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Tangy BBQ-spiced salmon over a bed of quinoa topped with a sweet, refreshing, summery salsa.
Say hello to my favorite new salsa. I’m just going to start making it in batches and topping everything with it. All summer long. Burgers, sandwiches, salads and tacos are all about to get salsa-fied.
I’ve really just been loving fruit salsas lately. Mango salsa, strawberry-mint salsa, watermelon-basil salsa and now pineapple-jalapeno-cilantro salsa – SO GOOD! It’s easy to make fruit salsas a little too sweet, however between the heat from the jalapeno and tartness of the lime juice, this baby balanced out just right.
This meal should definitely be making an appearance during your memorial day weekend. I’m partial to broiling my salmon fillets for 6-8 minutes to create that crispy crust on the outside and flaky goodness on the inside. However, if you intend on firing up the grill this weekend, this salmon would undoubtedly taste awesome grilled.
A light meal packed with a ton of flavor – what’s not to love? You deserve this. With a margarita or mojito on the side. Cheers!
BBQ Rubbed Salmon with Caramelized Pineapple Salsa and Quinoa
Serves 3. Serving size: one 4 ounce salmon filet with one third prepared quinoa salad with salsa
Ingredients
- ~12 ounces fresh salmon
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Caramelized Pineapple Salsa:
- 1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks, finely chopped
- 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
- Juice of one lime
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Dash of salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- In a skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add red pepper, jalapeno and pineapple. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Add chopped tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice and toss. Let sit for ~30 minutes to allow flavors to marry.
- Heat a medium-sized sauce pan over medium-high heat. Combine quinoa with 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth and bring to a boil. When the water reaches a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to low and simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed. This will take 12-15 minutes. You will notice that the quinoa becomes sort of translucent and you can “fluff” it with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- Preheat oven broiler to the highest setting. In a bowl, mix spices until thoroughly combined. Rub spices over salmon evenly and place on a non-stick baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil for 6-8 minutes.
- Mix 1/2 of prepared salsa with quinoa and reserve the other half to top salmon with. Serve immediately.
Nutrition facts per serving:
Calories: 435; Total Fat: 18 gm; Saturated Fat: 6 gm; Cholesterol: 66 mg; Sodium: 310 mg; Carbohydrates: 39 gm; Fiber: 4.5 gm; Sugar: 15 gm; Protein: 29 gm
Hey! These are such a good idea…The pictures are tantalizing but you are an amazing food writer! I honestly didn’t think that the mango salsa had any room for improvement…This looks incredible. I only just finished my salmon though so might have to wait a looonggg couple of days before I can try this 🙁 Great recipe! Thank you 🙂
Thank you SO much, Tashiana! So sweet of you. I hope it comes out fantastic when you do make it! 🙂