Meal Prep Baked Lemon Herb Salmon & Farro Bowl — 43g Protein, Under $4.50
Farro is an underused meal prep grain that deserves far more attention — it has a chewy, nutty texture that holds up beautifully over several days without turning mushy, and it carries significantly more protein per serving than rice or couscous. Paired with baked lemon herb salmon and a handful of roasted asparagus, this bowl is bright, satisfying, and feels like a proper sit-down dinner even on a Wednesday. The whole thing comes together in one prep session, reheats cleanly, and proves that a seafood dinner does not need to break the budget to feel special. At 43 grams of protein and under four dollars and fifty cents, this is a meal prep dinner worth genuinely looking forward to.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the farro: combine rinsed farro with water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25–30 minutes until tender but still chewy. Drain any excess liquid, fluff, and allow to cool.
- While the farro cooks, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pat the salmon dry and place it on one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with half the olive oil, the minced garlic, dried dill, salt, and pepper. Top with a few lemon slices.
- Toss the asparagus spears with the remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper, and arrange on the other side of the baking sheet.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the asparagus is tender with slightly crisp tips. Thicker salmon fillets may need an extra 2–3 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the salmon.
- Allow everything to cool completely before flaking the salmon into large pieces and combining with the cooled farro and asparagus in a meal prep container.
- To serve: reheat gently or enjoy cold, topped with feta or tzatziki if using.
Notes
Frozen salmon fillets remain dramatically cheaper than fresh and work identically once cooked — always check the freezer aisle first. Farro has a higher upfront cost than rice but its protein content and texture longevity make it genuinely worth it specifically for multi-day meal prep, where lesser grains tend to break down. Buying asparagus in season, typically spring, gets you the best price; outside of that window, frozen asparagus or a swap to green beans keeps the cost down without sacrificing the dish.
