There’s nothing better than these flavorful Cilantro Lime Salmon Bowls. Cilantro lime rice is topped with pan-seared salmon, marinated chickpeas and cucumber and a simple tomato relish for a healthy, easy meal prep recipe.
Everyone loves a good bowl recipe, right? Right. These cilantro lime salmon bowls are 100% inspired by a recipe I had at a local restaurant a few months ago. I immediately knew I wanted to recreate them!
My usual go-to’s are my burger bowl and this mediterranean chicken bowls, but this is a great way to use salmon and include plenty of vegetables as well.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Fresh ingredients: Features plenty of fresh produce, like tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, and avocado.
- Protein-packed: One salmon fillet has 30-40 grams of protein, along with omega-3s and vitamin D.
- Perfect for meal prepping: This recipe makes 4 servings, so if you don’t want it for dinner you can prep it for lunches for the week!
Ingredients for these salmon bowls
- Rice – White rice is ideal and makes the best cilantro lime rice, but if you want to increase the fiber, make this cilantro lime brown rice instead.
- Salmon – Any variety of salmon is ok, just know that the cook time varies depending on how thick the salmon is.
- Vegetables – These bowls contain a lot of vegetables, including tomatoes, onion, cilantro, cucumber, avocado, and green onion.
- Vinaigrette – Believe it or not, the vinaigrette is optional. I LOVE it and think it adds flavor and depth to the bowls, but if you’re short on time, the recipe is still delicious without it. The main ingredients in the vinaigrette are shallot, garlic and basil — yum!
The full ingredient list with quantities can be found below in the recipe card.
How to make cilantro lime salmon bowls
Step 1: Make the tomato relish. Combine all of the relish ingredients in a bowl and place it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This can be done up to 24 hours in advance.
Step 2: Make the marinade. The marinade will be used for the salmon, cucumber and chickpeas. Whisk all ingredients together, then brush it over the salmon fillets. Add the cucumber and chickpeas to the bowl with the remaining marinade and let them sit until ready to serve.
Step 3: Cook the rice and salmon. Cook the rice according to the package instructions, then add the lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and salt. At the same time, heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat, then cook the salmon for 3-4 minutes per side or until it’s done to your liking.
Step 4: Blend the vinaigrette. Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small blender or food processor until smooth.
Step 5: Assemble the bowls. Divide the rice into 4 bowls, then top with the salmon, tomato relish and marinated cucumber and chickpeas. Add avocado, then drizzle with some of the basil vinaigrette and sprinkle with green onions.
My Pro Tip
Make-ahead tips:
This recipe has a lot of components to it, so it can be helpful to prep some of them the day before.
- The tomato relish is more flavorful is made a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. In my opinion, the same goes for the cilantro lime rice.
- The vinaigrette can also be made in advance! It’s also completely optional if you don’t have time for one more component (no judgment). I’ve had it with and without and it’s good either way.
- I don’t think you should cook the salmon or even marinade the chickpeas or cucumber in advance; the salmon won’t be as flakey and the chickpeas/cucumber will get soggy.
Salmon Bowls FAQs
I mean, these are salmon bowls but technically no 🙂 If you prefer, you could use any white fish or shrimp instead. Simply follow the same cooking method.
I love the vinaigrette and think it adds a ton of flavor to these bowls. However, this recipe is already somewhat time-consuming, so if you’re short on time and/or don’t feel like buying ingredients, simply omit it. The bowl is still delicious even without it.
I suggest storing the cold components like the chickpeas and tomato relish separately from the warm components (salmon, rice). Also, be sure to pour the vinaigrette into its own separate container.
Be sure to try one or more of these healthy bowl recipes:
If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
for the cilantro lime rice:
for the basil vinaigrette:
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For the relish: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, then cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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Next, make the marinade: Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Place the salmon on a plate, then brush it with the marinade. Leave the remaining marinade in the bowl, then add the cucumber and chickpeas to that bowl and toss. Allow the chickpeas and cucumber to marinate while the salmon cooks.
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Cook the rice and salmon at the same time. Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Next, heat a grill pan or cast iron over medium heat. Once hot, add the salmon skin-side up and cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon. Remove from the heat.
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Once the rice is cooked, leave it in the pot then add the lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and salt; stir to combine.
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Last, make the vinaigrette: combine all ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth.
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Assemble the bowls: Divide the rice into 4 bowls, then add a piece of salmon on top of each bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the tomato relish to each bowl, along with some of the marinated chickpeas and cucumbers.
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Divide the avocado and green onion, then drizzle with some of the vinaigrette. Enjoy!
Substitutions:
-I would keep the bulk of the bowl the same, but feel free to use white fish or shrimp in place of salmon
Storage:
-Store the cold components (tomato relish, chickpeas & cucumber) separately from the warm components (rice, salmon). Store the vinaigrette in its own container.
Calories: 951kcal | Carbohydrates: 135g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1122mg | Potassium: 2143mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1336IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 7mg
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