High-Protein Salmon Meal Prep 4 Ways

Meal prepping wild sockeye salmon is the smartest move for anyone tracking macros or following a high-protein diet. One Sunday batch cook gives you four days of lunches with variety so you never get bored. Each serving delivers about 25 grams of protein from the salmon alone (about 35 grams for the whole bowl) plus about 820 mg of EPA + DHA omega-3s (4 oz raw sockeye, USDA). All four versions are gluten-free and dairy-free, making them compatible with most dietary frameworks.

Ingredients

Base Salmon (makes 8 portions)

• 2 lbs wild sockeye salmon fillet, cut into 8 portions
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Asian (2 servings)

• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
• 1 cup steamed edamame
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• Sesame-ginger dressing: 2 tbsp coconut aminos, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp rice vinegar
• Sesame seeds and sliced scallions for topping

Mediterranean (2 servings)

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives
• Lemon-herb dressing: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp dried oregano

Southwest (2 servings)

• 2 cups cooked cilantro-lime rice
• 1/2 cup black beans, drained
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1/2 avocado, sliced (add day-of)
• Chipotle-lime dressing: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp chipotle powder

Classic (2 servings)

• 2 cups roasted sweet potato cubes
• 2 cups steamed broccoli
• Lemon-garlic sauce: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 clove minced garlic

Instructions

1. Batch bake the salmon: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Place 8 salmon portions skin-side down, drizzle with avocado oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake 12-15 minutes until cooked through at 145°F.
2. Cook the grains: While salmon bakes, cook jasmine rice, quinoa, and cilantro-lime rice in separate pots or a rice cooker. Roast sweet potato cubes on a separate sheet pan.
3. Prep the vegetables: Steam edamame and broccoli. Shred carrots, halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, and drain black beans.
4. Make the dressings: Whisk together each of the four dressings in small jars or containers. Store separately from the bowls to prevent sogginess.
5. Assemble Asian bowls: In two containers, layer jasmine rice, edamame, carrots, and a salmon portion. Pack the sesame-ginger dressing in a small container on the side.
6. Assemble Mediterranean bowls: Layer quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and salmon. Pack lemon-herb dressing separately.
7. Assemble Southwest bowls: Layer cilantro-lime rice, black beans, corn, and salmon. Pack chipotle-lime dressing and avocado separately (add avocado day-of to prevent browning).
8. Assemble Classic bowls: Layer sweet potatoes, broccoli, and salmon. Pack lemon-garlic sauce separately.