Oven-Baked Salmon Couscous Bowl with Lemon and Mint
Flaky oven-roasted salmon over fluffy couscous with a bright lemon and mint dressing. A light, high-protein bowl that comes together entirely in the oven.
- Total
- 40 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 25 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Roasting · Absorption rice
- Savory
- Light
- Oven
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Cut the courgette into 1.5 cm chunks. Zest the lemon into a small bowl, then cut the lemon in half. Pick the mint leaves and chop them roughly.
~8 min
-
Spread the courgette chunks on the lined tray, drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil, and season with half the salt and half the black pepper. Roast for 15 minutes until the edges are golden and the pieces are tender when pierced with a knife.
~15 min
Roasting at high heat caramelises the courgette's natural sugars, deepening flavour and giving golden, tender edges.
Roasting Roast at high heat with space between pieces so they brown, not steam. Watch for golden edges and tenderness; overcrowding causes sogginess.
-
Push the courgette to one side of the tray. Place the salmon on the empty side, drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil, and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches 63°C in the thickest part.
~14 min
Salmon flakes and reaches 63°C when its proteins have set, guaranteeing safe, moist, tender flesh.
Roasting Roast at high heat with space between pieces so they brown, not steam. Watch for golden edges and tenderness; overcrowding causes sogginess.
-
While step 3 cooks
While the salmon bakes, put the couscous in the oven-safe bowl. Pour over 120 ml water and add a pinch of salt. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and place in the oven on the rack below the tray. Leave for 8 minutes, until the couscous has absorbed all the water.
~8 min
Couscous absorbs hot water by steam, plumping the grains without turning them sticky or soggy.
If the couscous still feels firm after absorbing the water, add 2 tbsp hot water, cover, and return to the oven for 3 more minutes.
Absorption rice Use the right water ratio and keep the bowl tightly covered so steam is trapped. Fluff with a fork once absorbed; stirring makes it gluey.
-
While step 3 cooks
While the salmon bakes, squeeze the juice of half the lemon into the bowl with the zest. Add the chopped mint and 2 tsp of the olive oil. Stir to combine into a loose dressing.
~3 min
Lemon juice and zest add acidity that balances the richness of the oily salmon.
-
Remove the couscous from the oven and fluff it with a fork. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Spoon the couscous into a bowl, top with the roasted courgette and the salmon, and spoon the lemon and mint dressing over the top. Serve with the remaining lemon half on the side.
~3 min