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This Grilled Salmon Bowl with Garlicky Kale makes for the perfect summer meal in a bowl! Salmon soaks in a tangy, slightly spicy marinade before being cooked on the grill. Then, we pair it with sautéed garlic scapes, kale, rice, avocado, and veggies for a fabulous lunch or dinner packed with protein and nutrients.
This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, Paleo, dairy-free-friendly, and ready to eat in just 30 minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Grilled Salmon Bowl with Garlicky Kale
When the weather turns warm, I do my best to source as much of my family’s food from the local farmer’s market as possible. As a result, meal times become a sort of fun game of trying to use up all the fresh produce in new nutritious ways.
Some of my favorite recipes like my Strawberry and Mango Salsa Chicken and Sheet Pan Herb Butter Salmon with Blistered Tomatoes and Green Beans have been created this way! They’re all great, but I find myself coming back to this grilled salmon bowl with kale again and again.
Not only is it incredibly tasty, but this salmon recipe is:
- Quick and Easy to Make – With minimal prep time and a quick cooking time, you can have this entire meal on the table in just 30 minutes!
- Nutritious – Loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and healthy omega-3 fatty acids, this is one recipe that will leave you feeling even better than before you ate.
- Versatile – You can easily switch up the marinade or include different ingredients in the bowl to suit your preferences and make this recipe your own.
- Great for Meal Prep – Prepare all the ingredients in advance, and store them separately for several days. Then, all you have to do is combine the components when you’re ready to eat!
Where I Buy My Wild Salmon
- 100% Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef
- Free-Range Organic Chicken
- Humanely Raised Pork
- Wild-Caught Seafood
Delivered to your door! The latest ButcherBox deal can be found right here!
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
Fish
- Oil: I love the strong flavor of extra-virgin olive oil. However, avocado oil works well, too, if you prefer a more neutral taste.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds a delicious tanginess to the marinade.
- Coconut Aminos: A gluten-free soy sauce alternative, this adds a salty, umami flavor and helps tenderize the salmon.
- Lemon Juice: The acidity keeps the salmon tender and adds a vibrant, refreshing taste. Freshly squeezed is best, but bottled varieties will also work.
- Seasonings: Fine sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes enhance the savoriness of the dish and add the perfect touch of heat.
- Salmon: You’ll need 1 ½ pounds of salmon fillets for this recipe. I prefer wild-caught salmon, but any variety you like best will taste great.
- Sesame Seeds: These are optional for a pop of color, crunch, and a slightly nutty taste.
Kale and Garlic Scapes
- Butter: Used to sauté the vegetables, adding a rich flavor. I prefer unsalted, grass-fed butter for the best taste, or you can substitute your favorite cooking oil.
- Kale: Feel free to substitute spinach if preferred.
- Garlic Scapes: These are the long, green shoots that grow from garlic bulbs. They’re slightly milder than garlic but add amazing flavor to the greens.
- Salt and Pepper: Adjust to taste.
For the Bowl
- White Rice: I like to use leftover sticky rice, coconut rice, or brown rice. However, you can use any carb source you like best such as quinoa or farro. Or, opt for cauliflower rice if you want to keep your salmon bowl low-carb.
- Avocado: Look for avocados that are dark green and bumpy and give just slightly when squeezed!
- Veggies: Cucumbers, scallions, and radish slices add lots of crunch and a refreshing taste with a hint of spice.
- Soft-Boiled Eggs: These are optional, but I love the gooey texture and richness of the yolks.
Flavor Variations
Feel free to substitute the marinade with any marinade option you like best. Teriyaki salmon is a popular variation and pairs well with green onions and spicy mayo in the bowl. Or, simply use your favorite seasonings.
You can even replace the salmon with any fish you like best! Tilapia, cod, and rainbow trout are some of my favorite options!
Then, mix and match different ingredients to make the bowls your own. Some great options include:
- Shredded Carrots
- Edamame
- Red Onion
- Red Bell Pepper
How to Make This Grilled Salmon Bowl Recipe
- Marinate the fish: Whisk the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Then, pour the mixture over the fish, submerging it completely. Let the fish rest for at least ten minutes or up to one hour. Any longer, and it will start to break down and become mushy!
- Grill the fish: Grease your grill, and heat it to medium. Place the salmon on a sheet of tin foil, and cook to your liking. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds to garnish.
- Sauté the veggies: Heat the butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and kale, sautéeing until the kale wilts and the garlic softens slightly.
- Assemble the bowls: Add rice to each bowl. Next, add the kale mixture and salmon, and top it with the remaining ingredients before serving.
Skip the Grill
No grill? No worries! You can easily cook the salmon indoors using the oven instead.
To do so:
- Set your broiler to high.
- Place the marinated salmon on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and greased with cooking spray.
- Broil for seven to nine minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
- Garnish with sesame seeds, and proceed with the recipe.
FAQs
You’ll know your salmon is done cooking when it flakes easily and has reached an internal temperature between 120 and 145°F. A lower internal temperature will result in rarer salmon and a higher will result in well-done fish.
Store all the ingredients in separate airtight containers in the fridge. They will stay fresh for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the salmon for up to 3 months!
Thaw it in the fridge overnight. Then, warm the salmon, rice, and greens in the microwave, and assemble the bowls when you’re ready to serve.
More Delicious Salmon Recipes To Try
- Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Salmon Burgers
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Asian Glazed Salmon
- Horseradish Salmon
- Chili Maple Glazed Salmon
Grilled Salmon Bowl with Garlicky Kale
Ingredients
For the fish:
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Pinch of back pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 pounds wild salmon filets or fish of choice
- Sesame seeds for garnish
For the Kale and Garlic Scapes:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted grass-fed butter or oil
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 8 to 10 garlic scapes diced
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Everything Else:
- 2 cups cooked white rice I cook mine in broth for extra flavor
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 cucumber sliced
- 1/3 cup scallions chopped
- Radish slices for garnish
- Optional: Soft-boiled eggs how-to HERE
Instructions
- In a bowl whisk together fish marinade ingredients and pour over fish. Let sit for 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.2 teaspoons avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon coconut aminos, 1/2 lemon, Pinch of fine sea salt, Pinch of back pepper, Pinch of red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 pounds wild salmon filets
- Cook fish inside: Place broiler on high. Place fish on a lined and greased baking sheet and broil for 7 to 9 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish. Add sesame seeds to garnish.Sesame seeds
- Cook fish on the grill: Grease grill and heat to medium. Place fish on a sheet of tin foil and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until fully cooked to your liking. Add sesame seeds to garnish.
- In a skillet heat oil, kale, and garlic scapes, and sauté until kale is wilted and garlic scapes have softened slightly.1 tablespoon unsalted grass-fed butter or oil, 4 cups chopped kale, 8 to 10 garlic scapes, Pinch of salt and pepper
- Assemble bowls: Add rice to each bowl. Top with kale mixture, salmon, avocado, cucumber, egg, scallions, and radish slices. Serve and enjoy.2 cups cooked white rice, 1 avocado, 1 cucumber sliced, 1/3 cup scallions, Optional: Soft-boiled eggs, Radish slices
Had this tonight and it was a hit! Loved the bowl meal! I served with brown rice, an Asian pickled cucumbers, radishes and avocado.
I like to sautee garlic scapes with asparagus and/or green beans cut to about the same size. I like how once they cook they all look the same, but taste really different. Trying this tonight!
Enlighten please on what garlic scape are. I’ve never heard that term before.
Here ya go: https://cedarcirclefarm.org/tips/entry/garlic-scapes
This is my first year doing a CSA! We are getting garlic scapes and kale this week in our box- this looks like the perfect recipe to try out! I hope you plan on doing some more CSA inspired recipes this summer 🙂
This was fantastic. Used your herbed cucumber recipe for the cucumbers and it was phenomenal. Thanks for the great recipes!
Such a great idea — so glad you liked!
Looks so yummy! I love bowl meals! Need to try it out:)
You will love it 🙂