Why These Power Bowls Are the Perfect Meal Prep Lunch

Life is busy and if I don’t meal prep my lunches, I end up eating a granola bar—and then snacking all afternoon because I’m still hungry. So I am all about that meal prep life and these power bowls are a fave:

A complete and satisfying meal. This is a meal bowl that makes you feel full and energized after eating it! With the veggies, protein, and avocados, it really lives up to the power bowl name.
Awesome mix of textures. Because we’re making these power bowls with a mixture of cooked and raw veggies, you get a nice balance of crisp-and-crunchy with tender-and-caramelized. And then there’s that flaky salmon too!
So many ways to make it. You can completely change the vibe of these bowls based on the sauces and dressings you use.

What You’ll Need

Feel free to switch up the veggies with what you like or have on hand!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

4 cooked salmon fillets (I like to use my frozen salmon in the air fryer recipe)
1 cup uncooked rice or quinoa
1 cup broth (I like to use bone broth)
2 cups chopped sweet potato (about 1 extra large or 2 medium)
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 cucumber thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced cabbage (or pickled cabbage – yum!)
2 avocados pitted and diced
Sauce of choice (see above for ideas!)

Sauce Options:

Cilantro Lime Sauce
Teriyaki
Lemon Dill Sauce
Chili Lime Tahini Sauce
Thai Curry Sauce
Pesto
Romesco Sauce
Thai Peanut Sauce
Ginger Miso Dressing

How to Make Salmon Power Bowls

Instructions:

Prepare the grains. Add the rice or quinoa and broth to a small pot or rice cooker. Simmer for 12 – 15 minutes until fluffy and the liquid has been absorbed. Allow the grains to steam in the pot while the veggies and salmon finish cooking.
Prepare the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place the sweet potatoes and broccoli on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss with your hands. Roast for 20 – 25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and the broccoli is roasted.
Assemble the bowls. Divide the grains equally between four bowls. Top each bowl with a piece of salmon, then equally divide the vegetables among the bowls as well. Top each with half of an avocado and your favorite sauce – again, see above for ideas! – and enjoy!

Nutrition

More Power Bowl Toppings and Add-Ins

Here are some more options for making these power bowls. Mix and match ingredients to make this recipe your own!

Seeds. Hemp hearts, pepitas, and sesame seeds.
Nuts. Almonds, pine nuts, and cashews would work well for adding some crunch.
Other toppings. Try nori for a Sushi Bowl vibe, nutritional yeast, furikake or za'atar, or fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley.
Other veggies. Like Oven Roasted Root Vegetables or Brussels sprouts!
Alternate bases. Instead of grains, try soba noodles or cauliflower rice.

Meal Prep Tips

If you’re making these power bowls for meal prep, I recommend using a divided container with the fresh components on one side and the cooked components on another, then the sauce in a little container tucked inside. Add the avocado just before serving or drizzle it with lime juice to slow the oxidation process.

When you’re ready to eat, warm up the grains, roasted veggies, and salmon in a microwave-safe bowl, then add the fresh veggies on top. Drizzle with the sauce and serve!

Salmon power bowl