Greek Salmon Bowls with Creamy Tahini Sauce

A true favorite in my house, this recipe just never – ever – gets old. These are my Greek Salmon Bowls, and they’re loaded with fresh, crunchy veggies, fluffy rice/couscous/orzo/farro (whatever grainy vessel you like), salty feta, and a creamy, garlicky tahini sauce. I’ve got a few tips and substitutions that I’ll share in the post below, or you can just jump ahead to the recipe itself. You guys are going to LOVE this one.

What makes these bowls “Greek?”

These bowls are very much like a re-mixed Greek salad, if you look close enough. We’ve got the feta cheese, cucumber, tomato, red onion, vinegar, olive oil, and a good amount of dill running through things. Chives are also a nice oniony addition to the mix.

As for the salmon, we’ll toss it in some fruity olive oil with a generous sprinkling of salt and black pepper. I like to flavor it with some Greek oregano (I use the wonderful stuff from the Spice House). If you’re a fan of the earthy, herbaceous flavor of oregano, then you might want to check out my recipe for any fish oreganata. It’s absolutely delicious and healthy to boot.

The addition of a delicious creamy tahini sauce really takes the recipe from ordinary to downright addictive in a hurry. It is simply a combination of Greek yogurt (plain) or mayo, tahini (a sesame paste/butter), fresh garlic, and some salt and pepper. SO good on pretty much anything. Just thin it out with a little water until it reaches the consistency you like.

What you’ll need to make these Greek Salmon Bowls

These really are the best. They just check all of the boxes that matter most to me – flavor, nutrition, ease, and efficiency. Salmon is something I will never get tired of making, and the salmon bowl concept in general is a really nice way to wield a fish that, admittedly, can get a little hum-drum if you don’t change your approach from time to time.

INGREDIENTS

1 English cucumber, sliced into ¼-inch disks

1.5 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes (amounts are approximate)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon minced chives

¼ to ⅓ cup finely diced red onion

⅓ cup olive oil, plus more as needed

3 teaspoons red wine vinegar (or any vinegar you like)

2 garlic cloves, minced or grated, divided

4 skinless salmon filets

Salt and pepper, as needed

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ cup plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise

2 tablespoons tahini

Zest of 1 lemon

Cooked rice, orzo, farro, or couscous

How to make this Greek Salmon Bowl recipe

The coolest part of this recipe is what happens to the salad as it sits and marinates. You’ll make this first, so the salt can pull out the excess moisture in the vegetables. This is going to basically add to the oil and vinegar dressing that is already there, adding fresh flavor and a very EXTRA quality to the salad. All without really having to add much else. Time is an ingredient in this salad, absolutely. Cool.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Adjust the oven rack to the top position.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, dill, chives, red onion, ⅓ cup olive oil, vinegar, and half of the minced garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss and let this marinate as you prepare the salmon and the sauce (the salt will draw moisture out of the vegetables as they sit, creating its own sauce/dressing).

Cut the salmon filets into small, bite-sized pieces. I usually get about 12 out of each filet, give or take. Put the salmon bites onto a baking sheet and toss with some olive oil to coat, a couple tablespoons or so.; Season well with salt and pepper, the oregano and garlic powder. Bake for about 5 minutes and then turn on the broiler to help them char a bit, about 3 to 5 minutes more (doesn’t take long). 

Stir together the yogurt, tahini, lemon zest, and the rest of the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. You can add a little bit of water, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency you like. 

To serve, pile some cooked rice/farro/couscous/orzo into bowls. Top with some salmon bites, followed by some of the salad, and some crumbled feta. Drizzle the salmon with any leftover dressing that has accumulated in the salad bowl and dollop with the tahini cream sauce. Cut the lemon and serve alongside for squeezing, if you like. 

Alternative ways to serve these Greek Salmon Bowls

I love these served up just as you see here, sure. But that isn’t to say that there aren’t plenty of other (equally tasty) iterations one could explore with my recipe here as the springboard. Here are a few riffs that are really great, and definitely show there faces on my dinner tables on the regular.

1. You could swap out the salmon and roast up some shrimp instead. Season the exact same way (olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic powder, and oregano) and then roast at 425 for about 7 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp. For a great roasted shrimp recipe, with full instructions, check out my best ever Shrimp Creole recipe.
2. Olives are a pretty great addition here. I’m just the only one in my house who enjoys them, so I left them out this time. You know, for harmony’s sake.
3. I used Israeli couscous as the grain/starch for these bowls, but that part is absolutely and totally up to you. CousCous isn’t a particularly Greek ingredient, but I advocate for using up the food that you have – not wasting things whenever possible. So, I’ve written the recipe to allow for that. If you want to keep it more on the Greek side of things, a rice would be a nice option.
4. If you don’t want to use the Greek yogurt as listed, you can use mayo and/or sour cream for the sauce. Essentially, any creamy neutral flavored vessel for the garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper, and tahini (of course) will work great.

If you like the looks of these Greek Salmon Bowls, you should also check out:

Roasted Salmon Nicoise Salad

Citrusy Parchment Baked Salmon and Veggies

5-Ingredient Salmon and Chorizo Skillet

Butter Roasted Salmon with Lemon and Capers

Crispy Skin Salmon with Easy Pan Sauce

Print