This salmon with herb aioli bowl is easy enough for a weeknight meal but also worthy of company. The salmon is flaky and tender and the bright aioli is the perfect pairing.
Recipe highlights
What I love the most about this recipe is how easily it comes together and how big the flavor payoff is.
You can customize your bowl with any toppings you like. I always keep a jar of crunchy pickled onions in my fridge because they are my favorite topping to elevate my bowls, salads and tacos.
In this recipe I'm using wild-caught Alaskan red sockeye salmon. The color is incredible and the taste and texture are unmatched.
For me best way to prepare sockeye salmon is to season the fish with minimal ingredients and let the texture and flavor shine in its own right.
Ingredients
- Salmon: I used a sockeye filet and cut it into 6oz pieces. I like cutting the salmon into pieces and removing the skin so more of the fish surface is exposed to the seasoning.
- Salmon rub: My favorite salmon rub is a combination of brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder and salt.
- Mayonnaise: You can use store bought mayo to make the herb aioli or use my homemade Garlic Aioli as the base for this recipe.
- Fresh herbs: For this aioli I love using cilantro. Parsley or dill would also be great to pair with the salmon. I also like to add a touch of mint for a punch of freshness.
- Garlic: The fragrant garlic smell and taste are wonderful when it comes to highlighting the taste of salmon.
- Rice: It is the base for this bowl. I like using the fragrant Jazmine rice but feel free to use your favorite type.
- Pickled onion: I always keep them handy to give my dishes a beautiful touch and brighten up the flavors.
- Marinated tomatoes: I added cherry tomatoes marinated in lime juice and salt. Super simple and delicious.
Recipe overview
The salmon cooks really fast, so I recommend making the rice first.
I also dice the cherry tomatoes, add the lime juice and salt and let them marinate at room temperature.
If using store bought mayo, the aioli only takes a minute to whip up. Store in the fridge while the salmon cooks.
I mix my salmon rub (can also use store-bought) and coat the salmon with it.
One of my favorite ways to cook salmon is over the broiler. It cooks fast, evenly and the rub caramelizes creating a nice crust on the fish.
Serving suggestions
This salmon is great as a rice bowl but feel free to use any other grain or a mix of grains and greens.
If you want to serve this salmon over greens, I highly recommend using arugula (I like wild arugula because it's less bitter).
This salmon is also great served over warm tortillas with a coleslaw for delicious salmon tacos.
Storage and reheating
If there is any leftover salmon, I store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
My favorite way to use the leftovers is by making a sushi casserole (if I have a lot leftover) or making the viral TikTok salmon bowl.
To reheat the salmon, the air fryer at 250F for about 5 minutes is my favorite way to do it.
Salmon with herb aioli
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1 (1 lb) salmon fillet skin off
- 1 Tablespoon Brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
Herb aioli
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- Juice of half lemon
- ¼ cup Cilantro
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 Garlic clove
- 2 Mint leaves
For the bowls
- 4 cups cooked rice
- ½ cup pickled onions
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 Lemon or lime
- Cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF
- In a small bowl combine the sugar, salt, paprika, garlic and onion powder.
- Spray the salmon with some oil and coat it with the spice mix and let it rest for about 10 minutes while you prepare the rice and tomato salad.
- For the tomato salad, slice the cherry tomatoes in half, add the salt, cilantro and lime or lemon juice. Set it aside to allow the tomatoes to marinate.
- Turn the broiler on high. Place the salmon in a foil-lined baking sheet and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Herb Aioli
- In a wide-mouth jar add the mayonnaise, herbs, garlic, salt and lemon juice.
- Use an immersion blender to combine until the aioli is fully blended.
Serve the bowls
- Divide the salmon into 4 servings, about 4 to 6 oz each.
- Prepare the bowls by adding 1 cup of rice to each bowl, add about ¼ cup of the marinated tomatoes, onions and the salmon. Drizzle with the herb aioli.
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