Pescatarian salmon burrito bowl
Vibrant burrito bowl with lime-coriander rice, spiced salmon, beans, pickled onion and avocado crema—ready in under an hour.
This pescatarian burrito bowl balances caramelised, spiced salmon with a tangy lime-coriander rice and a hit of quick-pickled onion. It’s the kind of midweek dinner that looks impressive but is surprisingly straightforward.
Make it when you want a fresh, vibrant meal that’s full of texture — warm beans, soft avocado, crisp lettuce and that zingy yoghurt crema tie it all together. Perfect for batch-cooking the components and assembling at the last minute.
Ingredients
- 500 g salmon fillets
- 300 g long-grain rice
- 600 ml water
- 60 ml olive oil
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 3 limes — zest and juice separated in method
- 20 g fresh coriander
- 2 garlic cloves — crushed
- 10 ml ground cumin
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml chilli powder
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — to taste
- 1 red onion — small, thinly sliced
- 60 ml white wine vinegar
- 400 g tinned black beans — drained and rinsed
- 200 g sweetcorn kernels — tinned or thawed if frozen
- 250 g cherry tomatoes — halved
- 150 g iceberg lettuce — shredded
- 2 avocados — ripe, sliced
- 150 g natural yoghurt
- 15 ml honey — about 1 tbsp
Equipment
- sieve or fine-mesh sieve
- zester or microplane
- measuring spoons
Instructions
Rinse the long-grain rice under cold running water using a sieve until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch for fluffier rice.
Put the rinsed rice and 600 ml water in a medium saucepan with a pinch of sea salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for 18 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and leave the rice, still covered, to rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir through the zest of 1 lime and half the chopped fresh coriander.
Make quick pickled onion: put the thinly sliced red onion in a bowl, pour over the white wine vinegar, a pinch of sea salt and 1 tbsp water. Set aside to pickle for 20 minutes while you do other prep.
Whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, the juice of 1 lime, crushed garlic cloves, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chilli powder, honey, a good pinch of sea salt and some black pepper. Toss the salmon fillets in the mixture so they're coated. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
Make the lime yoghurt crema: mix the natural yoghurt with the juice of the remaining lime, a pinch of sea salt and a little chopped fresh coriander. Chill until needed.
Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high hob. Pat the salmon dry, then sear for 3–4 minutes each side (depending on thickness) until just cooked through. Transfer to a board and rest for 2 minutes, then flake into large pieces.
In the same frying pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil and gently warm the tinned black beans and sweetcorn with a pinch of ground cumin and smoked paprika for 4–5 minutes. Season to taste.
Prepare the salad elements: halve the cherry tomatoes, shred the iceberg lettuce, roughly chop the remaining fresh coriander and slice the avocados.
Assemble the bowls: divide the lime-coriander rice between four bowls. Top with the warm beans and corn, flaked salmon, pickled red onion, cherry tomatoes, avocado slices and shredded lettuce. Drizzle over the lime yoghurt crema and scatter with the remaining fresh coriander. Season with black pepper and extra sea salt if needed.
Tips
- Rinse the rice well and keep the lid on during cooking and resting — that trapped steam gives fluffy, separate grains.
- Pat the salmon dry before searing so you get a good colour; overcooking is the one real danger here.
- Slice the avocado and add a little lime juice to slow browning if you won't serve immediately.
- Make the pickled onion and crema ahead; they store well in the fridge for up to 48 hours and speed assembly.
- Use the leftover lime-coriander rice for fried rice the next day — it takes on additional flavour beautifully.
Substitutions
salmon fillets → white fish fillets (cod or haddock), same quantity
Stays closetinned black beans → tinned kidney beans, same quantity
Stays closenatural yoghurt → dairy-free coconut yoghurt, 150 g
Noticeably differentlong-grain rice → basmati rice, same weight (300 g) — reduces cooking time slightly
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 883
- Calories
- 38 g
- Protein
- 86 g
- Carbs
- 43 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use frozen salmon or prawns instead?
Yes — thaw and pat dry before marinating. Prawns will cook faster (2–3 minutes each side), so watch them closely.
How long will the leftovers keep?
Store components separately in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Assemble and reheat salmon gently or eat cold if preferred.
Can I make this gluten-free?
As written it’s naturally gluten-free; just check tinned goods and spice blends for hidden gluten.
Is there an oven method for the salmon?
Yes — roast at 200°C conventional/180°C fan for 10–12 minutes depending on thickness. Finish under a hot grill for a minute if you want colour.
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