Lemony Salmon & Rice Casserole
This lemony salmon and rice casserole brings together fresh salmon, tender rice, and a mix of vegetables in a single dish. Broccoli and tomatoes cook alongside the fish, creating a layered base that’s both hearty and practical for weeknight dinners. A lemon-dill sauce finishes the casserole with a clean, citrusy lift. I make this in a disposable container in the toaster oven in a corner of my tiny RV kitchen—proof that you don’t need fancy gear or a chef’s kitchen to cook anti-inflammatory, hormone-friendly meals.
Simple, hormone-friendly recipes are just one part of what I do here at Finding My Fierce. If you’re a woman over 40 and want to learn about rebel wellness, feral confidence, perimenopause and reducing overwhelm, start here
Ingredients
(see printable recipe card down below)
SERVINGS: 6
1 small lemon (about 60 ml / 4 tbsp juice)
1 pint (300 g) cherry tomatoes
½ cup (50 g) sliced green onions (scallions), white and green parts
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (960 ml) lower-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup (185 g) brown rice
1 tsp (6 g) sea salt
½ tsp (1 g) ground pepper
4 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, separated
1½ lbs (680 g) skinless salmon fillet, cut into large chunks
3 cups (270 g) chopped broccoli, thawed if frozen
1 tbsp (3 g) dried dill
How to Make This
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut lemon in half crosswise and cut off both ends. Thinly slice 1 of the lemon halves; remove and discard seeds. Juice the remaining lemon half to yield about 2 tablespoon juice; set aside.
Place the lemon slices, tomatoes, onion, garlic, broth and rice in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish; stir to combine
Cover with foil and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 20-25 minutes.
While the rice cooks, place the salmon and broccoli in a large bowl and season with the salt, pepper and dill; drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
Once the rice is al dente, remove the baking dish from the oven. Nestle the broccoli and salmon into the rice mixture. Bake, uncovered, until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily when tested with a fork, about 10-15 minutes more.
While the salmon bakes, combine the reserved lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and dill in a small bowl.
Remove the casserole from the oven, uncover and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour the lemon sauce evenly over the casserole and serve.
Real Talk: Salmon vs Visceral Fat
Salmon is one of the few foods with direct clinical evidence for reducing visceral fat — the specific fat that accumulates around the midsection during perimenopause and drives both IR and cardiovascular risk. The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in fatty fish have been studied for their ability to reduce inflammatory markers, improve insulin receptor sensitivity, and support the metabolic processes that govern where the body stores fat. For women who have been watching their waist expand without changing anything about how they eat or move, it’s helpful to understand how salmon does targeted work in that specific location.
Before You Go
This recipe came out of the same place where I write the rest of this blog: in a vintage RV parked in the woods next to a river, where I learned that simple living and feeding yourself well doesn't require a Broadway performance or matching dishes.
If this made meal time a little easier, leave a comment below or a review on the recipe card. Tell me what you swapped, what you added, what your kids refused to eat. That stuff matters.
And if the recipe brought you here but you're curious about rebel wellness and reducing overwhelm, the rest of my blog is waiting. Start here.
Melissa
Lemony Salmon & Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 small lemon
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup sliced green onions (scallions) white and green parts
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups rice
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1½ pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into large chunks
- 2 cups chopped broccoli, thawed if frozen
- 2 tablespoons dried dill
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut lemon in half crosswise and cut off both ends. Thinly slice 1 of the lemon halves; remove and discard seeds. Juice the remaining lemon half to yield about 2 tablespoon juice; set aside.
- Place the lemon slices, tomatoes, onion, garlic, broth, rice and 1 tablespoon of the salt in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish; stir to combine
- Cover with foil and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 20-25 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, season the salmon and broccoli with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the ground pepper; drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
- Once the rice is al dente, remove the baking dish from the oven. Nestle the broccoli and salmon into the rice mixture. Bake, uncovered, until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily when tested with a fork, about 10-15 minutes more.
- While the salmon bakes, combine the reserved lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and dill in a small bowl.
- Remove the casserole from the oven, uncover and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour the lemon sauce evenly over the casserole and serve.
Nutrition Info
Calories
385Fat (grams)
13 gCarbs (grams)
45 gFiber (grams)
2 gSugar (grams)
4 gProtein (grams)
22 gSodium (milligrams)
1106 mgCalcium
49 mgMagnesium
49 mgPotassium
709 mgVitamin D
0 µgVitamin B12
3 µgNutrition info provided as a courtesy and basic guideline. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. View Nutrition Disclosure
