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Honey-Tamari Salmon on Quinoa (GF)

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | June 2, 2016 25 Comments

Last updated on August 19th, 2018

honey-tofu salmon on quinoa picassaI made this sumptuous salmon for dinner the other night, and it was love at first bite. Cloaked in honey and tamari sauce, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and chives, and served on a bed of quinoa, the fillets make a healthy, 5-star main course that comes together in under 20 minutes.

Need some quick-and-easy magic to put on the dinner table tonight? This step-by-step recipe is for you:

salomon quinoa 6-02-16 jpgTo start, prepare the quinoa according to package directions. Quinoa cooks in just 15 minutes.

salmon on plate 6-01-16 jpgWhile the quinoa is cooking, take two 6-ounce skinless, center-cut salmon fillets…

salmon add salt, pepper 6-01-16 jpgAnd lightly dust them with kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

salmon add butter, oil 6-01-16 jpgThen heat some butter and olive oil in a non-stick (or well-seasoned cast-iron) skillet. The olive oil is there to keep the butter from burning.

salmon add to panl 6-01-16 jpgWhen the skillet is hot but not smoking, add the salmon fillets seasoned-side down. Let the fillets cook until richly-browned — about 4 minutes for 1-inch thick fillets.

salmon flip when brown 6-01-16 jpgThen flip ’em over, and brown the other side for just 2 minutes. Transfer the fillets to a plate.

salmon add more butter 6-01-16 jpgNow add another knob of butter to the pan…

salmon add honey 6-01-16 jpgAlong with a generous drizzle (about a tablespoon) of local honey…

salmon add tamari 6-01-16 jpgAnd an equally-generous drizzle of Tamari sauce. Tamari is a high-quality version of soy sauce. Most varieties are gluten-free, but you should check the label to be sure. That is, if you are allergic to gluten.

salomon baste 6-02-16 jpgReturn the fillets to the pan, and baste them with the sticky sweet sauce for 30 seconds or so. As you work, the sauce will turn deliciously dark and thick.  Remove the pan from the heat.

salomon quinoa on blue plate 6-02-16 jpgFor each serving, put a heapin’ helpin’ of hot, cooked quinoa on a plate…

salomon on quinoa 6-02-16 jpgAnd top it off with a salmon fillet. Drizzle each fillet with the sauce that remains in the skillet.

salomon add sesame seeds 6-02-16 jpgSprinkle the tops with toasted sesame seeds…

salomon add sesame seeds, chives 6-02-16 jpgScatter some freshly-snipped chives over all…

salomon dig in 6-02-16 jpgAnd then dig right in!

You’re probably wondering what wine you should serve with this sublime dish. I recommend Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Sancerre.

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Here’s the printable:

Print
Honey-Tamari Salmon on Quinoa

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 15 minutes

16 minutes

Yield: Enough for 2 servings

Honey-Tamari Salmon on Quinoa

Cloaked in a sticky-sweet sauce of honey and tamari, these salmon fillets are irresistibly delicious.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 6-oz skinless, center-cut salmon fillets
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 generous tablespoon local honey
  • 1 generous tablespoon Tamari sauce
  • Toasted sesame seeds and freshly-snipped chives for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Meanwhile, season the tops of the salmon with salt and pepper. Then heat the butter and olive oil in a non-stick (or a well-seasoned cast-iron) skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts and its foam subsides, add the salmon, seasoned-side down. Cook until bronzed and beautiful -- about 4 minutes. Then flip the fillets over, and brown the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer the fillets to a plate.
  2. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet, and stir in the honey and Tamari. Return the salmon to the skillet, and baste them with the sticky, sweet sauce -- 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  3. Divide the quinoa between 2 plates, top with a salmon fillet, and garnish each fillet with the toasted sesame seeds and freshly-snipped chives. Serve with chilled Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon blanc, or Sancerre.
3.1
https://www.agardenforthehouse.com/honey-tamari-salmon-on-quinoa-gf/
Copyright 2015 by Kevin Lee Jacobs

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Comments

  1. 1

    Peter and Shelagh says

    June 2, 2016 at 11:27 am

    Delicious! Sadly Shelagh does not like salmon… Would this work with halibut?

  2. 2

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    June 2, 2016 at 1:04 pm

    Hi Peter – You could certainly try this with halibut. Let me know how the recipe works out for you!

  3. 3

    Brenda Johnson says

    June 2, 2016 at 3:00 pm

    “Sweet meets savory” in this delicious meal!! What a grand treatment for versatile salmon!! Love the hit of honey in this – it really elevates the flavors from “good”, to “wow”!! The quinoa was a perfect choice of accompaniment- healthier than rice, great texture, and soaks up the juices from the salmon and glaze so nothing gets left behind!!! A perfect summer lunch!! (Would make a great dinner too of course!!) Thanks for sharing Kevin!!!

  4. 4

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    June 2, 2016 at 4:47 pm

    Hi Brenda – Thanks for taste-testing. So glad you enjoyed this simple preparation!

  5. 5

    Enid says

    June 2, 2016 at 5:59 pm

    Saw this recipe this afternoon and realized I had almost all of the ingredients on hand, then sent the link to my boyfriend. I ran outside to clip some chives. He took his phone into the kitchen and started cooking! The clear instructions and pictures really helped. Was delish! Finished with a chilled strawberry rhubarb crisp that we bought at a farm stand near the Vermont border earlier today. A perfect June supper! Keep these simple tasty recipes coming!

  6. 6

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    June 2, 2016 at 7:24 pm

    Enid – So glad this recipe worked out for you and your boyfriend. Rhubarb crisp seems the perfect finish!

  7. 7

    Nancy Robinson says

    June 3, 2016 at 10:49 am

    Oh my goodness, I can’t wait to try this! I don’t really like the taste of salmon, but I know it is so good for us, I wouldn’t hesitate to use this recipe! So happy to find your site. I just joined today for email updates!

  8. 8

    Linda Stone says

    June 4, 2016 at 12:39 am

    :Lovely recipe that I will try this weekend, along with some lemon drizzled steamed asparagus ;o)
    .

  9. 9

    Karin says

    June 4, 2016 at 7:16 pm

    Oh my goodness.mthis was great. I come from a household that Did Not Do Fish. So I am still not comfortable cooking fish, although I love it. Wanting to eat more salmon, I have been spreading my wings. This is a winner.

  10. 10

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    June 5, 2016 at 7:45 am

    Hi Karin – Thanks for writing. So glad you tried — and liked — this dish!

  11. 11

    Belinda says

    June 5, 2016 at 8:59 am

    Wow! This seems very like the Salmon I enjoyed at a restaurant just a few days ago. I was hoping for the recipe, and I believe you’ve just supplied it!

  12. 12

    Melis says

    June 5, 2016 at 9:30 am

    Can’t wait to try this Salmon recipe, too. I love the poached one and have made it several times – so simple but healthy and delicious. Thanks for all of the great recipes and tips!

  13. 13

    Cindi Nicholson says

    June 5, 2016 at 10:45 am

    Yumm..very good indeed..another amazing receipe to use my honey in! Thanks! I LOVE ALL YOUR RECEIPES!

  14. 14

    Maggie says

    June 5, 2016 at 10:54 am

    The visuals are amazing! The appetites are raging. if I had Salmon in the house we’d have this tonight! But now we have something to look forward to. Kevin you continue to outdo yourself!

  15. 15

    Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says

    June 5, 2016 at 11:14 am

    That blue plate reminds me of the cornflower blue Bachelor’s Buttons blooming right now in the garden beds. I bought seeds after seeing your close up photo of the annual Centaurea on a post last year. Such a simple flower and so BLUE. Just love gazing at it. And bees are grateful.

  16. 16

    LoriGu says

    June 5, 2016 at 12:23 pm

    Well. It looks like I’ll have to make a second trip to the grocery this weekend. Must try this!

  17. 17

    Julie R says

    June 5, 2016 at 8:54 pm

    Everyone at our house loves salmon, so this will be a good new recipe to try. Thanks for explaining Tamari sauce. Love the pretty blue plate in your recipe photos.

  18. 18

    Ed Morrow says

    June 6, 2016 at 3:21 pm

    Looks wonderful. I’ve just had breakfast and I’m already hungry.

    How’s the cookbook coming along? Any takers?

  19. 19

    Judith Togher says

    June 8, 2016 at 7:40 am

    This was the most delicious salmon I have ever cooked and we eat a lot of salmon and fish in general. I made it with bok choy and a ginger and sesame rice. Thank you Kevin for another great recipe!

  20. 20

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    June 8, 2016 at 7:56 am

    Hi Ed Morrow – I’m still photographing the recipes for the cookbook. Hoping to finish by summer’s end. Thanks for asking!

    Hi Judith Togher – Your side dish sounds splendiferous. I’m so glad you liked the salmon!

  21. 21

    Jennifer says

    June 10, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    Put the ingredients on the shopping list. Husband shopped on the way home. Cooked it up. Utterly delicious!
    You are inspiring. Thank you!!!

  22. 22

    Sian says

    June 16, 2016 at 7:24 pm

    This was completely fabulous. We were licking our plates at the end of dinner. The meal is definitely more than the sum of its parts. And I must say, the quinoa was an unexpectedly wonderful choice. I like quinoa, but hadn’t anticipated how well the nuttiness would go with the sweet/savory sauce. Yum!

  23. 23

    Kate says

    June 25, 2016 at 5:32 am

    De-LISH!!!! Thank you Kevin for sharing this Fab recipe – I enjoyed it with a Brown Brothers “King Valley” Prosseco ……Perrr-fect!!

  24. 24

    Pat J. says

    June 25, 2016 at 9:23 pm

    This was a big hit, Kevin. It fit the category of ‘Something new and Exotic’! My husband’s words…..

    The thing I like most about your recipes, Kevin, is that I usually have most of the ingredients on hand. Not so exotic that I switch off at first read. Well, I did have to use regular soy sauce instead of the Tamari but it seemed to work fine.

    Thanks you.

  25. 25

    Janis says

    July 1, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    Dear Kevin
    This recipe was so delicious. A nice departure from my usual lemon and dill en papier. The only change I made was adding a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little kick. It was really nice. Thank you!

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