Salmon is a quick and easy dinner, especially when it’s made in the air fryer. Combine it with quinoa, vegetables and sliced avocado, and you have a delicious dinner packed with healthy goodness. But wine pairing with salmon can be tricky. Unlike pasta or chicken that can pair well with a wide variety of wines, wine pairing with salmon is harder, especially if you want to drink red wine.
Thankfully, Pinot Noir is the perfect wine pairing with salmon. The lower end brands can be lackluster and uninspiring, so I was very happy to find Elouan Pinot Noir. This wine is made by Joseph Wagner, a fifth generation winemaker from California. His family founded iconic Caymus Vineyards in 1972, so he grew up in the wine industry. Wagner sourced the Pinot Noir grapes from Oregon, known for its great growing conditions for Pinot Noir.
What Wine Pairs Best with Salmon? Watch this video.
Good Wines to Pair with Salmon
If you prefer red wine, then Pinot Noir is going to be the best wine pairing with salmon. But if you’re in the mood for white wine, you can reach for a bottle of unoaked (or lightly oaked) Chardonnay. The French style of Chardonnay includes Chablis and White Burgundy. These are rich and delicious, but these can be pricey. If you’re trying to keep your white wine pairing with salmon wallet-friendly, then try a Chardonnay from Argentina or Chile. Both land and labor are cheaper in South America, making their wines a good value.
A few good Chardonnays from South America to try are:
- Los Vascos Chardonnay, Central Valley, Chile–Los Vascos is run by the Domaines Barons de Rothschild that makes the iconic Lafite Bordeaux. They know what they’re doing. At about $15 a bottle, you can’t go wrong. This is unoaked with a citrusy finish.
- Vaglio Blanco, Valle de Uco, Argentina–Vaglio Blanco is made by winemaker Jose Lovaglio Balbo, the son of Susana Balbo, who is truly the first lady of wine in Argentina. Not only do I love all of her wines, but she deserves kudos for being the first woman in Argentina to earn an enology degree. She passed her love of winemaking onto her son, who is proving to be a natural. This is lightly oaked Chardonnay which has aromas of tropical fruit with a slight toasty finish.
Air Fryer Salmon with Quinoa
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 4 5-6 oz. salmon steaks
- 1 cup white quinoa washed and rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp. pesto
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1 avocado ripe
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 2 tsp. olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- Combine salt, pepper, quinoa and water to rice cooker. Press start. Or the stove top method... bring to broil. Simmer and cover for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork before serving.
- Season salmon with paprika, salt and pepper. Spray bottom of air fryer with non-stick spray. Place salmon skin side down. Cook at 390 degrees for 6 minutes in an air fryer. It’s better to undercook salmon and then give it another 30 seconds than to overcook it.
- Cut grape (or cherry) tomatoes in half. Slice avocado into thin slices.
- Put 1/2 cup of quinoa in the bottom of a pasta bowl. Top with salmon, tomatoes, and 1/4 of avocado slices for each bowl. Drizzle with premium olive oil and serve immediately.
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