Packed with bold flavors and fresh ingredients, this nourishing salmon barley bowl with chipotle miso sauce is the perfect make ahead meal that is sure to keep you full and satisfied.
It’s over 100 degrees outside here in Texas, and heat exhaustion, or as I like to call it - heat poison, is ever so real! We just put down new sod because our grass was feeling it too. Now you may be thinking, "this is the worst time to put down new grass." Well, when the only negative feedback you get about your house from potential buyers is the “humble” backyard, you'll do ANYTHING to make it right.
Between the brutal heat and transitioning into a full-time position at work, my time in the kitchen during the week has been very.very minimal. Therefore, setting aside some time over the weekend to prep has become even more crucial in staying energized and nourished as of late.
Rather than following recipes, I’ve simply been dumping adding whatever ingredients I have on hand into a bowl and making a quick sauce to drizzle over - like this Korean nourish bowl.
And this salmon barley bowl - a delightful Asian-inspired dish with a slight Southwestern twist. I always have a big container of miso in the fridge so it frequently makes its way into my tummy in some shape or form. If you are curious about miso, its health benefits and versatility, check out this trend spotlight.
On one particular afternoon, I spotted a jar of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce that I had completely forgotten about. You know where I’m going with this. It found a home in my typical miso sauce, and my taste buds went crazy for the nice, smokey flavor the chipotle imparted. All the ingredients for the bowl were prepped over the weekend so the assembly really took less than 5 minutes.
Here are some make-ahead suggestions:
- Bake salmon at 425F for about 12-15 minutes. I simply seasoned it with sea salt and pepper. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Right before serving, reheat in the microwave or enjoy cold.
- Cook a batch of barley (or any grain you prefer). I used my rice cooker because it always tends to make the grain stickier than when I cook it over the stove top. If you’d rather skip the grains, I suggest swapping them out with a starchy vegetable, like sweet potatoes.
- Clean and chop up the vegetables. I kept it simple by just adding cucumber and tomatoes, but feel free to use whatever you’d prefer. Some other suggestions are sweet bell peppers, carrots, and zucchini.
Once you have all the individual components in the fridge, sitting down to a well-balanced meal will be a cinch. I usually make my sauce right before serving, but you can also make it ahead of time as well. It can easily be doubled or tripled.
Ingredients
- 4-6 oz. Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon
- ¼ cup Barley
- ¼ cup Diced cucumbers
- ¼ cup Black beans no sodium added, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup Chopped tomatoes
- ½ Avocado optional
- 1 tablespoon White miso paste
- 1 teaspoon Finely chopped chipotle in adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- 1 teaspoon Rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- Garnish optional: Green onions, sesame seeds
Instructions
- To make ahead:
- Salmon: Season with salt and pepper (or seasonings of chocie) and bake at 425°F for about 12-15 minutes. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or you can also microwave the salmon.
- Barley: Cook a batch (or any grain you prefer)
- Prep vegetables (cucumbers through avocado).
- Sauce: Whisk together remaining ingredients in a bowl (miso through water) and and store in refrigerator.
- To serve
- Reheat barley and salmon in the microwave. Add prepped vegetables. Pour sauce on top to taste (about 1 tablespoon).
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
I was musing just this week on the advantages of bowl meals 🙂 I love barley and need to remember to use it more often!
foodbycamilla says
This sounds so delicious!! I'm looking forward to trying it 🙂
- foodbycamilla.wordpress.com
Min says
Thank you! Can't wait for you to try 😉
Trisha says
The colors in this dish are simply stunning, Min. I start law school next Monday, so I really want to get my act together in preparing healthy food on the weekends to eat throughout the week. Your blog will be a huge help in that! I love your bowl recipes because they're always make-ahead, packed with nutritious ingredients, but also filling, which is important!
Min says
How exciting, Trisha! Congrats and I look forward to following your new journey! Man I just graduated last year, but it seems like ages ago...Yes, meal prep was the best thing I did for myself during those years of being a nerd. I plan on sharing more of these quick and easy one-bowl recipes so stay tuned ;). Best of luck to you!!