Blackened Salmon Bowls
This bowl is nourishing and absolutely delicious. The salmon get's blackened in a sweet and spicy mix and cooks to perfection in the air fryer. It sits on top of some grains and gets a fresh, crunchy side of red cabbage and cucumber dressed in a citrus dressing. Dollops of goat cheese, crispy quinoa and cilantro make it a party.
Blackened Salmon Bowls
This bowl is nourishing and absolutely delicious. The salmon get’s blackened in a sweet and spicy mix and cooks to perfection in the air fryer. It sits on top of some grains and gets a fresh, crunchy side of red cabbage and cucumber dressed in a citrus dressing. Dollops of goat cheese, crispy quinoa and cilantro make it a party.
What You'll Need
- Salmon – I like to use any cut of salmon that is about 3/4-1 inch thick so that you get nice bite sized cubes.
- Rice – I used forbidden rice but you can use regular white or brown rice.
- Quinoa – Mix it with the rice mixture plus make some crispy quinoa for the top.
- Cucumber – Use an english cucumber for less seeds.
- Red Cabbage – Buy pre-shredded in a bag or shred yourself.
- Orange – Use a cara cara or navel orange
- Limes – You’ll need about 2-3 depending on how much juice comes from them.
- Honey
- Goat Cheese
- Cilantro
- Blackening Seasoning
- Corn Starch
- Garlic Powder
- Brown Sugar
- Smoked Paprika
- Cumin
- Thyme
- Allspice
- Salt
- Cracked Black Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
Grains
I like to do a mix of rice and quinoa for these bowls however if you want to use only one I’d recommend using quinoa. The crispy quinoa added to the top of this bowl is amazing and you don’t want to skip out on that.
Have the grains prepared ahead of time so that when you want to make the bowls that step is already done.
Make the Citrus Dressing
- Juice 1/4 cup of lime juice & 1/4 cup of orange juice
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the citrus juices, 1/4 cup of honey and 1/4 cup of avocado oil or another neutral flavored oil.
- Season with salt.
Make the Cucumber & Red Cabbage Salad
- Cucumber
- Peel the cucumber and remove the seeds with a spoon.
- Thinly slice length wise.
- Red Cabbage
- Combine the cucumber with an equal amount of red cabbage.
- Mix with Citrus Dressing
- Pour over about 1/2 of the citrus dressing and toss.
Make the Crispy Quinoa
The crispy quinoa makes the dish by adding a perfect crunch to every bite. Make in advance and store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 375°
- Quinoa – Add 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa to a baking sheet
- Oil – Drizzle with 3 Tbsp of oil and spread into a thin layer
- Bake – Bake for 30 minutes total. Mix every 10 minutes.
- Season – Add in a squeeze of lime juice and a drizzle of honey in the last 10 minutes.
Make the Salmon
- Remove the salmon skin & cut into bite sized pieces
- Salmon Skin with Knife
- Pat the salmon dry
- Lay on a cutting board skin side down.
- Using a knife, cut right above the skin moving along horizontally. Use your hand to hold onto the skin and salmon as you cut.
- Salmon Skin Trick with Boiling Water
- Place the salmon skin side up on top of an oven rack over a sheet pan or 13-9 dish.
- Pour a little boiling water over top the skin working a little at a time.
- Once you see the skin start to shrivel up you can easily peel it off with your fingers.
- Salmon Skin with Knife
- Blackening Seasoning
- Mix together:
- 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 + 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp salt
- Mix together:
- Mix Salmon with Spices + Oil
- In a medium bowl sprinkle over the blackening seasoning and drizzle over 2-3 tbsp oil until the salmon is coated nicely.
- Preheat Air Fryer to 400°
- Air Fry
- Arrange 8-10 pieces of salmon in the air fryer so they aren’t touching.
- Air Fry at 400° for 6 minutes.
Plate Your Bowl
- Quinoa & Rice – Add a mix of quinoa and rice to your bowl and drizzle in some of the citrus dressing. Mix.
- Cucumber & Red Cabbage Salad – Top the rice with a little of the salad
- Goat Cheese – Dollop some goat cheese around the bowl
- Salmon – Place some of the salmon on top
- Garnish with cilantro and the crispy quinoa on top
Servings: 0
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
Blackened Salmon
- 1.5 lbs Salmon 1-1.5 inches thick, Skin removed & Cut into Bite Sized Pieces
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Corn Starch
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Cumin
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Thyme
- 2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/4 + 1/8 tsp Allspice
- 1/8-1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tsp Salt
Blackened Salmon Bowls
- 1 1/2 Cups Cooked Rice
- 3 Cups Cooked Quinoa, Divided (1 1/2 cups for Crispy Quinoa)
- 1 English Cucumber peeled, seeds removed & thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 Cups Red Cabbage
- Goat Cheese
- 1/4 cup Cilantro
Citrus Dressing
- 1/4 Cup Orange Juice Freshly Squeezed
- 1/4 Cup Lime Juice Freshly Squeezed
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 1/4 Cup Avocado Oil Or other neutral oil
Instructions
Cook your rice and quinoa in before making the bowls to have on hand.
Make the Crispy Quinoa
- Preheat the oven to 375°
- Add 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa to a sheet pan and drizzle with 3 Tbsp of oil. Spread into a thin layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes total. Every 10 minutes be sure to mix so it evenly browns. During the last 10 minutes add a squeeze of lime juice and drizzle of honey.
Make the Citrus Dressing
- Whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, honey and avocado oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt.
Make the Cucumber & Red Cabbage Salad
- Combine the thinly sliced cucumber, red cabbage and 1/2 of the citrus dressing. Toss to coat.
Make the Blackened Salmon Bowls
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 400°
- In a large bowl toss the Salmon with the blackening seasoning and 3 Tbsp oil until thoroughly coated.
- Arrange the salmon in the air fryer so the pieces aren't touching. Air fry for 6 minutes at 400°.
- In a bowl add some rice and quinoa and drizzle with some of the citrus dressing. Top with some of the cucumber & red cabbage salad, goat cheese, salmon, cilantro & crispy quinoa.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!