Japanese Inspired Salmon with Quinoa

There are evenings when I want to be wrapped in a blanket, eating beans on toast and watching something mindless. And then there are those weeknight moments when I crave something that feels a bit special, a bit grown-up – but without the faff of spending hours in the kitchen or dropping a small fortune on ingredients.

This Japanese-style roasted salmon is my go-to for exactly those evenings. It’s the culinary equivalent of throwing on a nice top with your comfy jeans – elevated enough to feel like you’ve made an effort, but still utterly comfortable.

What I particularly love about this recipe is how it transforms everyday ingredients into something that feels a bit luxe. Salmon fillets from the supermarket become something restaurant-worthy with just a quick sear and roast. Humble pak choi gets dressed up in a homemade teriyaki that takes all of two minutes to throw together. Even the quinoa – often the bland, virtuous backdrop to more exciting flavours – becomes something you’ll actually want to eat when tossed with lime and tenderstem broccoli.

The other brilliant thing about this dish is its flexibility. Having friends over? Double it without any drama. No pak choi? Spinach or kale will do the trick. Not a salmon fan? Try it with chicken thighs or tofu steaks. The teriyaki sauce works beautifully with pretty much anything you throw at it. I’ve made this on days when I’ve had back-to-back Zoom calls and barely enough energy to boil a kettle, and I’ve made it for impromptu dinner parties where I wanted to impress without chaining myself to the stove.

It delivers every single time.

So next time you find yourself staring blankly into the fridge on a Tuesday evening, wondering how to make dinner feel like more than just refuelling, give this a go. Pour yourself a glass of something nice (I find a crisp white or even a light red works beautifully), put on some music that isn’t the news, and spend 20 minutes creating something that feels special without being complicated.

Instructions

0/6 Instructions

Step 1 Before You Start Preheat your oven to 240°C / fan 220°C / gas mark 9, or set your air fryer to 200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Grab a small bowl, a frying pan, a grater, and a sieve.
Step 2 Step 1: Sear the Salmon Heat 1 tsp oil in your frying pan over medium heat. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, place the fillets skin-side down and cook for 3 mins. Flip and cook for another 3 mins. Transfer to the lined tray and roast for 5 mins (4 mins in air fryer).
Step 3 Step 2: Cook the Quinoa & Make the Teriyaki Sauce Boil the quinoa for 13–14 mins until tender, then drain and set aside. Meanwhile, deseed and finely dice half the chilli, slice the rest into thin rounds. Grate the ginger, halve the lime. In a bowl, mix the diced chilli, grated ginger, tamari, honey and juice of half the lime.
Step 4 Step 3: Roast the Broccoli Trim and cut broccoli into thirds. After 5 mins of the salmon roasting, toss the broccoli with ½ tsp oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add to the tray and roast for 10 mins (7 in air fryer) until soft and charred.
Step 5 Step 4: Wilt the Pak Choi Thinly slice pak choi and spring onions. Heat 1 tsp oil in the same pan on medium-high. Add pak choi and pour over the teriyaki sauce. Stir-fry for 3–4 mins until just wilted.
Step 6 Step 5: Plate It Up Check salmon is cooked through (it should flake easily and be opaque). Stir broccoli and a squeeze of lime into the quinoa. Plate up with quinoa, then top with pak choi and salmon. Drizzle over leftover sauce and scatter with spring onion and sliced chilli.