Southwest Salmon Bowl Meal Prep
These Southwest Salmon Bowls are ideal for Sunday batch cooking and give you four ready-to-heat meals that reheat in about 2 minutes. They keep well up to 4 days in the fridge and can be frozen (without avocado or salsa) for longer storage. Great for busy families and professionals who want a dairy-free, flavorful lunch or dinner that holds its texture all week.
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Airtight glass meal prep containers with snap lids
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rice cooker (optional)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces skinless salmon fillets center-cut if possible
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2-3 peppers jalapeño seeded and chopped
- 15 ounces canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces canned corn drained
- 4 green onions chopped
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 limes juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 Hass avocado sliced
- 0.5 lemon lemon juice freshly squeezed over avocado
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Pat salmon dry and place on the pan. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle taco seasoning evenly, and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Let cool on the pan for 20–25 minutes before handling.
- Meanwhile, make the black bean salsa: In a large bowl combine red bell pepper, jalapeños, black beans, corn, green onions, and cilantro. Add lime juice, olive oil, and minced garlic; toss to coat and set aside.
- If needed, cook brown rice according to package directions (a rice cooker helps for batch cooking).
- Once cooled slightly, flake the salmon into large chunks with a fork.
- Portion into four containers: about 1/2 cup rice on the bottom, a generous scoop of black bean salsa, and a portion of flaked salmon on top. Add avocado only to containers you’ll eat within 24 hours and squeeze lemon juice over it to slow browning.
- Seal, label with today’s date, and refrigerate. Store salsa separately if possible for best texture by days 3–4.
Notes
- Storage: Cool salmon 20–25 minutes before sealing. Refrigerate bowls up to 4 days in airtight containers; keep salsa in a separate small container for best texture by days 3–4.
- Freezer: Freeze salmon and rice (without avocado or salsa) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add fresh salsa and avocado when serving.
- Reheating: Microwave covered at medium power for about 2 minutes (use a damp paper towel), stirring halfway if needed. Or warm salmon separately in a skillet over medium-low heat for ~3 minutes.
- Meal prep timing: Batch-cook between 10am–noon on Sunday to set up four grab-and-go meals for Mon–Thu.
- Lower-carb swaps: Use cauliflower rice or quinoa; keep cauliflower rice slightly underdone before storing.
- Kid-friendly tip: Reserve a mild portion of salsa before adding extra jalapeños; add cheese on the side if desired.