Baked salmon is wonderfully versatile: it can be served hot, room temperature, or chilled. And salmon tastes delicious with so many combinations of greens and vegetables that you can’t miss. This can all be plated in advance, with the vinaigrette passed at the table. If you love olives or a different cheese, or prefer smoked salmon or bluefish fillets (already prepared), go for it. Make this once, then make it your own going forward. That’s the point.
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RECIPE: Dinner Salad with Easy Baked Salmon
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
Ingredients
Scale
For the Summer Herb Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 – 2 teaspoons raw honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (such as basil, mint, parsley, chives, dill, or a combination)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Salad:
- 1 1/2 pounds (approximately) salmon
- 1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
- 2 – 3 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (including chives, parsley, dill, basil, or a combination)
- Baby potatoes, roasted (optional)
- Green beans, boiled 4 minutes and run under cold water to keep green
- 6 cups mixed baby lettuces, arugula or baby kale, longer stems removed
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved, or 2 to 3 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
- 1– 2 carrots, peeled and shredded or cut with a julienne peeler
- 1 cup local feta cheese, or Valbresso feta from the market
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, Dijon, oil, garlic, 2 tablespoons herbs, and salt and pepper in a mason jar or bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 425 for the salmon. Cut salmon into 3 or 4 filets. Place skin-side down on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Coat or brush salmon with olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Top with 2 – 3 tablespoons fresh herbs. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness. Salmon should be a uniform pink — don’t overcook. When removing from baking sheet, leave the skin. Serve warm, room temp, or chilled.
- Prepare the remaining ingredients. If prepping ahead, store on a baking sheet in the fridge covered in plastic until ready to serve. (Platters are usually too large to fit in the fridge.)
- When ready to serve, spread the greens out on a large serving platter, with enough room to show-off the toppings.
- Top with the salmon, roasted potatoes, if using, green beans, red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and crumbled feta cheese. Pass the dressing at the table, and let each guest spoon or pour on their own. If the dressing separates, remind your diners to whisk or shake before spooning over their salad.
Notes
Serving platter: The size of the platter shown in the photo is 19 inches across.
