Grilled salmon over a warm rice salad is one of those dinners that looks like I tried way harder than I really did.
The salmon sits in a quick citrus balsamic marinade, just orange juice, balsamic, soy, ginger, garlic, and a little sesame, so it picks up a sweet, tangy crust on the grill.
Baby bok choy and red bell pepper go on the grill too, and that char makes them taste deeper and a little smoky.
Then everything gets chopped and folded into precooked brown rice with fresh herbs, so the salad is warm, hearty, and packed with texture.
A grilled salmon fillet goes right on top, and a last drizzle of that marinade ties the whole plate together.
It’s an easy weeknight dinner that still feels special enough for company, and if you love salmon nights like this one, you’ll want to keep Baked Salmon in Foil With Asparagus and Lemon Garlic, Spiced Salmon with Mango Salsa, Pesto Fish with Tomato Bake, and Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp With Zucchini Noodles close by.
What Makes This A Citrus Balsamic Salmon
The marinade is where all the flavor starts, a mix of fresh orange juice, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce with grated ginger and garlic stirred in.
The orange keeps it bright, the balsamic and soy bring the deep savory sweetness, and a spoonful brushed back on at the end makes it taste like a glaze.
What You’ll Need
How To Make Citrus Balsamic Grilled Salmon
1. Mix the citrus balsamic marinade
Squeeze the orange and pour the juice into a bowl with the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.
Stir in the grated ginger, minced garlic, sesame seeds, and canola oil until it all comes together.
2. Coat the salmon
Lay the salmon fillets in a dish and spoon the marinade over the top.
Let them sit a few minutes so the citrus and balsamic soak into the fish.
3. Cut the bok choy and pepper
Trim the baby bok choy and slice each head in half through the stem.
Cut the red bell pepper into big flat chunks so they hold up on the grill.
4. Grill the vegetables
Coat a grill pan with cooking spray and set it over medium high heat.
Lay the bok choy and pepper chunks down and grill until they soften and pick up dark grill marks.
5. Grill the salmon
Lay the marinated salmon on the same grill pan.
Cook a few minutes per side, until the fish flakes easily and has nice grill marks.
6. Chop the grilled vegetables
Move the grilled bok choy and pepper to a cutting board.
Chop them into bite size pieces so they fold easily into the rice.
7. Build the brown rice salad
Add the precooked brown rice to a big bowl with the chopped grilled vegetables and fresh herbs.
Toss it with a spoonful of the reserved marinade and a pinch of salt and pepper until everything is mixed.
8. Plate the rice salad
Spoon a mound of the warm rice salad onto each plate.
Spread it out a little so it makes a bed for the salmon.
9. Top with salmon and drizzle
Set a grilled salmon fillet on top of the rice salad.
Drizzle the last of the marinade over the fish and serve it warm.
Little Things That Make It Better
Pat the salmon dry before it goes in the marinade so it grills up instead of steaming.
Get the grill pan really hot before the bok choy goes down, thats what gives you those dark marks.
Save a couple spoonfuls of the marinade before it touches the raw fish so you have a clean drizzle for the end.
Ways To Change It Up
Swap the brown rice for farro or quinoa if thats what you have in the pantry.
Trout or arctic char grill up the same way if you want a different fish.
Toss in some grilled green onion or a handful of toasted sesame for even more flavor.
What I Pour Or Plate Alongside
This is a full plate on its own, but a wedge of orange on the side plays right into the citrus marinade.
A cold glass of sparkling water with a squeeze of lime keeps it feeling light and fresh.
Salmon And Rice Salad Questions
Can I make this without a grill pan?
Yes, a regular skillet or an outdoor grill both work, you just want high heat so the salmon and bok choy get a little char.
How do I know the salmon is done?
It flakes easily with a fork and looks opaque in the middle, usually after a few minutes per side.
Can I use cold leftover rice?
You can, just warm it a touch so it soaks up the marinade, the salad is best when the rice is warm.
What herbs work best here?
Cilantro or parsley both taste great, use whatever fresh green herb you like or have on hand.
Is bok choy the only green that works?
No, baby spinach or chopped kale fold in nicely too, bok choy just holds up really well on the grill.
Can I marinate the salmon ahead?
Thirty minutes in the marinade is plenty, much longer and the acid starts to break the fish down too much
.Storing The Leftovers
Keep the salmon and rice salad in separate containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Warm the rice salad gently so it doesnt dry out, and add the salmon back at the end.
A fresh squeeze of orange or a little extra marinade wakes the leftovers right back up.
Citrus Balsamic Grilled Salmon Salad
This grilled salmon rests in a quick citrus balsamic marinade and sits over a warm brown rice salad tossed with grilled bok choy, red pepper, and fresh herbs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Pescatarian
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each)
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 heads baby bok choy, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
- 2 cups precooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking spray
Instructions
1. In a bowl, whisk together the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, sesame seeds, and canola oil.
2. Reserve a few spoonfuls of the marinade, then spoon the rest over the salmon fillets and let them sit a few minutes.
3. Halve the baby bok choy and cut the red bell pepper into large chunks.
4. Coat a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium high, then grill the bok choy and pepper until charred and tender.
5. Grill the marinated salmon a few minutes per side, until it flakes easily.
6. Chop the grilled bok choy and red pepper into bite size pieces.
7. In a large bowl, toss the brown rice with the chopped grilled vegetables, fresh herbs, reserved marinade, salt, and pepper.
8. Spoon the warm rice salad onto plates.
9. Top each with a grilled salmon fillet and drizzle with the remaining reserved marinade.
Notes
- Reserve some marinade before it touches the raw salmon to use as a clean drizzle.
- Do not marinate the salmon much longer than 30 minutes so the texture stays firm.
- Warm leftover rice before serving so it soaks up the marinade.