fixes for salmon with Quinoa
- The quinoa tastes bitter or soapy.
- The coating was not rinsed off. Rinse the grains in a fine sieve under cold running water, turning them with your hand, until the water runs clear.
- The quinoa is mushy or wet.
- There was too much water or the pan was stirred. Use 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa, keep the lid on and leave it alone, then rest it off the heat for 5 minutes.
- The salmon is dry and chalky.
- It was left in too long, or the fillets were thin. Check at 10 minutes, and take the tray out as soon as the fish is opaque and flakes. Thick fillets may need up to 15 minutes.
Frequently asked questions about salmon with Quinoa
How long does salmon take to bake?
Salmon fillets of about 2.5cm thick take 12 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan), gas 6. Thinner pieces take about 8–10 minutes.
Can I use frozen salmon?
Yes. Defrost the fillets fully in the fridge overnight, then pat them dry. Never defrost on the worktop.
Can I eat it cold or keep it for lunch?
Yes, as a salad. Cool the quinoa quickly, within an hour, then chill it and the salmon in the fridge and eat within 2 days. If you reheat it, make sure it is steaming hot all the way through, and reheat only once.
Can I use stock instead of water?
Yes. Use a reduced-salt vegetable stock cube in 300ml of water, and leave out the salt in the pan, because stock is salty.
How did you like the recipe?
4.7 / 5 · 47 ratings
