Lemon Herb Salmon Meal Prep Bowls
Baked salmon with lemon, olive oil, garlic, and fresh dill over quinoa with roasted asparagus and a 3-ingredient lemon tahini drizzle. ~44g protein per bowl — quinoa is a complete protein alongside the salmon, making this the highest-protein bowl in the lineup. Meal preps in 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Meat & Protein
- 4 salmon fillets 6 oz each, skin-on
Produce
- 1 bunch asparagus tough ends trimmed
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 lemon juiced — divided, half for salmon, half for tahini drizzle
- 3 tbsp fresh dill roughly chopped
Pantry & Canned Goods
- 1.5 cups quinoa uncooked
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided — 2 tbsp for salmon and asparagus, 1 tbsp for tahini drizzle
- 2 tbsp tahini
Seasonings & Spices
- ¾ tsp kosher salt divided
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cook the quinoa according to package directions — typically a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water, simmered for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork when done and season with a pinch of salt.
- Line a large sheet pan with foil. Place the salmon fillets on one half and the asparagus on the other. Drizzle everything with 2 tbsp olive oil. Season the salmon with half the lemon juice, the minced garlic, fresh dill, ½ tsp kosher salt, and black pepper. Season the asparagus with the remaining ¼ tsp salt.
- Roast for 12 to 15 minutes until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 130°F to 135°F, and the asparagus is tender with slightly charred tips. Both finish at the same time on the same pan — this is the efficiency that makes the meal prep work.
- Make the lemon tahini drizzle: whisk together the tahini, remaining lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 2 tbsp water in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. Add more water 1 tsp at a time if it's too thick. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Divide the quinoa among 4 meal prep containers. Top each with one salmon fillet and an equal portion of asparagus. Drizzle the lemon tahini over the top. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Store the tahini drizzle separately if possible for best texture.
Notes
Estimated protein per bowl: ~44g. Salmon contributes approximately 34g per 6 oz fillet, quinoa adds 8g per cup (cooked), and tahini adds 2g — making this the highest-protein bowl in the meal prep lineup.
Quinoa is the grain choice here specifically because it's a complete protein — it contains all nine essential amino acids, which most grains don't. Combined with the salmon, this bowl has a protein profile closer to a post-workout meal than a standard dinner.
The salmon and asparagus roast together on the same sheet pan at the same temperature for the same time. This is the efficiency move that makes this a realistic meal prep — one pan, one oven temp, everything done in 15 minutes.
Salmon keeps for 3 days in the fridge — it's the limiting factor on this meal prep batch. Reheat gently at 50% microwave power for 90 seconds to avoid overcooking. The salmon is also excellent eaten cold directly from the fridge over the quinoa.
The lemon tahini drizzle is the detail that makes cold reheated salmon taste intentional rather than like leftover fish. Keep it in a separate small container and drizzle fresh at serving time.
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