Baked Salmon with Orzo, Arugula & Roasted Tomatoes
Main Dish · Quick Meals · Dairy-Free · Nut-Free · Egg-Free · Time: 30 min · Servings: 2 · Difficulty: Easy
I still remember the very first time I had salmon almost 18 years ago when I came to Singapore for my International Exchange Program.
Growing up, I was the child who refused to eat fish and vegetables. If you ask my mother, she could probably tell you endless stories of younger me pushing away plates of cod or snapper at the dinner table. For the longest time, nobody really understood why I disliked them so much.
Somehow, over the years, things slowly changed.
Today, fish has become something I genuinely enjoy incorporating into my weekly meals. Not every day, and not in an overly complicated way. Just once or twice a week in simple dishes that feel balanced, nourishing, and easy to put together.
Living in Singapore also changed the way I experience seafood. Salmon, in particular, is incredibly popular here and easy to find in many supermarkets. When I buy salmon, I usually choose wild-caught Scottish salmon if it's available because I love its flavour and texture. But don't feel like you have to use the same one. This recipe is delicious with any good-quality salmon you can get your hands on. With a dish this simple, the quality of the ingredients really shines through.
This is one of those weekday meals I keep coming back to: flaky oven-baked salmon, lightly toasted orzo cooked almost like pasta and risotto in between, sweet roasted cherry tomatoes, and fresh arugula folded in at the very end so it gently wilts from the residual heat.
What I love most about this recipe is that everything stays distinct on the plate. The salmon is baked separately, the tomatoes roast alongside it in the oven, and the orzo is cooked on the stovetop before everything comes together just before serving. It feels thoughtful without being complicated. It's the kind of meal that looks beautiful, tastes comforting, and still fits into a busy weekday routine.
A Little About Orzo
Despite looking like rice, orzo is actually a type of pasta. In Italy, it’s traditionally called risoni, which literally means “large rice,” because of its small grain-like shape. Depending on the region, you may also hear it referred to as orzo, the Italian word for barley, since the pasta resembles grains at first glance.
What makes orzo so special is the way it sits somewhere between pasta and risotto. It cooks quickly like pasta, but when simmered gently in stock, it develops a soft, creamy texture that feels incredibly comforting without requiring the constant stirring of a traditional risotto.
For this recipe, lightly toasting the orzo before adding the stock gives it a subtle nutty flavour that works beautifully with the rich salmon and sweet roasted tomatoes. As the arugula gently wilts into the warm pasta, everything comes together into a dish that feels fresh, balanced, and quietly elegant — the kind of meal that looks impressive but is simple enough for an ordinary weekday.
One of the things I love most about cooking with orzo is how adaptable it is. It absorbs flavour beautifully while still keeping its own delicate bite, making it perfect for lighter Mediterranean-style meals like this one. Combined with olive oil, lemon, thyme, and roasted tomatoes, it creates a dish that feels very much inspired by simple coastal Italian cooking — ingredient-focused, uncomplicated, and comforting in the best way.
Ingredients
- 2 pcs Wild caught Scottish salmon fillets (approx. 150g each)
- 150 g Cherry tomatoes, halved
- salt & pepper Season Salmon & Cherry Tomatoes
- a few sprigs Fresh Thyme
- half a Lemon, sliced + juice for Salmon
For the Orzo
- 2 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 150 g Orzo
- 450 ml Water
- 1 cube Low Sodium Vegetable Bullion
- A handful of Arugula
Directions
- Bake the salmon with Cherry tomatoes Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the halved cherry tomatoes onto a baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Add a light drizzle of olive oil if desired. Season the salmon fillets with Salt, Black pepper, Fresh thyme and Lemon juice Place the salmon onto the same tray and top each fillet with a slice of lemon. Bake for 15–16 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. As the salmon bakes, the cherry tomatoes will soften and lightly roast, bringing out their natural sweetness and removing the raw tomato taste.
- Cook the orzo Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the orzo and toast for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously. This gives the pasta a slightly nuttier flavour and helps deepen the overall dish. Pour in 450ml water and a bullion cube. Allow the orzo to simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed — about 10–12 minutes. Add a splash of more water if needed.
- Finish the orzo Once the orzo is cooked, stir in the roasted cherry tomatoes, then turn off the heat. Fold in the arugula and let it wilt gently from the residual warmth. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Taste and adjust with additional salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed.
- Serve Spoon the warm orzo onto serving plates. Because everything is prepared separately before plating, each element keeps its own texture and flavour — the flaky salmon, sweet roasted tomatoes, creamy orzo, and fresh greens all standing out beautifully on the plate.