Lemon Herb Salmon Salad (Printable)

Flaky salmon, fluffy quinoa, crisp greens, and fresh herbs tossed in zesty citrus vinaigrette. A nourishing main dish.

# What You Need:

→ Salmon

01 - 4 salmon fillets, skinless (120 g each)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
05 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Quinoa

06 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
07 - 2 cups water
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Salad

09 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)
10 - 1 cup fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, dill, mint, basil)
11 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1/2 cucumber, sliced
13 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Citrus Vinaigrette

14 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
15 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 teaspoon honey
18 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
19 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
20 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cool slightly.
02 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place salmon fillets on the sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, chopped herbs, halved tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, and cooked quinoa. Drizzle with half the vinaigrette and toss gently.
05 - Divide the salad among serving plates. Top each portion with a warm salmon fillet and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes bright and satisfying without feeling heavy, the kind of dish that leaves you energized instead of sluggish.
  • You can prep the quinoa and vinaigrette ahead, making weeknight assembly almost effortless.
  • The combination of textures, crisp greens, fluffy grains, flaky fish, keeps every forkful interesting.
  • It works just as well for a solo dinner as it does for company, and somehow always looks impressive on the plate.
02 -
  • Do not overdress the salad at first, you can always add more vinaigrette but you cannot take it back once the greens are soggy.
  • Let the quinoa cool for at least five minutes before adding it to the greens, or the residual heat will wilt everything and turn your salad limp.
  • Check the salmon a minute or two early, it continues cooking after you pull it from the oven and nothing ruins this dish faster than dry fish.
03 -
  • Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels before seasoning so the lemon zest and spices stick and the fish browns lightly in the oven.
  • Whisk the vinaigrette again right before drizzling because the oil and lemon naturally separate, and you want it creamy and emulsified when it hits the salad.
  • Taste a leaf of your dressed salad before plating, it is the fastest way to know if you need more salt, acid, or vinaigrette.
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