Wholesome Salmon Quinoa Zoodles

Let me tell you something about salmon noodle bowls. Most of them are either drowning in heavy sauce or so bland you forget what you’re eating. This Wholesome Salmon Quinoa Noodles is neither.

We’re talking salmon marinated for a full hour in a bold tamari-based sauce sweet paprika, hot paprika, rice vinegar, honey, and black sesame seeds. Then baked at high heat until caramelized on the outside and flaky on the inside. Served over a bed of fluffy quinoa and zucchini noodles sautéed with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes.

It’s a deconstructed sushi bowl meets warm grain bowl. Every component shines on its own. Together, they’re magic.

The hour-long marinade is the key. Don’t skip it. The salmon absorbs all that umami, tangy, slightly sweet flavor. Then you bake it hot and fast 7 minutes at 480°F so the outside gets crispy while the inside stays tender.

Gluten free. High protein. Packed with veggies. And absolutely delicious.

Let’s make some salmon noodles.

Try my Miso Salmon Zoodles recipe.

Why You’ll Love the Recipe

• 1-hour marinade. Salmon soaks up all the flavor. Don’t skip it.
• High-heat baking. 480°F for 7 minutes = crispy outside, flaky inside.
• Zucchini noodles + sun-dried tomatoes. Savory, tangy, umami.
• Fluffy quinoa. High protein, gluten free, nutty flavor.
• Pan juices stirred into quinoa. No wasted flavor.
• Black sesame seeds. Toasted, nutty, beautiful.
• High protein (45g) + gluten free. Fits almost every diet.
• Meal prep friendly. Make components ahead. Assemble fresh.

Try my Salmon Couscous Salad recipe.

What You’ll Need to Make

You’ll need a small bowl for the marinade, a baking tray, a spiralizer (or store-bought zucchini noodles), a pan for sautéing, a pot for quinoa, a cutting board and knife, and two plates for serving.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

For the salmon:

• 2 salmon fillets (4.4 oz / 125g each)
• 2 tbsp. tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
• ½ tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. sweet paprika
• ½ tsp. hot paprika
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. black sesame seeds

For the quinoa:

• 3.5 oz (100g) quinoa, cooked (about ½ cup dry before cooking)

For the zucchini noodles:

• 1 zucchini
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2.5 oz. (70g) sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed & chopped
• ½ tbsp. olive oil (for sautéing)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Try my Peachy Salmon Salad recipe.

What You’ll Need to Do

Time: 1 hour 25 minutes (includes 1 hour marinating)

Alright, let’s make a salmon noodle bowl that’s worth the wait. The hour-long marinade is key plan ahead.

First, make the marinade. In a small bowl, combine the tamari, olive oil, sweet paprika, hot paprika, rice vinegar, honey, and black sesame seeds. Whisk until smooth.

Cover the salmon fillets with the marinade. Place them in a dish or a resealable bag. Let them sit for 1 hour at room temperature or in the fridge. Don’t skip this the flavor needs time to develop.

While the salmon marinates, cook the quinoa. Rinse ½ cup dry quinoa under cold water. Add to a pot with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Now prep the zucchini noodles. Spiralize the zucchini. If you don’t have a spiralizer, use a vegetable peeler to make ribbons or julienne it with a knife.

Chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Rinse them first to remove excess oil and salt. Pat dry. Chop into small pieces.

Preheat your oven to 480°F (250°C). This is hot it’s intentional. The high heat caramelizes the marinade quickly.

Place the marinated salmon on a baking tray. Drizzle any remaining marinade over the top.

Bake for exactly 7 minutes. The salmon should be caramelized on the outside and still tender on the inside. Remove from the oven.

While the salmon bakes, cook the zucchini noodles. Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the zucchini noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened but still al dente.

Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another minute.

Now for the best part the pan juices. Pour the baking tray juices (the caramelized marinade that’s dripped off the salmon) into the cooked quinoa. Stir to combine. This adds so much flavor.

Assemble the bowls. Divide the quinoa between two plates or bowls.

Top with the zucchini noodle and sun-dried tomato mixture.

Place a salmon fillet on top of each bowl.

Sprinkle with extra black sesame seeds if you have them.

Serve immediately. The contrast of warm salmon, warm quinoa, and warm zucchini noodles is perfect.

Eat with a fork. Get a little bit of everything in each bite.

Try my Salmon, Avocado and Mango Tartar recipe.

Easy Ingredient Swaps

1| No tamari? Use coconut aminos (gluten free) or regular soy sauce (not gluten free).

2| No sweet paprika? Use all hot paprika or add a pinch of smoked paprika.

3| No rice vinegar? Use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.

4| No black sesame seeds? Use white sesame seeds or omit.

5| No quinoa? Use brown rice, caulflower rice, or more zucchini noodles.

6| No sun-dried tomatoes? Use cherry tomatoes (halved, sautéed briefly) or roasted red peppers.

7| No fresh zucchini? Use pre-spiralized zucchini noodles from the store.

8| Make it spicy: Double the hot paprika or add red pepper flakes.

Some Twist and Tweak Ideas

1| Spicy version: Add ½ tsp cayenne or red pepper flakes to the marinade.

2| Lemon version: Add 1 tbsp lemon juice to the marinade and lemon zest to the quinoa.

3| Herby version: Add fresh dill, parsley, or cilantro to the zucchini noodles.

4| Avocado version: Add sliced avocado on top for creaminess.

5| Nutty version: Add toasted almonds or cashews on top.

6| Extra veggie version: Add sautéed bell peppers or mushrooms to the zucchini noodles.

7| Cold bowl version: Serve everything cold. Great for summer.

Try my Omelet with Smoked Salmon and Feta recipe.

Some Helpful Tips

1| Don’t skip the 1-hour marinade. This is not optional. The salmon needs time to absorb all that tamari, paprika, and honey flavor. Overnight is even better.

2| Use high heat for the oven. 480°F is hot. It caramelizes the marinade quickly without overcooking the inside. Watch the time 7 minutes exactly.

3| Don’t overcrowd the pan when sautéing zucchini noodles. Cook in a single layer. If you add too many at once, they’ll steam instead of sauté.

4| Rinse sun-dried tomatoes. They’re often packed in oil and salt. Rinsing removes excess oil and balances the flavor.

5| Stir the pan juices into the quinoa. This is not optional. Those juices are pure flavor. Don’t waste them.

6| Use a spiralizer for best results. Pre-spiralized noodles from the store work, but fresh spiralized zucchini has better texture.

Try my Smoked Salmon Party Dip recipe.

Some Budget-Friendly Tips

1| Salmon is the splurge. Watch for sales. Buy frozen salmon it’s often cheaper and just as good. Thaw before marinating.

2| Quinoa in bulk. Cheaper than boxed. Buy only what you need.

3| Sun-dried tomatoes in a jar. One jar lasts for months. Use them in pasta, salads, and grain bowls.

4| Tamari lasts forever. A bottle lasts for months of marinades and stir-fries.

5| Black sesame seeds from bulk bins. A little goes a long way. White sesame seeds are cheaper.

6| Zucchini is cheap in summer. One zucchini costs a few dollars. Buy extra for other meals.

Try my Ginger and Honey Salmon en Papillote recipe.

Some Serving Ideas

• As a main course. One bowl is a full meal. Perfect for lunch or dinner.
• For meal prep. Cook the quinoa and zucchini noodles. Make the marinade. Store separately. Cook the salmon fresh when ready to eat (7 minutes).
• For a dinner party. This dish looks gorgeous on a white plate. Serve with a crisp white wine.
• In a bowl. Layer quinoa, then zucchini noodles, then salmon. Drizzle with extra tamari or chili crisp.
• For a light lunch. Smaller portion of quinoa. Add extra zucchini noodles.
• For a post-workout meal. 45g of protein. Perfect for recovery.

Try my Baked Salmon and Peppers recipe.

Some Storage and Reheating Tips

Fridge (salmon only): Store cooked salmon in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The texture will change slightly, but it’s still good.

Fridge (quinoa only): Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Fridge (zucchini noodles only): Store cooked zucchini noodles in an airtight container for up to 2 days. They will release water and soften.

Fridge (assembled bowl): Not recommended. The textures will degrade. Store components separately.

Freezer: Do not freeze. The texture of the salmon, zucchini noodles, and quinoa will be compromised.

Reheating salmon: Reheat salmon in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes, or in a skillet over low heat for 3-4 minutes. The microwave will make it rubbery avoid.

Reheating quinoa: Reheat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or in a skillet with a splash of water.

Reheating zucchini noodles: Reheat quickly in a hot skillet for 1-2 minutes. They will be softer than fresh.

Meal prep strategy: Cook the quinoa. Spiralize the zucchini (keep raw). Make the marinade. Marinate the salmon. When ready to eat, cook the salmon (7 minutes), sauté the zucchini noodles (5 minutes), reheat quinoa. Assemble fresh.

Try my Baked Salmon recipe.

Final Thoughts

Look, I love a quick 20-minute salmon dinner. But sometimes when I have an extra hour and want something truly special I make this Wholesome Salmon Quinoa Noodles.

The hour-long marinade is the secret. Tamari, sweet and hot paprika, rice vinegar, honey, black sesame seeds. The salmon soaks up every drop. Then you blast it at 480°F for 7 minutes until caramelized and perfect.

The zucchini noodles are sautéed with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes savory, tangy, umami. The quinoa is fluffy and nutty, stirred with the pan juices from the salmon so no flavor goes to waste.

One hour and 25 minutes. Most of it hands-off. 45g of protein. Gluten free. And so good you’ll want to make it again tomorrow.

Make it for a weekend dinner. Make it for date night. Make it when you want to treat yourself.

However you serve it, you’re getting a salmon bowl that’s anything but boring.

Now go marinate some salmon.

~ Danny Davis

P.S. If you try the spicy version with extra hot paprika and cayenne, let me know. That’s my go-to upgrade. The heat with the sweet honey and tangy rice vinegar? Perfect balance.