Mediterranean Salmon Salad
August 8, 2019 by Nicole Collins
Anything you can do, I can do better.
I can do anything better than you!
Ok, so that's absolutely not true. But, I didn't write the song!
However, it is true when it comes to how we got to today's recipe.
I've actually been sitting on this recipe for a hot minute. I got the idea a couple of months ago watching a Gordon Ramsey show.
Have you guys seen his newer show, 24 Hours to Hell and Back? It's basically Kitchen Nightmares with a different name. He has his team do recon for a few weeks prior to his arrival, he shows up in disguise, then he has 24 hours to revamp a failing restaurant.
Of course, he's got to try the food before he reveals himself. And I remember at one of the places he visited, one of the dishes he ordered was a Mediterranean Salmon Salad.
Now I LOVE salmon, and I LOVE Mediterranean food; but this salad looked like a nightmare. It looked absolutely disgusting. And according to Gordon, it tasted that way too.
But, I loved the idea of the salad, and I had no doubt that I could make a delicious one.
And, guess what. I DEFINITELY did it better. So, that's what we're making today!
Today, we're making Mediterranean Salmon Salad.
Let's start with the salmon. Salmon is one of my favorite proteins, but I never really thought to put it in a salad before. Well let me tell you. I'm so glad I did.
We're going to make a quick marinade for the salmon by blending greek yogurt, fresh dill, salty capers, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil together. These are such classic Mediterranean flavors that provide the perfect balance of tanginess, saltiness, and earthiness to our rich and creamy salmon. The marinade also serves double duty, because we're going to save half of it to use as a dressing for our salad!
After the salmon finishes marinating, we pop it in the oven to roast while we assemble the rest of our salad. The rest of the players are everything you'd expect to find in a Mediterranean meal: tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and feta. I also threw in some radishes for some extra color. I'm sure some black olives would be nice here too; but I don't like them, so they didn't make it to my salad. But, if you're a fan, throw some in!
Since we're using the marinade as our dressing, all of the work is done! And, the end result is a stunning, delicious, flavorful, healthy, hearty salad. This salad kept me so full, I didn't even need my afternoon snack!
And, my afternoon snack is my favorite one of the day!
So, there's really no reason (in my opinion) that any restaurant should be serving bleh Mediterranean Salmon Salad. It's just too easy to make a stellar dish with totally fresh ingredients. But, I surely hope that restaurant listened to Gordon's advice and is still thriving for their sake.
Ok, everyone! I think that's all I've got for you today. Happy Friday eve, and have a great weekend full of salmon salads!
Enjoy, and let's eat!
Mediterranean Salmon Salad
Serves: 4 Print
Ingredients:
For the Salmon:
1 cup plain greek yogurt
¼ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp dill, chopped
3 tbsp capers
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
4 6oz salmon fillets
For the Dressing:
6 cups spring greens mix
½ cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup cucumber, diced
¼ cup red onion, sliced
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 radish, halved and sliced
Directions:
Make the Dressing: In a blender or small food processor, add all ingredients for the dressing except the salmon. Blend until combined and smooth. Place the salmon (skin side down if skin is on) in a 9x13 casserole dish. Use half of the dressing mix to coat the top and sides of the salmon. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge to marinate for about 30 mins. Reserve the rest of the dressing.
After the salmon has marinated, remove from the fridge. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roast the salmon for 18-20 mins until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
Assemble the Salad: Evenly divide greens, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta, and radishes between 4 bowls. Top each salad with 1 salmon filet. Serve with reserved dressing.
Recipe notes:
*This is my go to blender for most of my marinades. I love the mini food processor. It's the perfect size!
*You can use salmon filets with the skin on or off, but ultimately, we won't be serving the skin. I like to leave the skin on salmon when I roast it, because the salmon easily slips right out of the skin when it's finished cooking. That way, none of the yummy flesh risks getting stuck to the pan.
*If you can't find pre-portioned salmon fillets, buy 1 large 24oz fillet, and portion it out yourself. It's pretty easy to eyeball it.
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