If you’re looking for a light and healthy summer dish, a blackened salmon salad is just the thing!
Crisp greens are topped with tender blackened salmon, orange segments and avocado all drizzled with a fresh citrus dressing.
A Summer Favorite
This salad is full of crisp, colorful fruit & veggies. Use fresh veggies from the garden if you have extras!
Salmon is easy to cook and can be grilled, baked, or in this case, simply pan-fried and turns any tossed salad into a full meal.
Quick and easy, it takes less than half an hour! Great for lunch or dinner with friends, clean up is easy too.
Ingredients
VEGGIES
Colorful, crisp veggies are the key to this refreshing salad. I used lettuce, cucumbers, avocado, and red onion but feel free to add any fresh veggies you have in the fridge or garden!
ORANGES
Juicy oranges really give this salad some color and flavor! Sectioning the oranges removes the bitter pith and the white inner peel. What’s left is the juicy, tender interior which can go straight into your salad!
SALMON
Blackened Seasoning is rubbed onto the fillets before pan-frying. This gives the salmon a sweet & savory taste, and a ‘blackened’ look!
DRESSING
Orange juice & zest, cider vinegar, honey, and dijon mustard are all mixed together to create this light, tangy dressing!
How to Make Salmon Salad
This salad looks fancy, but it’s super easy to make! Serve salmon warmed or chilled on top of the lettuce before drizzling on the dressing!
- Combine orange zest and juice with other dressing ingredients (per recipe below).
- Rub salmon with blackened seasoning and pan fry in oil. Remove salmon from pan and let rest.
- Divide lettuce between bowls and top evenly with remaining ingredients.
- Add salmon fillets and drizzle with dressing.
Salmon Cooking Tips
- Salmon will change from reddish color to pink as it cooks.
- Once Salmon has cooked 4-6 minutes per side, it should be slightly translucent in the middle.
- Salmon should have an internal temperature of 145°F once cooked.
- Once the fish becomes flaky, remove it from the heat right away to avoid over-cooking.
- Searing the outside seals in the juices and makes the salmon oh-so-tender, especially if the skin is left on!
Other Summer Salads
- Southwest Salad with Lime Vinaigrette – Tex-Mex flavors
- Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad – a classic favorite
- Broccoli Pasta Salad – rich & creamy
- Chicken Fajita Salad – with chili lime chicken
- Cucumber Avocado Salad – perfect side dish
Did you make this Blackened Salmon Salad? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Blackened Salmon Salad
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets 6 oz each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon blackening seasoning
- 4 cups red leaf lettuce
- ½ avocado sliced
- 1 cup cucumbers sliced
- 2 oranges
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup feta cheese
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Zest 1 teaspoon of orange zest. Cut one of the oranges in half and juice.
- Section* the remaining oranges.
- Combine all dressing ingredients (including orange zest and juice from the step above) in a mason jar or container. Shake to mix and refrigerate.
- Season salmon with blackening seasoning. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook 4-5 minutes per side or until just cooked through. Rest 5 minutes while preparing the salad.
- Divide lettuce between the bowls. Divide remaining salad ingredients over bowls. Top with salmon and drizzle with dressing.
Notes
- Slice off the stem end and opposite end to create flat surfaces.
- Stand on one end, and remove the skin following the contours and catching the inner membrane as you work your way around.
- Carefully cut between the membrane in each section and lift out each wedge.