Stir fried spring veggies topped with juicy broiled salmon and a cool and creamy lemon aioli ~ it’s a super quick, super healthy low carb meal that feels like pure luxury.
It’s a fact ~ we should be eating more seafood, specifically salmon, to live longer and healthier lives*. But here’s the amazing secret ~ salmon’s not a chore, it’s a treat! You just feel good eating a dinner like this, and kids love that buttery ‘pink fish’! Veggie bowls with salmon take advantage of high heat (stir frying and broiling) to create super flavor in minutes, so this is a true dinnertime champ.
let’s dig in
the veggies: spring style stir fry
Pay attention to a pleasing mix of color and texture. This isn’t a heavily spiced or sauced dish, the focus is squarely on the fresh ingredients. The easy lemon aioli condiment dictated the French theme so I added a sprinkle of herbes de Provence.
- asparagus
- heirloom carrots
- fennel
- snap peas
- zucchini
- bell pepper
- red onion
- scallions
salmon ~ farmed or wild?
Wild salmon tends to be higher in healthy omega-3s and lower in contaminants, but is pricier. Farmed salmon is more affordable but fish farming has issues (however those issues are slowly being addressed.) I used farmed salmon in this recipe.
- a pound of salmon
- serves 4
- olive oil
- salt
lemon aioli
- mayonnaise
- lemon juice
- garlic
- salt
prep ahead your veggie bowls with salmon
90% of the work in this recipe is simply chopping, so do it ahead! Whisk together the lemon aioli in the morning, too. That little bit of advance prep means this meal comes together in way less than 30 minutes.
While you stir fry the veggies to crisp-tender, the salmon will cook under the boiler (in about 10 minutes.) This meal is low carb and low calorie, and ready to go even on the busiest nights.
change up your veggie bowls with salmon
Keeping it simple, but switching out one or two of the players gives this meal multiple personalities so you can reinvent it again and again.
sauce is king in a simple salmon dinner like this: change it up and you change the entire meal:
- a fresh basil pesto
- chimichurri sauce
- mint yogurt sauce
- Hollandaise sauce
- homemade ranch dressing
- whole lemon dressing
- tzatziki sauce
- remoulade sauce
so many ways to serve healthy seafood in a bowl for dinner
A healthy smaller portion of seafood protein over a bowl of fresh veggies or grains is the perfect warm weather dinner.
Greek Tomato Salad with Salmon
Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
Sweet Corn Polenta with Shrimp
Crispy Crab Cakes Salad Recipe
Poached Halibut Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Veggie Bowls with Salmon
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet
Ingredients
salmon
- 1 lb salmon filet, sliced into 4 portions
- olive oil
- kosher salt
veggies
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced on an angle
- 1 bulb fennel, trimmed, outer layers removed, and sliced, reserve the fronds for garnish.
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and sliced into 2 inch pieces
- 1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into quarters and sliced
- 1 cup snap peas, cut on the diagonal
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 2 inch strips
- 1/2 red onion, sliced into thin slivers
- 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced
- 1/2 tsp herbes de Provence
lemon aioli
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- pinch kosher salt
garnish
- lemon wedges
- fennel fronds
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
for the salmon
- Turn the broiler on 'high'. Set the oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Arrange the salmon on the baking sheet and brush liberally with olive oil. Season with salt.
- Broil for about 10 minutes, or until sizzling on top and done to 145F inside. It should flake easily with a fork.
for the veggies
- While the salmon is broiling heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large wok or skillet until hot.
- Add the carrots and fennel and stir fry for a few minutes over medium high heat.
- Add the asparagus and zucchini and stir fry for another few minutes.
- Add the peas, bell pepper, onion, scallions and herbes de Provence to the pan and continue to toss and cook just until the veggies are crisp tender ~ don't over do it, they will continue to cook as they sit.
- To serve, divide the veggies among 4 wide shallow bowls. Top each with a piece of salmon. Add a lemon wedge, and drizzle with the aioli. Garnish with fennel fronds and fresh cracked black pepper. Serve with more aioli on the side.
for the aioli
- Whisk together the aioli ingredients and give it a taste. Adjust as needed.
Notes
Nutrition
•eat more salmon!!
- The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish per week, particularly fatty fish like salmon, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are essential for heart health and can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of arrhythmias, and decrease inflammation.
- The Mayo Clinic echoes the AHA’s recommendation of two weekly servings of fish, highlighting salmon for its omega-3 content and its abundance of vitamin D and vitamin B12. These additional nutrients are crucial for bone health, immune function, and cell metabolism.
- National Institutes of Health lists various health benefits associated with consuming salmon, including reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia. They also mention potential benefits for mental health and reducing inflammation.
Good morning, your recipe popped up on my phone, I like how you talked about wild and farm raised salmon. Will save the recipe and try it later
Thank you for sharing
The whole question of what salmon to buy is huge for me, I debate it all over again every time I’m at the supermarket!