Za’atar Salmon with Quinoa Pilaf

03/05/2023

Oven-baked Za’atar Salmon with Quinoa Pilaf and a refreshing Orange Salad. Yammmmm! Here’s another quick and low-effort dinner/lunch recipe when you want to try something new 😗

Za’atar is one of my favorite spice mixes, and it’s a delicious, herby, and tangy blend widely used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. It usually consists of roasted sesame seeds, herbs, sumac, chili flakes, and salt.

You can find Za’atar in Middle-Eastern grocery stores or online, or you can easily make it at home! I have a recipe for a homemade Za’atar spice blend if you want to try it out! That recipe will make a small jar of Za’atar and you can use the rest of the spice mix for salads, marinades, pita bread, pizza, eggs, tofu, and veggies (just to name a few!) 😋

ZA’ATAR SALMON WITH QUINOA PILAF RECIPE

Cooking time 35 min

Serves 2

Za’atar salmon

2 salmon fillets, about 150 g or 5.3 oz each
2 tablespoons za’atar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
Lemon wedges to serve

Quinoa pilaf

1,5 dl or 0,6 cups quinoa
3-4 dl or 1.2-1.7 cups veggie stock (or how much liquid your quinoa package says to add)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 Bell pepper
Piece of leek (you can also use 1 onion)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Olive oil

Orange salad

Lambs lettuce or any salad mix you like
Cucumber
Blood oranges (or regular if they are not in season!)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice
A squeeze of honey
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Start with the quinoa pilaf: Finely dice your leek and bell pepper. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil to a pan and cook until soft. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, add more olive oil if needed. Add the rest of the spices, veggie stock, and rinsed quinoa. Cook over low-medium heat for 25 minutes.
For the salmon: preheat oven to 175 Celsius or 345 Fahrenheit. Combine za’atar with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and rub the mixture onto the salmon. Season with salt and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes.
The salad: Segment your oranges and cut cucumbers into bite-sized pieces. Make the vinegarette by combining all of the ingredients together in a glass jar and giving it a good shake.