This Asian-inspired salmon bowl is healthy, full of flavor, is accompanied by antioxidant-rich vegetables and is comes together very quickly. If salmon isn’t your thing, you can easily swap the fish for tofu or tempeh. This dish has become part of our weekly meal rotation and I’m confident it will become part of yours!
Why You Will Love this Asian Salmon Bowl (and Why Its Good for You!)
Salmon is one of the most nutritious types of fish. Salmon is a great source of protein and has omega-3 fatty acids which your body cannot product. Salmon also includes:
- Vitamin B-12 – Only present in animal and seafoods, salmon is an excellent source of vitamin B-12, which is important for healthy nerves and red blood cells (most vegans have to supplement vitamin B-12
- Vitamin D– Humans can synthesize Vitamin D after exposure to sunlight, however many people, especially women are deficient. Salmon is one of the few foods that naturally includes Vitamin D.
- Selenium – An essential mineral that is necessary for optimal immunity and fertility.
How to Chose the Healthiest Salmon
We’ve all heard the news about the issues with farmed salmon and the risks such as the inclusion of toxins and contaminants. This is why whenever possible, try to find and eat wild salmon. Wild salmon is superior to farmed salmon due to its lower saturated fat content, less pollutants and exposure to cancer causing chemicals.
Here is a great article from Cooking Light about how to buy the best salmon. As wild salmon can be difficult to come by in the supermarket, I also recently started using the Wild Alaskan Company which ships wild-caught, sustainable fish to your door.
Other Health Benefits of this Asian Salmon Bowl
However, this dish is also all about the vegetables! This bowl includes:
- An abundance of mixed greens – Aim for at least 4 cups of leafy green vegetables a day.
- Red cabbage – Red cabbage contains 10X more vitamins, cancer-fighting flavonoids and antioxidant than green cabbage.
- Cucumber – Keep you hydrated, are great for digestion and they also include mega nutrients!
- Edamame – A great source of plant-protein.
- Kimchi – Full of gut-healthy probiotics.
- Quinoa – High in fiber, protein and gluten-free
Accompanying this bowl is also the sriracha cashew sauce. This was inspired by a dish I saw with sriracha mayo. I swap the mayo (which I find revolting even if it is “vegan mayo”) and make a cashew sauce that I promise you will want to add to all of your dishes!
How to Make this Salmon Bowl
- Marinate the Protein -Make the marinade in a bowl and let the protein marinate for 2 hours but at least 15 minutes. I use coconut aminos for the marinade but you can use gluten-free, low sodium tamari if needed.
- Cook the quinoa – A tip is to make a big batch of quinoa throughout the week to use in dishes such as this Asian salmon bowl. Grains will stay up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I also like to make a big batch and freeze to make meal prep easy.
- Make the sriracha cashew sauce – Plan ahead! The cashews have to soak for at least 4 hours (or overnight). If you come across this recipe and need to make the sauce quickly, boil a cup and a half of water, turn off the heat and add the cashews. Let sit in the pot for at least 30 minutes (but preferably an hour).
- Chop the vegetables
- Cook the salmon
As noted above, its best to choose fresh, wild fish, however wild fish has a lower fat content so can dry out very quickly. If possible, use a meat thermometer and watch the time very carefully!
If you enjoy this delicious dish, let me know what you think!
Additional Recipes You May Like
PrintAsian Salmon Bowl with Sriracha Cashew Sauce
Marinate the salmon (or another protein) and serve with quinoa, antioxidant-rich vegetables, edamame for a protein boost and top with a sriracha cashew sauce! This recipe is sure to become part of your weekly rotation.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours and 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Salmon Bowl
- Two 5 oz salmon fillets
- 1 cup edamame
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 cup purple cabbage, chopped
- 1/2 cup kimchi
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 cups of mixed greens or baby spinach
- OPTIONAL: pickled red onions
Salmon Marinade
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tsp raw honey
Cashew Sriracha Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in 1 1/2 cups warm water for at least 4 hours
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (or more if you like it spicier)
- 3/4 cup warm water, or plain unsweetened cashew milk
Instructions
Advance Prep Work
- Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl. Marinate the salmon for at least 2 hours for the best flavor.
- Soak the cashews in warm water overnight or for at least 4 hours. If you are short on time, boil 1 1/2 cups of water and soak cashews for at least 30 minutes.
- Chop the vegetables for the salmon bowl.
Make the Cashew Cream
- Drain the water from the cashews.
- In a high-speed blender, add new water or the cashew milk and the garlic, sriracha and coconut aminos and blend until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Prep the Bowls
- Preheat the over to 425 degrees.
- Bake the salmon for about 7 minutes and then broil for another minute. For best results, use a meat thermometer and remove from oven when salmon reaches about 130 degrees (the salmon will keep cooking when you remove it from the over).
- While the salmon is cooking, assemble the bowls with all of the ingredients and top with salmon when done cooking.