Light, fresh and healthy is my current mood. The dreaded bikini season is on its way right? I’m making a lot of lighter meals for dinner lately. Salads with some added protein have been a win for these warmer days and the waistline.
To minimize on the cleanup, I’ve been firing up my grill. It’s nice just stepping outside to our patio and enjoying some fresh air while cooking dinner. I scored a beautiful whole sockeye salmon fillet and thought that grilling this gorgeous fish would be a fabulous way to highlight the flavors. This salmon Greek salad is loaded with crisp, fresh vegetable and tossed in a tangy lemon basil dressing.
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Here are my rules for building a killer salad: Crunchy, creamy, savory, tangy and a hint of sweet. If you have these five elements, your salad combinations will be a hit!
For the crunch I like a mixture of salad greens, I’ve got chopped romaine, kale, and spinach in this recipe. Cucumbers, red bell peppers, and red onions add even more crisp textures. The ripe baby tomatoes add a natural burst of sweetness plus a little bit of honey in the dressing.
Creaminess from the feta and walnuts are the cherry on top. The cheese also adds that savory note and the garlic in the dressing. The lemon juice from the dressing adds just the right amount of acidity to brighten and bring all of the elements in the salad together.
I don’t know what it is, but salmon is sexy. It has to be that vibrant orange-pink hue, and ability to infuse flavors with ease. I’m obsessed.
If you don’t know about Monday salmon nights at the Gavin, you’re missing out. We have my Mediterranean spiced roasted salmon and miso glazed salmon on constant rotation! This is my first grilled salmon recipe this year, and it certainly won’t be the last.
My two essential kitchen tools right now are my grill and my blender, they have been real time savers. I was able to cook this salmon in under 10 minutes and throw all of the dressing ingredients into the blender to create the fastest creamy dressing in under a minute. Such a blessing for all of us strapped on time but still need a wholesome and satisfying meal.
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If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #jessicagavin on Instagram. I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
What’s the best way to cook salmon on the grill?
I always make sure that the grill is cleaned, pre-heated and oiled before I add any fish. I also season the food and make sure it is generously coated with olive oil as well, so the fish does not badly stick. I place the fish on a 45-degree angle to the grates to achieve beautifully striped sear marks, and I don’t move the fish at all until I’m ready to flip. The salmon will naturally start to release and be easy to lift off when given enough time to cook on the grill, about 4 to 5 minutes. You can gently use tongs or a spatula to lift one side to check, but be very careful as the fish is delicate. I cook the fish uncovered and flip when it’s about 70% cooked, then finish cooking the other side. The fish is ready when the flesh easily flakes apart with a fork, don’t overcook!
Salmon Greek Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing
Ingredients
Salmon Salad-
- 16 ounces salmon fillets, (four 4-ounce pieces)
- olive oil, as needed
- kosher salt, as needed
- black pepper, freshly cracked, as needed
- 8 cups lettuce, (romaine, spinach or kale)
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup cucumber, diced, ¼-inch thick
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced, ¼-inch thick
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette-
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, plus zest of one lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 basil leaves, fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, or 1 teaspoon fresh
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
Instructions
Salmon Salad-
- Lightly season both sides of the salmon fillet with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on both sides to coat.
- Heat grill to medium-high. Add a small amount of vegetable oil on a folded piece of paper towel, and then carefully grease the grill grates with the oil.
- Once the grill is nice and hot, add the seasoned salmon fillets. Cook salmon uncovered about 4 to 5 minutes on each side until flaky (about 130-140°F).
- Remove the salmon from the grill and transfer to a clean plate, cover to keep warm. Remove skin if still attached.
- In a large bowl add salad ingredients; lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, cheese, and walnuts. Set aside.
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette-
- Add lemon juice, zest, olive oil, mustard, honey, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a blender.
- Blend until well combined and a slightly thick and opaque dressing is achieved, about 30 seconds.
- Add more salt and pepper as desired.
Notes
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That’s a great looking salmon dish! One of my favorite foods, nice preparation. Sharing!
Thank you David! I LOVE salmon too, I make it at least once a week 🙂
This was absolutely delicious! I stumbled across your site while googling recipes, I am excited to try more of your recipes!
Yay! I’m so HAPPY to hear that you enjoyed the recipe Julie. Looking forward to sharing more recipes with you 🙂
My boss love salmon I will prepare it for dinner,
Nice presentation nice looking recipe
THANKS for sharing
Thank you Enrique! Salmon is one of my favorite fish too. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Looks fabulous but sort of surprised to see this under a search of healthy when the total fat shows 35g. is that for all four servings. seems a little high to be healthy. I will make but plan to use less dressing and less cheese to help reduce the fat. Thank you
Thank you so much for your comment Heidi! You are right, I factored in all of the dressing and a generous amount of cheese and walnuts. You realistically would only use 1-2 tablespoons of dressing vs. 1/4 cup. Also, the salmon has a high amount of healthy omega-3 fatty acids adding to the fat amount. I think you’re approach is a good one!
is there a way to cook the salmon in an oven instead?
Hi Sarah- Yes! Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray or olive oil. Evenly spread out the salmon fillets on the tray. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130-135°F. The fish should easily flake apart but not be dry.
Someone else made a fish recipe and I brought salad with this dressing – yum! Thanks for sharing.
Good team work! Thank you for your feedback Kate 🙂
Simply fantastic recipe. Delicious and easy. And you don’t feel guilty for having seconds.
Thank you so much Fay!
This salad was amazing. All the flavors went really well together, my 4 year old loved it too! We baked the salmon in the oven since the grill is covered in snow. We loved the dressing and will use it for other applications, switching out the basil for cilantro and using it on fish tacos.
Thank you Karie! So happy to hear that the entire family enjoyed the recipe, I know how hard it is to get a toddler to eat 🙂 Great idea to use the dressing for tacos!
Hello. We had this tonight, delicious. It’s the nutrition info for the salmon and the dressing, or the dressing only?
Thank you Amber! The nutrition information is for both salmon and dressing.
I made this salad last night. Cooked salmon in grill pan on the stove. I seasoned salmon with garlic powder and pepper since I need to avoid salt. Made salad dressing without salt and added extra garlic to it.
It was delicious!
Thank you for your feedback, Margarita! Nice substitutions for the salt 🙂
Not only was this dish great tasting, but it came together quickly! Thank you for sharing your recipes- I look forward to trying more!
You are so welcome Rajona!
I made this salad last night and both my husband and I loved it! This recipe will be in our regular rotation. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear that your family enjoyed the recipe, Denise!
A quick google for “salmon on bed of greens” took me to your recipe. It is delicious and will become a staple in my summer salad rotation! Fresh, bright, quick and filling! Thanks Jessica!
Thank you for your feedback Debra, so happy that you were able to find my recipe. It is a great go-to easy and healthy meal 🙂
Hi,
Thank you so much for your recipe.
And I’m wondering if I can make the dressing and save it up for 4 days? Because i want to make this for my weekly meal plan 🙂
Thanks Vy! I think you could save it, just portion the dressing out. You will have to shake it before you add to your salad because it will likely separate over time.
I just made this and it was good! It was simple to make and tasted good.My wife was impressed!
So happy to hear that you impressed your wife with your rockstar skills!
Hi Jessica,
I made the this recipe last Friday when we had friends over for dinner and it was a hit! I googled salads to go with salmon and ended up here. So thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome eveline!
Delic! But way too much lemon for my wife.
Thanks for your feedback John! Good thing it’s easy to just adjust the amount of lemon next time 🙂
Trying to switch to healthier eating habits. This salad was just what I was looking for. It was very yummy. I prefer to cook my salmon in a skillet with minimal oil. Thank you!
That dressing was incredible on the salad! I am such a newbie to salmon, so this is definitely going to be a repeat! Thank you so much!