If you love a salad that’s loaded with protein, crunch, and a sauce so good you’ll want to put it on everything, then you are going to fall in love with this Crunchy Quinoa Bang Bang Salmon Salad. This recipe pairs flaky broiled salmon with crispy oven-baked quinoa, crunchy veggies, and a creamy bang bang sauce for a dish that’s as satisfying as it is good for you. Plus, this recipe makes a big batch, so you’ll have plenty leftover for easy lunches all week!
Friends, this might just be one of the best salads I’ve ever made, and I am not exaggerating. Between the crispy quinoa, the broiled salmon, and that bang bang sauce, this one has it all. I’m honestly tempted to bottle up the sauce and sell it because it’s THAT good — creamy, spicy, sweet, and tangy all at once. If you’ve made my crispy rice salads before and loved them, this is basically the quinoa version, and I might love it even more.
The crispy quinoa is what really takes this salad to the next level. Toasting it in the oven with a little avocado oil and soy sauce gives it this golden, crunchy texture that contrasts perfectly with the creamy avocado and crisp veggies. And the salmon couldn’t be easier — a quick honey-soy glaze, a few minutes under the broiler, and you’ve got perfectly flaky salmon that shreds perfectly into the salad. Between the protein from the salmon, quinoa, edamame, and Greek yogurt-based sauce, this one will keep you full for hours.
What You Need to Make This Crunchy Quinoa Bang Bang Salmon Salad
- Cooked Quinoa: You’ll want quinoa that’s already cooked and cooled, since it gets toasted in the oven until crispy.
- Avocado Oil: A small amount of avocado oil helps the quinoa crisp up in the oven. You can swap in another neutral oil if that’s what you have on hand.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: This adds savory flavor to the quinoa as it bakes, and shows up again in both the salmon glaze and the bang bang sauce. If you want to keep this recipe gluten-free, swap in coconut aminos or tamari instead.
- Salmon: You’ll need about a pound and a half of salmon, which broils up quickly and shreds easily once it’s done. Fresh or thawed frozen salmon both work well.
- Honey: Honey adds sweetness to the salmon glaze and helps it caramelize slightly under the broiler.
- Fat Free Greek Yogurt: This is the base of the bang bang sauce, giving it that thick, creamy texture.
- Sriracha: Sriracha brings the heat to the bang bang sauce, and you can adjust the amount depending on your spice preference.
- Rice Vinegar: A splash of rice vinegar adds brightness and balances out the richness of the yogurt.
- Fresh Ginger: Freshly grated ginger adds a warm, slightly spicy note to the sauce.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: These add another layer of heat and texture to the bang bang sauce. You can leave these out if you prefer a milder dressing.
- Persian Cucumbers: These small, crunchy cucumbers add a refreshing bite to the salad.
- Red Onion: A little finely diced red onion adds sharpness and crunch throughout the salad. If raw onion is too strong for you, soak it in cold water for a few minutes first to mellow it out.
- Green Onions: Green onions add a mild, fresh onion flavor and a pop of color.
- Edamame: Shelled edamame adds even more protein and a satisfying texture to the salad.
- Avocado: Creamy avocado balances out all of the crunchy and crispy textures in this salad.
How to Make This Crunchy Quinoa Bang Bang Salmon Salad
To make this salad, start by preheating your oven to 375°F. Spread the cooked, cooled quinoa onto a baking sheet and toss it with the avocado oil and soy sauce until evenly coated. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until it turns golden and crunchy. Keep an eye on it toward the end, since it can go from crispy to burnt pretty quickly.
While the quinoa is in the oven, make the bang bang sauce. Add the Greek yogurt, sriracha, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ginger, and red pepper flakes to a mini blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
Once the quinoa comes out, turn your broiler on high to cook the salmon. Place the salmon on a baking sheet (foil works best here, but parchment is fine too), then mix together the soy sauce and honey and brush it evenly over the top. Broil for 8 to 9 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness, then use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces.
To bring everything together, add the cucumbers, red onion, green onions, edamame, avocado, shredded salmon, and crispy quinoa to a large bowl. Pour the bang bang sauce over the top and toss to combine. Serve right away, with extra sesame seeds sprinkled on top if you’d like. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days — I’d recommend keeping the avocado separate and adding it fresh.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new!
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
For the Crispy Quinoa
- 1 ½ Cups Cooked Quinoa, cooled
- 1 Teaspoon Avocado Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce
For the Salmon
- 1 ½ Pounds Salmon
- 2 Teaspoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 Teaspoons Honey
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- 1 Cup Fat Free Greek Yogurt
- ¼ Cup Sriracha
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- ¼ Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh Grated Ginger
- ½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
For the Salad:
- 3 Persian Cucumbers, chopped
- ¼ Red Onion, finely diced
- 3 Green Onions, finely chopped
- 1 Cup Shelled Edamame
- 1 Avocado, diced
Instructions
- To make this salad, start by preheating your oven to 375°F. Spread the cooked, cooled quinoa onto a baking sheet and toss it with the avocado oil and soy sauce until evenly coated.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until it turns golden and crunchy. Keep an eye on it toward the end, since it can go from crispy to burnt pretty quickly.
- While the quinoa is in the oven, make the bang bang sauce. Add the Greek yogurt, sriracha, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ginger, and red pepper flakes to a mini blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Once the quinoa comes out, turn your broiler on high to cook the salmon. Place the salmon on a baking sheet (foil works best here, but parchment is fine too), then mix together the soy sauce and honey and brush it evenly over the top.
- Broil for 8 to 9 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness, then use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- To bring everything together, add the cucumbers, red onion, green onions, edamame, avocado, shredded salmon, and crispy quinoa to a large bowl. Pour the bang bang sauce over the top and toss to combine.
- Serve right away, with extra sesame seeds sprinkled on top if you'd like. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days — I'd recommend keeping the avocado separate and adding it fresh.
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