Guide · Oct 22, 2026
Lemon-Tahini Salmon Bowl
Roasted salmon on quinoa with roasted broccoli and red pepper, finished with a quick lemon-tahini sauce. Dinner for two in about 25 minutes.
Last updated
Short answer: Roast two salmon fillets with broccoli and red pepper at 400°F for about 15 minutes, then serve over quinoa with a sauce of tahini, lemon juice and warm water. About 25 minutes for two bowls.
This is the dinner to plan your window around: about 40 grams of protein a bowl, plenty of vegetables, and one pan to wash. Cook a batch of quinoa on Sunday and it's a 25-minute weeknight meal. It's the fifth recipe from our 5 high-protein meals to break your fast.
Like every recipe on PingDiet, this one was developed by Michael Gonzales from standard ratios.
The sauce looks wrong at first
When lemon juice hits tahini, it goes thick and grainy. That's normal. Keep whisking in warm water and it turns smooth and creamy. Make a double batch: it keeps a week in the fridge and works on salads too.
Leftovers for lunch
Pack the quinoa, vegetables and salmon in one container and the sauce in another. The bowl is good cold or briefly warmed.
Nutrition estimate
One bowl comes out to about 716 calories, 43 g protein, 38 g fat, 53 g carbohydrate, 10 g fiber and 6 g sugar, with about 147 mg sodium. We worked that out from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient [1]. Salt added to taste isn't counted. Ingredient sizes vary, so check your labels if you track numbers closely.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, raw (FDC ID 175167); Broccoli, raw (FDC ID 170379); Peppers, sweet, red, raw (FDC ID 170108); Oil, olive, salad or cooking (FDC ID 171413); Quinoa, cooked (FDC ID 168917); Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, from roasted and toasted kernels (most common type) (FDC ID 170189); Lemon juice, raw (FDC ID 167747). Accessed October 21, 2026. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
- FoodSafety.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart. https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety
- FoodSafety.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). 4 Steps to Food Safety. https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/4-steps-to-food-safety
Photo: a lemon-tahini salmon bowl with quinoa and roasted vegetables, an AI-generated image made for PingDiet.
Swaps and substitutions
- Cauliflower rice works in place of the quinoa.
- Zucchini or asparagus roast in the same time as the broccoli.
- Use chicken thighs instead of salmon, roasting until they reach 165°F.
Lemon-Tahini Salmon Bowl
Roasted salmon on quinoa with roasted broccoli and red pepper, finished with a quick lemon-tahini sauce. Dinner for two in about 25 minutes.
By Michael Gonzales
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Makes
- 2 bowls
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets, 5 oz each
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp warm water, plus more to thin
- salt, a pinch
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment.
- Toss the broccoli and pepper with the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and spread them out on one side of the pan. Roast for 5 minutes.
- Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add it to the other side of the pan. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes more, until the salmon flakes easily and reaches 145°F inside.
- While it roasts, whisk the tahini, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. It will seize and thicken; whisk in warm water a tablespoon at a time until it's pourable.
- Divide the quinoa between two bowls, add the vegetables and salmon, and drizzle with the sauce.
Food safety and storage
- Cook salmon to 145°F, or until it's opaque and flakes with a fork.
- We'd eat leftovers within 3 to 4 days, the window USDA gives for most refrigerated leftovers.
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
716 kcal · protein 43 g · carbs 53 g · fiber 10 g · fat 38 g · sugars 6 g · sodium 147 mg
Estimated from USDA FoodData Central; salt and pepper to taste not counted. Values change with brands and portion sizes.
Written by
Michael Gonzales
Health & fitness consultant
Michael has a diverse set of skills and passions, with a full-time career as an airline pilot and a dedicated focus on health and fitness consulting. He understands the importance of balancing a busy lifestyle with maintaining a healthy mind and body, and is committed to helping others achieve the same success. Michael's expertise in health and fitness is not just limited to physical training, but also extends to nutrition, stress management, and overall wellbeing. He takes a holistic approach to health and fitness, helping clients to achieve their goals in a sustainable and fulfilling way. With a strong desire to inspire and motivate others, Michael is always ready to share his time and knowledge with those who seek his guidance. Whether in the air or on the ground, Michael is dedicated to helping others live their best lives.