Recipe: Grilled Salmon Spring Salad with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette

This vibrant and springy grilled salmon salad is bursting with crunch and flavor—perfect for a satisfying lunch or dinner. This salad is rich in healthy omega-3 fats essential for brain and heart health, as well as fiber, protein, Vitamin D, iron, and more. Serve with warm whole-grain rolls or seedy crackers, if desired.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Serving size: 1 6oz salmon filet and 1½ cups salad

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice from about 1 lemon)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon country Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest (zest from about 1 lemon)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  

For the salad:

• 10 ounces organic spring mix lettuce
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced (about 8 ounces)
• 1 English cucumber, sliced (about 8 ounces)
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced (about 8 ounces)
  

For the salmon:

• 24 ounces fresh wild salmon fillet, skin on, pat dry, cut into 4 equal portions
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  

For serving:

• 1 teaspoon sliced chives
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to high heat. Clean and oil grates.
2. Make the vinaigrette by combining olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, thyme, mustard, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar. Whisk well. Add more salt to taste, if needed. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette for brushing on the salmon.
3. Toss the lettuce, fennel, cucumber, and red onion and divide between four medium-sized plates or bowls.
4. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper and brush with reserved vinaigrette. Discard any remaining reserved vinaigrette.
5. Reduce grill heat to medium high. Place salmon on grill, skin side down. Flip after about 6 minutes. Grill 2–3 more minutes, or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork when inserted in the thickest part of the fillet. If using a meat thermometer, fish should reach approximately 140 degrees F—the safe internal temperature is 145 degrees F, but fish will continue cooking for a few minutes once removed from the grill. The total cooking time for salmon will depend on the thickness of the fillet. Remove salmon from the grill.
6. Remove salmon skin, if desired. Top salads with salmon and drizzle with vinaigrette. Refrigerate any remaining vinaigrette in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to 5 days.
7. Sprinkle salads with chives and serve with lemon slices.

Recipe notes:

• For a time-saving shortcut, use a store-bought lemon vinaigrette.
• We chose to use wild salmon in this salad, but feel free to use sustainably farmed salmon if you prefer, which has a milder flavor.
• If using frozen wild salmon, thaw in the fridge overnight. Prior to grilling, pat very dry.

Nutrition facts per serving

Calories: 330; Total Fat: 20g (26% DV); Saturated Fat: 3.5g (18% DV); Trans Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 65mg (22% DV); Sodium: 780mg (34% DV); Total Carbohydrate: 14g (5% DV); Dietary Fiber: 3g (11% DV); Total sugars: 5g; Added sugar: 0g (0% DV); Protein: 25g; Vitamin D: 760IU (127% DV); Calcium: 140mg (10% DV); Iron: 5mg (30% DV); Potassium: 214mg (4% DV)

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