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Pomegranate Salmon Bulgur Bowls with Walnut-Olive Topping

By Matthew Fairman

Published on June 16, 2025

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Pomegranate Salmon Bulgur Bowls with Walnut-Olive Topping

Ingredients

Pomegranate Salmon

1½ pounds skinless center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces¾ teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, divided

Walnut-Olive Topping

1½ cups walnut, chopped1 cup fresh mint, chopped coarse1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped coarse1 cup green olive bruschetta2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Bowl

3½ cups cooked bulgur, room temperature½ English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Before You Begin

This recipe works best with a chunky green olive bruschetta (sometimes sold as olive tapenade or olive salad), an oil-packed mixture of olives, peppers, capers, garlic, and spices. Avoid smooth or pureed tapenades. We like to serve these bowls drizzled with olive oil and with pita chips alongside. 

Instructions

    for the pomegranate salmon

  1. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray foil with vegetable oil spray. Arrange 1½ pounds 1-inch skinless center-cut salmon fillet pieces in even layer on prepared sheet and sprinkle evenly with ¾ teaspoon table salt and ½ teaspoon pepper (salmon pieces should not be touching). Brush salmon with 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  2. Broil until top edges of salmon are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer sheet to wire rack and brush salmon with remaining 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
  3. for the walnut-olive topping

  4. Combine 1½ cups chopped walnuts, 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint, 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems, 1 cup green olive bruschetta, 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in bowl. 
  5. for the bowl

  6. Season 3½ cups room-temperature cooked bulgur with extra olive oil and salt to taste. Divide bulgur mixture evenly among serving bowls. Divide salmon and ½ quartered and thinly sliced English cucumber evenly among bowls. Top each bowl with ½ cup walnut-olive topping and sprinkle with ¼ cup pomegranate seeds. Serve, passing extra walnut-olive topping separately. 
Pomegranate Salmon Bulgur Bowls with Walnut-Olive Topping
Photography by Kritsada Panichgul. Styling by Elle Simone Scott.

Pomegranate Salmon Bulgur Bowls with Walnut-Olive Topping

Headshot of Matthew Fairman
By Matthew Fairman

Published on June 16, 2025

Save

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

Pomegranate Salmon

1½ pounds skinless center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, divided

Walnut-Olive Topping

1½ cups walnut, chopped
1 cup fresh mint, chopped coarse
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped coarse
1 cup green olive bruschetta
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Bowl

3½ cups cooked bulgur, room temperature
½ English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin
¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Ingredients

Pomegranate Salmon

1½ pounds skinless center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, divided

Walnut-Olive Topping

1½ cups walnut, chopped
1 cup fresh mint, chopped coarse
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped coarse
1 cup green olive bruschetta
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Bowl

3½ cups cooked bulgur, room temperature
½ English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin
¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Ingredients

Pomegranate Salmon

1½ pounds skinless center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, divided

Walnut-Olive Topping

1½ cups walnut, chopped
1 cup fresh mint, chopped coarse
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped coarse
1 cup green olive bruschetta
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Bowl

3½ cups cooked bulgur, room temperature
½ English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin
¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted to make hearty grain bowls that boasted a variety of harmonious elements without requiring many subrecipes with time-consuming prep lists. To that end, these salmon bowls rely on supermarket powerhouses and convenience items to make life easier while creating delicious, nutritious, dinner-worthy grain bowls. Rich, briny green olive bruschetta brought incredible depth and complexity to a stir-together topping of chopped walnuts, mint, and cilantro. Sweet, tart pomegranate molasses added brightness to the walnut-olive topping and made for a tasty, ready-made glaze on chunks of fresh broiled salmon. Sliced cucumbers contributed a clean, crunchy element to our bowls while pomegranate seeds brought beauty and acidity.

Before You Begin

This recipe works best with a chunky green olive bruschetta (sometimes sold as olive tapenade or olive salad), an oil-packed mixture of olives, peppers, capers, garlic, and spices. Avoid smooth or pureed tapenades. We like to serve these bowls drizzled with olive oil and with pita chips alongside. 

Instructions

    for the pomegranate salmon

  1. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray foil with vegetable oil spray. Arrange 1½ pounds 1-inch skinless center-cut salmon fillet pieces in even layer on prepared sheet and sprinkle evenly with ¾ teaspoon table salt and ½ teaspoon pepper (salmon pieces should not be touching). Brush salmon with 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  2. Broil until top edges of salmon are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer sheet to wire rack and brush salmon with remaining 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
  3. for the walnut-olive topping

  4. Combine 1½ cups chopped walnuts, 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint, 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems, 1 cup green olive bruschetta, 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in bowl. 
  5. for the bowl

  6. Season 3½ cups room-temperature cooked bulgur with extra olive oil and salt to taste. Divide bulgur mixture evenly among serving bowls. Divide salmon and ½ quartered and thinly sliced English cucumber evenly among bowls. Top each bowl with ½ cup walnut-olive topping and sprinkle with ¼ cup pomegranate seeds. Serve, passing extra walnut-olive topping separately. 

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