This plate is what happens when salmon gets a little smoky, a little sweet, and a little bossy in the best way.
The fish is rubbed with smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, and salt, then grilled until the top has those deep golden edges that make dinner feel louder.
The mango salsa is fresh and juicy with red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and agave, so the heat from the spices gets a bright little tap on the shoulder.
And then there is the cauliflower rice, which gets help from hominy, Parmesan, and chives, so it tastes more like a real side than a sad low carb swap.
This one fits summer dinners, lighter cookout plates, or any night when plain salmon feels too sleepy, and it would be nice with Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe, or Baked Salmon in Foil With Asparagus and Lemon Garlic.
What Is Cauliflower Rice With Hominy?
Cauliflower rice is cauliflower pulsed small enough to look like rice.
The hominy gets pulsed too, and it gives the side a little chew so the bowl does not feel flat.
What Goes Into This Salmon Plate
How To Make Spiced Salmon with Mango Salsa
1. Cut the mango and red onion
Peel the mango and cut it into small 1/4 inch cubes.
Finely chop the red onion so it can blend into the salsa without taking over the whole bowl.
2. Add the cilantro
Chop the fresh cilantro and add it to the mango and onion.
This is where the salsa starts smelling fresh and kind of unfairly pretty.
3. Sweeten and salt the salsa
Pour in the agave nectar.
Add part of the kosher salt so the mango tastes sweeter and brighter, not flat.
4. Squeeze in lime juice and stir
Squeeze the lime juice into the bowl.
Stir the mango salsa until the fruit, herbs, onion, agave, salt, and lime are glossy and mixed.
5. Make the spice rub
Add smoked paprika to a small bowl.
Stir in the ground cumin, chili powder, and the rest of the kosher salt.
6. Season the salmon
Cut the salmon into 4 equal pieces.
Coat both sides with cooking spray, then rub the spice mixture over the salmon.
7. Grill the salmon
Place the salmon in a hot grill pan.
Grill it for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily.
8. Chop the cauliflower into florets
Cut the cauliflower into florets that fit into the food processor.
Keep the pieces pretty even so they pulse down at the same pace.
9. Pulse the cauliflower and hominy
Pulse the cauliflower in the food processor until it looks like rice.
Drain and rinse the hominy, then pulse it in the same processor and stir it into the cauliflower.
10. Move the cauliflower rice to the pan
Add the cauliflower and hominy mixture to a preheated saute pan.
Coat it with cooking spray and stir until it turns tender.
11. Finish the rice with Parmesan and chives
Take the pan off the heat and add the grated Parmesan.
Sprinkle in the dried chives and stir until the cauliflower rice looks soft and creamy around the edges.
12. Plate the salmon
Spoon the warm cauliflower rice onto the plate.
Add the grilled salmon and spoon the mango salsa over the top so every bite gets a little sweet, smoky, and sharp.
How To Tell It Is Ready
The salmon should be opaque and should flake when you press the thickest part with a fork.
The cauliflower rice should be tender, but still loose enough to spoon onto the plate.
The mango salsa should look juicy and glossy, not dry.
Serving Mood
This plate already has fish, fruit, and a warm side, so it does not need much else.
A cold drink, a simple green salad, or extra lime wedges would be enough, honestly.
Leftover Notes
Store the salmon, salsa, and cauliflower rice in separate covered containers in the fridge.
The salmon and rice are best within 2 days, and the mango salsa is nicest when it still tastes fresh.
Reheat the salmon gently, then spoon the cold salsa on after warming so the mango does not get weird and mushy.
Questions People Ask
Can I use honey instead of agave?
Yes, honey works the same way here because it sweetens the mango salsa and helps balance the lime.
Can I use frozen salmon?
Yes, thaw it fully, pat it dry, and then coat it with cooking spray and the spice mix.
What does hominy do in cauliflower rice?
It adds a little bite and makes the cauliflower side feel fuller than plain cauliflower alone.
Can I bake the salmon instead?
Yes, bake it at 400 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily.
How spicy is this salmon?
It is smoky and warm more than fiery, since the rub uses smoked paprika, cumin, and a little chili powder.
Why The Plate Works
The smoky salmon, sweet mango, sharp lime, and creamy cauliflower rice all pull in different directions, but on the fork they behave.
That is the tiny miracle here.
Spiced Salmon With Mango Salsa
This spiced salmon with mango salsa is grilled with smoked paprika, cumin, and chili powder, then served with mango salsa and cauliflower hominy rice.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free, Pescatarian
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, about 1 1/2 pounds
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
- Cooking spray, as needed
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- 1 mango, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar, or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 pound sockeye or coho salmon fillet, skin removed and cut into 4 pieces
Instructions
1. Peel mango and cut into 1/4-inch cubes.
2. Chop red onion and cilantro.
3. Combine mango, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, agave nectar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a bowl.
4. Combine smoked paprika, ground cumin, chili powder, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl.
5. Cut salmon into 4 equal pieces.
6. Coat both sides of salmon with cooking spray and the spice mixture.
7. Grill salmon in a hot grill pan for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until opaque and easy to flake.
8. Cut cauliflower into florets and pulse in a food processor until finely chopped.
9. Drain and rinse hominy, then pulse it in the same food processor.
10. Stir the hominy into the cauliflower.
11. Place cauliflower mixture in a preheated saute pan and coat with cooking spray.
12. Cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes, until tender.
13. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese and dried chives.
14. Serve salmon with cauliflower rice and mango salsa.
Notes
- Cook salmon to 145 degrees F in the thickest part.
- Honey can replace agave nectar.
- Pulse the cauliflower in short bursts so it does not turn into puree.
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Per serving, estimated from source recipe:
- 310 calories
- 10g total fat
- 2g saturated fat,
- 60mg cholesterol
- 590mg sodium
- 30g total carbohydrates
- 6g dietary fiber
- 15g total sugars
- 32g protein