Healthy Salmon Taco Bowl (aka deconstructed fish taco!)
It’s a flavorful fish taco in bowl form! This salmon taco bowl features aggressively (but perfectly) spiced chipotle salmon, fluffy rice, shredded lettuce and mango avocado salsa. Top it off with a drizzle of chipotle lime sauce and you’ve got a crave-able healthy dinner.
This recipe was published on May 12, 2021 and updated on March 12, 2024.
How often to you eat salmon or other fatty fish?
If you are like most Americans, the answer is, probably not often enough! Salmon is truly one of the most nutritious animal proteins. It is a rich source of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA which have been shown to reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The current recommendation is to consume at least 1-3 servings of fatty fish (like salmon!) every week.
Salmon is on my meal plan nearly every single week and one of the joys of salmon is its versatility! There are thousands of different recipes and methods of preparation for salmon. And today I’m bringing you one of my all-time favorite ways- a salmon taco bowl. Fish tacos are probably my favorite food of all time, and I love them in bowl form as well obvi.
It’s everything you love about salmon tacos, but instead of flour tortillas, the salmon is layered into a bowl with rice, lettuce, a mango avocado Pico de Gallo situation and creamy chipotle sauce.
What you’ll need to make this salmon taco bowl:
Salmon: I love to buy wild-caught pacific salmon (as I am on the west coast!). Wild caught salmon is lower in fat and can dry out more easily than farmed salmon so take care not to overcook. You can use almost any kind of salmon: sockeye fillets, Coho, Copper River or Chinook.
Rice: I love to use brown jasmine rice but choose whatever grain base you enjoy.
Seasonings: smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper and extra virgin olive oil come together to make an amazing spice rub. You can also use avocado oil. For a quick shortcut, you can use a packet of taco seasoning instead of the spice combo.
Mango: fresh mango adds the perfect pop of sweetness to contrast the slightly spicy salmon. If you can find them I recommend Ataulfo mangos as they are always sweet with a perfect texture.
Veggies: to round out the mango salsa you’ll need red onion, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, avocado and fresh cilantro.
Chipotle sauce: this quick lime crema features plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), mayo, chipotle in adobo sauce and fresh lime juice.
Lettuce: I like to add a big handful of green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce or butter lettuce to this salmon taco bowl.
Tortilla chips: crumble on a handful of corn chips for a satisfying finishing touch!
How to make:
Salmon: Preheat oven to 425. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. In a small bowl combine sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika and olive oil until a paste forms. Rub this thoroughly over entire surface of salmon. Place salmon on prepared pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until salmon flakes apart evenly and is pink and opaque all the way through.
Rice: cook your desired base grain in a medium pot and while the rice cooks prepare the salsa and creamy chipotle sauce.
Mango Pico: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently to combine, season with salt to taste.
Chipotle sauce: Whisk together yogurt, mayo, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce. You may need to use 1-2 tablespoons water to thin to your desired consistency.
Assembly: To a serving bowl add a big spoonful of fluffy seasoned rice, a cooked salmon fillet and a handful of lettuce. Spoon a couple scoops of mango salsa, drizzle with chipotle sauce and crunch some tortilla chips over everything.
Equiment you will need:
Expert tips and variation ideas:
- When picking out salmon, don’t rely too heavily on the term “fresh.” Just because the salmon was previously frozen, does not mean it is inferior to fresh. In fact, if the fish is flash frozen straight off the boat, its quality and taste may be superior to “fresh salmon”– especially if it has to travel long distances to make it to your grocery store.
- When salmon is cooked, a whiteish mayo-looking substance usually appears on the surface. Don’t fret! This is albumin, a protein in the fish. It is completely safe, fine to eat (or just scrape it off if you prefer) and may actually indicate better freshness/quality of the salmon!
- Roasting the salmon at higher heat for a shorter period of time allows for perfect doneness without overcooking. Careful friends- you do not want to overcook the salmon!
- Add some black beans for an extra boost of fiber and protein.
- Use any type of grain you like- white rice, cilantro lime rice, brown rice, quinoa, coconut rice or skip the rice altogether and serve everything on a bed of lettuce like a salmon taco salad!
- Add any other veggies you have on hand- green onions, fresh tomatoes, green bell pepper, roasted chipotle cauliflower, crisp shredded cabbage, radishes, fresh avocado slices or pickled jalapenos would all be amazing here!
- Instead of the chipotle cream sauce try this avocado crema!
FAQs
Not really. There is a little heat from the chili powder and smoked paprika in the salmon marinade. Reduce the quantity to ½ teaspoon each in the marinade for a less spicy seasoning blend. Additionally, you can reduce the chipotle pepper in adobo sauce in the creamy chipotle sauce. To increase the spice level add more adobo sauce or hot sauce.
I recommend storing the rice and salmon in an airtight container and the mango pico de gallo and chipotle sauce in separate containers. Then you can reheat the salmon and rice and top with the fresh elements.
As written, yes these salmon taco bowls are gluten-free.
I’d recommend making this spicy cashew dressing to replace the creamy chipotle sauce.
This recipe would be fabulous with shrimp, white fish like Mahi Mahi or halibut or chicken breast.
If you love these easy salmon taco bowls you’ll love these other Mexican-inspired dinner ideas:
So what are we waiting for!? Let’s get these delicious salmon taco bowls on the meal plan STAT!
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!
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Seriously Good Salmon Taco Bowl
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Subtly spicy salmon, fluffy rice, sweet and crunchy mango pico and creamy chipotle sauce- I crave this salmon taco bowl often. I hope it makes it into your regular rotation!
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1lb wild-caught Pacific salmon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Mango Pico de Gallo
- 2 Ataulfo mangoes (also called honey or champagne mangoes), small cubed
- 1 large avocado, cubed
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup finely minced cilantro
- 1/2 lime, juice of
- drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- big pinch of salt, to taste
Chipotle Sauce
- 1/4 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup olive oil mayo (can sub regular)
- 1 chipotle in adobo sauce (finely minced) + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1/2 lime, juice of
- water to thin, if needed
Assembly
- Steamed jasmine or brown rice or any other grain of choice
- Tortilla chips
- Green leaf, butter or romaine lettuce or cabbage, shredded
Instructions
Salmon
Preheat oven to 425. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel and place on a foil-lined baking sheet or broiler pan. In a small bowl combine sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil until a paste forms. Rub this thoroughly over entire surface of salmon. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until salmon flakes apart evenly and is pink and opaque all the way through. Careful friends, do not overcook! Err on the side of slightly underdone and let carryover cooking (the cooking that happens after you pull the salmon from the oven) to finish cooking the salmon. Salmon comes in a variety of thickness- so you may need to adjust your cook time up or down slightly.
Mango Pico
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently to combine, season with salt to taste.
Chipotle sauce
Whisk together yogurt, mayo, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce. You may need to use 1-2 tablespoons water to thin to your desired consistency.
Assembly
To a serving bowl, add a big spoonful of rice and a handful of lettuce. Top with a portion of salmon, several big spoonfuls of mango pico de gallo, a drizzle of chipotle sauce, and a handful of crushed tortilla chips. Serve with some lime wedges and OMG DIG IN.
Notes
See above blog post for variation ideas, expert tips and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (nutrition facts calculated with 2/3 cup cooked brown rice per portion)
- Calories: 554
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 287.3 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Carbohydrates: 47.1 g
- Fiber: 5.5 g
- Protein: 31.6 g
- Cholesterol: 60.3 mg
Omg! Made these last night! Sooo good! I used brown rice and left out the tortilla chips. And still delicious 🤤
Amazing!! I love those modifications! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed!
My husband could not stop raving about this recipe, especially the chipotle sauce. Definitely something we will be making again!
YAY! i’m so happy to hear this Miranda! Thanks for trying my recipe 🙂
xx
Erica
GAH!!!! This was SOOOO GOOD!!!!! New favorite for sure!!! And so filling!!!!
Eeee thanks for trying Kate! So happy you liked it!
Is this my new favorite meal? Probably! I finished eating about 3 minutes ago and already sent the recipe to two friends. A must-try!
yaaaay ! I love this! So happy you love it as much as I do!
I just made these for my birthday. Amazing in so many ways. The flavors are incredible all together.
Eeee so happy you loved them Cassie! Happy Birthday!
Such wonderful flavors in this recipe and everything is so fresh. The sweet and spice of the mango salsa paired with the spicy salmon and chipotle sauce is perfection! Make this now, you won’t regret it!
Yaaasss! So happy you loved it Rebekah, thank you for your review!
I made this for 5 people on mother’s day & it was fantastic! The hardest part was slicing those slippery mangoes, but they were oh so good!! Everything balanced out nicely & I wouldn’t change a thing. Everyone loved it.
Made this last week and holy moly!! So yummy!! The caramelized brown sugar with the smoky spices, fresh mango pico and crumbled tortilla chips is *MWAH* chefs kiss!!
Yaaaass! Happy you loved it Shay! Thanks for your review.
I’m not a huge seafood fan but my husband loves it. I don’t mind salmon as long as it’s loaded with other flavors and this meal did not disappoint in that aspect! So flavorful, delicious, filling yet light. Erica never misses 👩🏻🍳
Thanks, Erica! It was a very tasty dish and lovely presentation! We’re not fans of smoked paprika so I used just a dash or two and substituted regular paprika for the rest. Looking forward to having this again and sharing with friends.
This meal was AMAZING! Easy to make / assemble and full of flavor, this will definitely be added on the weekly meal rotation!
Our 4th Erica recipe this week! This salmon was so flavorful on its own with the simple rub made with ingredients we always have on hand (woohoo). The chipotle sauce was so smokey and the perfect addition. We improvised on the salsa and used fresh peaches and sweet peppers. We thoroughly enjoyed.
Woot woot! Love to hear it Bailee, sounds incredible!
THIS is the best way to eat salmon. Don’t skip the mango, it was the perfect balance!