Pesto Salmon Bowl
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Published Jul 10, 2017, Updated Jul 23, 2024
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This pesto salmon bowl is loaded with hydrating greens, fresh herbs, healthy fats and high quality protein on a bed of wholesome grains. This post is sponsored by Kroger.
Have you ever come back from a weekend of indulging (oh hi summer wedding season) and just craved all the vegetables? Perhaps a really simple source of protein to accompany the purity of the aforementioned veggie situation, and a healthy fat to soothe the inflammation in your gut? However, before you even make it to the grocery store you’ve excused yourself from the mere idea of having to prepare such a seemingly complex creation, because, after all, the weekend was exhausting enough.
Well folks, rest assured that you’re not alone in this experience of reset and recovery. It’s our bodies natural way of re-balancing and finding homeostasis, and points to an efficient internal monitoring system. So though it may be beneficial to avoid sugar, alcohol, and refined carbohydrates for a few days that doesn’t mean our food has to be boring, bland, or labor intensive. Allow me to tempt you with this green goodness pesto salmon bowl.
To combat digestive stagnation I used fresh fish (but any leaner cuts of protein would work), high fiber grains and greens, and added a number of ingredients to promote cooling + hydration within my core. I was also mindful to incorporate ingredients rich in antioxidants to support my body in its defense work against inflammation + bloat. This bowl is not only nourishing, but filling due to the combo of heart healthy fats and whole grains.
Though fish can be intimidating to cook at first glance, knowing how to prepare and serve it is not only important for a balanced lifestyle but easier than you may think. This method is so simple, and takes no more than 15 minutes from start to finish.
Use Salmon or Steelhead Trout
We’re using fresh salmon for this bowl, but if you want a little variety you can also use wild-caught Steelhead trout, which both resembles and tastes a lot like salmon. Trout is known to be rich in lean protein, vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids, while containing a low level of toxins like mercury and pesticides. However, you could use any lean piece of fresh fish to accompany your bowl.
As I’ve discussed in previous posts, fats are an integral part of creating a satisfying meal that will keep you full for longer periods of time. Unsaturated fats, like those found in fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocado, shouldn’t be feared or avoided, as they’re a necessity for our bodies to carry out their normal functions. This doesn’t mean we can consume copious amounts of these foods, but it does mean we should incorporate them in our meals as healthier alternatives to saturated fats from animal products (dairy, bacon, pork, etc).
Green Goodness Pesto Bowl
That being said, I wanted my detox bowl to be loaded with unsaturated fats to help me reset + balance, as well as soothe any acute inflammation. Adding pesto to the fish and grains not only gives the dish a powerful extra boost of flavor, but also introduces olive oil and pine nuts to the line up of hearty healthy fats. Topping the bowl off with avocado was like the cherry on my green goodness sundae. You know you’re an adult when you get so excited about your dinner that you equate it to a dessert!
Next came all the greens I could find in arms reach: arugula, peas, green onions, and all the fresh herbs. Bitter flavors, like those found in arugula, are known to drain internal heat and soothe us during hot summer months. Did you know that green onions contain 100 times more phytonutrients than a regular onion? These are the compounds that give green onions both their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities. Gimme, gimme!
The time saving grace to this dish was the organic grain blend I had on hand from Seeds of Change, which allowed this bowl to come together in under 20 minutes. While the fish was baking, I chopped the herbs, and didn’t have to worry about fussing over two more pots on the stove. I heated the pre-cooked quinoa + brown rice a few minutes before the trout was done, and voila – dinner was ready and looked gorgeous! The blend would’ve been delicious by itself, but while it was sautéing on the burner I added peas, pesto, and arugula for an added punch… because let’s be honest, I can’t help but add my own flare.
More Bowl Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Vegan Power Bowl
- Kale and Sweet Potato Brown Rice Bowls
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Easy Greens and Grains Bowl
- Falafel Bowls (Homemade Cava Bowls)
- Copycat Chipotle Tofu Sofritas Burrito Bowls
- Maple Mustard Tempeh Meal Prep Bowls
If you try this pesto salmon bowl, please be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how it turns out! Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other EBF readers.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Pesto Salmon Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon, cut into 4 (4 oz) salmon filets
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt + ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 16.5 oz container cherry tomatoes (about 2 ½ cups)
- ½ Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt + sprinkle of pepper
- 4 Tablespoons prepared pesto, store-bought or homemade – I used Gotham Greens
- 1 ½ Tablespoons 8 grams shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano parmesan works too
- Sauteed broccolini, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Pat salmon dry and use ¼ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper to season salmon all over.
- Toss tomatoes, shallot, olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and sprinkle of pepper in a small bowl. Add to a 9×13 baking dish.
- Nestle salmon between the tomatoes in the baking dish. Top each piece of salmon with about 1 Tablespoon of pesto, spreading to cover. Sprinkle a bit of shaved parm on each.
- Bake prepared filets in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve salmon and tomatoes with sauteed broccolini.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really delicious! I used pesto from the store rather than making my own. Call me lazy! Still worked great and it was quite easy to put together.
So yum! I am so glad you’re loving this recipe and it turned out great for you, Heather. Thanks so much for your review & star rating, it means so much to me!
Simply delicious! So glad I found this recipe
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Fiona! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
How long will these keep in the fridge for prep?
I’d say the cooked salmon will keep 2-3 days.
The bowl looks gorgeous! I love how green it is. I’ve been trying to eat healthier lately and your blog has been helping tons. Thank you so much!
Such a good looking recipe!!! Definitely going to try it out minus the steelhead. I hope it was not a wild steelhead as they are on the verge of being listed under then Endangered Species Act.
This looks so, so delicious and refreshing!