Grilled Garlic Herb Salmon with Quinoa Salad
Tender salmon fillets marinated with garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs, then grilled to perfection. Served over a colorful quinoa salad with crisp veggies and a light lemon-olive oil dressing. A nourishing and balanced meal that’s both elegant and simple.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: ~50 minutes
Servings:4
Ingredients
For the Salmon
4 salmon fillets (about 150–180 g each)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill
Salt & black pepper, to taste
For the Quinoa Salad
1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, diced
½ red onion, finely chopped
½ cup chopped parsley or mint
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Marinate the salmon:
In a bowl, mix olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, zest, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper.
Coat salmon fillets in the marinade. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
2. Cook the quinoa:
Rinse quinoa under cold water.
In a saucepan, combine quinoa and water/broth. Bring to boil, reduce to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with fork.
3. Prepare the salad:
In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and parsley.
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss with salad.
4. Grill the salmon:
Preheat grill or grill pan. Lightly oil grates.
Grill salmon 4–5 minutes per side, until cooked through and lightly charred.
5. Assemble:
Serve salmon over quinoa salad. Garnish with extra herbs and lemon wedges.
Notes & Tips
For extra creaminess, add avocado to the salad.
If you don’t have a grill, pan-sear or bake salmon at 200°C (400°F) for 12–15 minutes.
Leftover salad keeps 2–3 days in the fridge; add salmon fresh when serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use frozen salmon?
Yes — thaw completely before marinating.
Q: Can I swap quinoa?
Yes — bulgur, couscous, or farro work beautifully.
Q: How do I know salmon is done?
It should flake easily with a fork and reach 63°C (145°F) internal temperature.
Nutritional Information
Calories: ~480 kcal
Protein: 38g
Carbs: 28g
Fat: 22g
Fiber: 5g