Lemon-Dill Salmon Orzo Lunch Boxes

Ingredients

Salmon

• 600 g raw skinless salmon, cut into 4 equal portions
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp fine salt

Orzo base

• 200 g dry orzo
• 1½ cups (210 g) frozen peas
• 200 g cucumber, diced
• 2 tbsp (20 g) capers, drained
• 1 tsp olive oil

Dill yogurt

• ¾ cup (170 g) plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 tbsp water

Equipment

Sheet pan, saucepan, colander, instant-read thermometer

Allergens and ingredient notes: Fish, wheat, milk. Capers can be salty; the recipe uses drained capers and only the listed salt.

Step by step

1. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place salmon on a lined pan. Rub with the salmon oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt. Roast 10–15 minutes, checking the thickest part, until it reaches 145°F (63°C). Rest 3 minutes, then flake into large chunks with clean utensils.
2. Cook orzo according to its package. Cook peas separately according to theirs, or add to the orzo only if the required boiling times line up. Drain well and toss orzo with its separate 1 tsp olive oil.
3. Refrigerate salmon, orzo, and peas promptly in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Cool fully before adding raw vegetables or closing lunchboxes.
4. Mix yogurt, its 2 tbsp lemon juice, dill, and water. Divide among 4 leakproof cups. Toss cold orzo and peas with cucumber and drained capers.
5. Divide orzo salad among 4 containers and add one quarter of the salmon to each. Pack one dressing cup per box. Eat chilled, adding dressing at lunch; if reheating, remove cucumber and sauce first and heat the cooked components to 165°F (74°C).

The Devotti twist: Caper brine and fresh dill give the pasta a deli-salad brightness, while separately packed yogurt keeps the salmon and grains from becoming wet overnight.

How to pack

Use a rigid container to protect the salmon chunks and keep the dressing sealed until lunch. For the simplest version, plan to eat the whole box cold.

Swaps and preferences

Use cooked chicken in place of salmon only if suitable, using 400 g fully cooked chicken for the batch and following its original storage limit. For a wheat-free variation, use suitable gluten-free orzo and cook by its package.

For cold lunches, pack fully chilled perishable food in an insulated bag with at least two cold sources. Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below and refrigerate on arrival when possible. Discard perishables left out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).

Make ahead and storage

Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 2 days. Keep cold during transport; do not leave fish at room temperature until lunch.