LindySez | Recipes

  • About/Contact
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Techniques
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About/Contact
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Techniques
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About/Contact
    • Recipes
    • Tips & Techniques
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Fish & Seafood » Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Salmon and Red Pepper Sauce

    Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Salmon and Red Pepper Sauce

    Published: Nov 6, 2014 · Modified: Jun 2, 2022 by Linda Baker · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    "Talk about your nutritional powerhouse - Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Salmon and Red Pepper Sauce is healthy, simple, elegant, and done in 30 minutes. By slow-roasting the salmon fillets in the oven, you have almost a fail-proof way of cooking the perfect piece of healthy deliciousness. "

    A powerhouse plate of roasted salmon with red pepper sauce along with quinoa pilaf and broccolli.
    A POWERHOUSE dinner!

    The Making of Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Salmon and Red Pepper Sauce

    No matter the reason you cook at home, whether it's to save money, have better control over what you put into your mouth (and on your waistline) or the fact that there's just NOWHERE for you to go out to eat, or you just plain enjoy cooking; I'm sure that you don't want to spend all your time in the kitchen cooking dinner. And you want something colorful, tasty, healthy, and delicious. Well, look no further...Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Salmon and Red Pepper Sauce is a powerhouse of healthy food, beautifully presented, and done in about 30 minutes.

    Simple to prepare, pretty enough for company and a nutritional powerhouse - what's not to love?.

    Really. I mean how can you go wrong in the health department? Quinoa, salmon, and red peppers. It's in the bag.

    Let's start with the quinoa.

    Unless you've been living in a cave (and if so, welcome back) you know that quinoa is being touted as a "superfood" -  gluten-free, filled with nutrient-rich magnesium, iron, and calcium. It's also low in both fat and calories, yet high in protein. The new culinary star. And it's so easy to prepare. The only thing I find to be important when working with quinoa is to rinse it well. I use a triple rinse method to get the bitter coating off; if you don't mind a little bit of bitterness, then just give it a rinse as you would rice. I'm finding more and more manufacturers saying you don't need to rinse quinoa but I suspect they have removed some of the pericarps and that's like removing some of the nutrition. So buy whole, natural quinoa and give it a good rinse.

    Now on to the salmon

    If you have read anything on my site, then you know that I am a firm advocate of fresh, wild-caught salmon. None of that "Atlantic Farmed" stuff. The health benefits of wild-caught salmon are many; but especially for its high concentration of Omega 3 fatty acids, essential amino acids, and high quality of protein. Farmed salmon does not reach the same levels of health benefits. And if they have to put dye in it to make it look like salmon, then something is not exactly right.

    That said, the farmed fish industry is starting to make some good progress towards stopping the practices they used that fouled the water which had previously been a huge problem for the environment, and is working towards keeping the fish farms cleaner so the fish are not swimming in their own filth. Changing the feed mix and not using hormones is also on the rise.

    But for now, I will still stick with my wild salmon.

    If all you can get is farmed, make sure it's the best-farmed salmon you can find. Farmed salmon from Chile has been moved to the yellow list by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program. And of course, markets such as Whole Foods, are very watchful of where their seafood comes from, so it's a fairly safe choice when buying fish.

    By slow-roasting the salmon fillets in the oven, you have almost a fail-proof way of cooking the perfect piece of healthy deliciousness. Slow roasting allows the fatty layers in between the meat to melt, making the fish juicy and tender.

    Don't overcook it. Better a little rare, than overdone.

    Red bell peppers.

    Red bell peppers have 300% of the daily requirement for vitamin C.

    300%!

    AND they have high levels of vitamins A, B-6, and magnesium along with supplying antioxidants.

    PLUS PLUS they increase your metabolism, which aids in weight loss.

    All of these foods are considered part of  The World's Healthiest Foods.

    Healthy, simple, elegant - how can you not love this recipe for Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Salmon and Red Pepper Sauce?

    Well, you can't. So make it today for a healthy and happy tomorrow.

    Roasted Salmon with Pilaf on a plate.

    LindySez:  I served this with some fresh steamed broccoli ... you know, in case it wasn't healthy enough. But it would also be healthy, and remain low-fat if served with a Raw Zucchini Spaghetti salad or Sauteed Zucchini Spaghetti. 

    Wine Recommendation: While salmon generally goes well with Pinot Noir, and will do so here as well, a better choice would be a Merlot or even a Sangiovese due to the red pepper sauce. 

     

    A powerhouse plate of roasted salmon with red pepper sauce along with quinoa pilaf and broccolli.

    Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Salmon and Red Pepper Sauce

    LindySez
    Talk about your nutritional powerhouse – Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Salmon and Red Pepper Sauce is healthy, simple, elegant, and done in 30 minutes. By slow-roasting the salmon fillets in the oven, you have almost a fail-proof way of cooking the perfect piece of healthy deliciousness.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Fish & Seafood, Main Course, Rice & Grains
    Cuisine LindySez Fusion
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 430 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • For the Quinoa Pilaf
    • 1 cup quinoa rinsed well
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ cup finely chopped onion or shallot
    • ¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
    • 2 cups liquid I used 1 cup chicken stock and 1 cup water. You could use 2 cups chicken stock or all water. I would not use veggie stock as the flavor tends to be very strong
    • ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
    • For the Slow-Roasted Salmon
    • 4 5 ounce skin-on salmon filets (check for and remove any bones)
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • For the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
    • 1 small jar 7 ½ ounces roasted red peppers, drained (or roast your own, about ½ cup total, peeled and sliced)
    • ¼ cup fire-roasted diced tomatoes if you don't have fire-roasted, you can use regular diced tomatoes, but fire-roasted gives it more depth
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper for all

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the oven to 250°F 
      It's best to let the fish sit out a bit so it's not super cold, so let it sit out while you prepare the pilaf ingredients and while the oven heats.
    • Prepare the Pilaf: In a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium-low heat; add the onions and peppers; sauté 2 - 3 minutes or until tender. Add the rinsed quinoa to the pan and stir until covered with oil; add the liquid along with a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and lower the heat; cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. (A small pat of unsalted butter here is good, but not necessary.)
    • Prepare the Salmon; While the pilaf is cooking, rub the oil over the salmon and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the salmon, skin side down, onto an aluminum foil covered cooking sheet that has been lightly oiled or sprayed with cooking spray. Place in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until medium. Do not overcook the fish. 
    • Prepare the Pepper SauceWhile the fish and pilaf are cooking, place all the ingredients for the sauce in a blender; blend until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and heat until just hot. 
    • To Serve: Place the pilaf on the bottom of the plate, top with the salmon and spoon the sauce over. Enjoy.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 430kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 34gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 375mgFiber: 4g
    Keyword baked salmon, quinoa pilaf, slow-cooked salmon in the oven, super healthy dinner with salmon
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Easy Five-Spice Beefy Rice Bowl with Bok Choy
    Easy Crispy Pan-Fried Mashed Potato Cakes »

    Comments

    1. Linda Omura says

      February 21, 2015 at 10:45 am

      I normally do not rinse my quinoa but now that you mention it I do remember a slightly bitter taste. I'll try rinsing it! This dish looks so healthy if you are able to get the wild caught salmon. When I'm in Florida I find that it is difficult to find.

      Reply
      • LindySez says

        February 21, 2015 at 11:07 am

        Hi Linda, yes, I find rinsing the quinoa makes a big difference in the flavor of it. Some say they are pre-rinsed, but I'd rather buy ones that are not and rinse it myself. There are a few substainably raised farmed salmon, just avoid anything that is called Atlantic salmon. You can be pretty sure that the ones sold in Whole Foods are good to go. Cheers Lindy

        Reply
    2. Christine | No Gojis No Glory says

      November 07, 2014 at 9:17 pm

      Quick and healthy...two of my favorite words. Salmon and quinoa...even better. Quinoa has become one of favorite foods to make, especially since it's so versatile. I even eat it as a warm breakfast cereal. And I agree 100% about the rinsing part. It's so much better without that bitterness.

      Reply
      • LindySez says

        November 08, 2014 at 9:16 am

        Mine too Christine, I love things to be quick and healthy especially during the week. I hope you enjoy the recipe and thanks for stopping by. Cheers ~ Lindy

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Hi, I'm Lindy.

    Welcome to LindySez! I'm Lindy, a self-taught home chef with a passion for helping others feel confident in the kitchen. I believe cooking should be approachable, fun, and above all, delicious!

    My mission is to guide anyone—whether you grew up on fast food or rarely cooked at home—to create amazing meals with ease. Through simple recipes and practical tips, I’ll show you how to turn everyday ingredients into flavorful dishes.

    Cooking doesn’t have to be intimidating—let’s make it enjoyable together!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • A blue bowl filled with Pretty Darn Good Chili Verde.
      Roasted Pork Chili Verde with a Smoky Twist
    • A hot dog dressed in chili sauce.
      The Best Hormel Chili No Beans Copycat Recipe
    • Slow cooked in the oven spaghetti sauce on noodles with basil.
      Slow Cooked Oven Baked Spaghetti Sauce
    • A sliced loaf of quick no knead crusty rye bread.
      A Quick No Knead Crusty Rye Bread
    • A tasty plate of ribs.
      Tender Oven-Baked Ribs with Quick Grill Finish
    • Polenta Cornmeal Muffins in cast iron mini skillets.
      The Best Easy Polenta or Cornmeal Muffins
    • German Braised Rabbit served with sides.
      Hasenpfeffer (German Style Wine Braised Rabbit)
    • A skillet and a plate with some fried mashed potato cakes on them.
      Easy Crispy Pan-Fried Mashed Potato Cakes
    • A white bowl filled with Spicy Crab Noodles.
      Spicy Crab Noodles
    • Sole being served on a gold rimmed plate with a light shrimp sauce on it. along with chives.
      Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2024 Lindy Sez