Sockeye Spinach Salad

American, Sockeye Salmon -

Sockeye Spinach Salad

Sockeye Spinach Salad is a hearty and healthy salad with seasoned seared sockeye salmon, almonds, cranberries, and feta cheese on a crisp bed of spinach greens dressed with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. 

Sockeye Spinach Salad is a hearty and healthy salad with seasoned seared sockeye salmon, almonds, cranberries, and feta cheese on a crisp bed of spinach greens dressed with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

If you’re looking for a recipe that will make both your doctor and your body happy, this is it.

This Sockeye Spinach Salad has all those ingredients with marked health benefits: spinach, salmon, and almonds. The versatility of this salad makes it a meal you can have over and over again and yet, almost never have the same salad twice.

This recipe is what we like to call flexible. It’s also a great idea when you have no idea what to eat. Reach into the fridge, freezer, and pantry and whip up a hearty meal.

The Best Salmon Salad

This incarnation involved the greens, feta cheese, dried cranberries, and almond slivers. But have pine nuts? Use them. Blue cheese for the feta, absolutely. No dried cranberries, no problem, use that apple sitting in your crisper. And for the greens, any green will do.

Sockeye Spinach Salad is a hearty and healthy salad with seasoned seared sockeye salmon, almonds, cranberries, and feta cheese on a crisp bed of spinach greens dressed with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

We’re huge fans of balsamic vinaigrettes, so that’s what we often make to dress the salad. Seasoning the salmon is easy as well. Salt and pepper for the purists will be excellent. Or you can go bolder with any spice blend. We always have a batch of Blackening Spice Blend on hand for any use.

However you put this together, you won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients

Salad:

  • 1/8 cup toasted almond slivers
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 11 oz.  bag baby spinach; washed
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 2-6 oz. sockeye salmon portions
  • 1 tsp of any spice blend or salt/pepper
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin oil; divided
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp minced shallots
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup olive oil

  •  

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Prep salad ingredients and dressing ingredients
  • Gently pat the salmon dry with a paper towel.
  • Brush the flesh with about 1/2 tbsp of olive oil.
  • If using a spice blend, sprinkle a bit of salt over each portion, then 1/4-1/2 tsp spice blend per portion. If not using spice blend, generously but to taste season with salt and pepper. 
  • Heat a large 12" cast-iron skillet over high heat.
  • Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the hot pan, spread it around.
  • Place the seasoned flesh side down into the hot skillet and sear for 1-2 minutes.
  • Flip them, placing the skin side down. 
  • Place skillet in the oven and bake for about 5-7 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 °F.  
  • While salmon bakes, throughly mix all the vinaigrette ingredients together EXCEPT the olive oil.
  • Slow drizzle the olive oil while whisking vigorously to emulsify the dressing.
  • Once emulsified, set aside. 
  • Remove the salmon from the oven when done, take care to remove any bones and skin. 
  • Assemble the salad, adding the salmon.
  • If the dressing has begun to separate, whisk quickly and then drizzle over the salad. 
  • Serve and enjoy.
Sockeye Spinach Salad is a hearty and healthy salad with seasoned seared sockeye salmon, almonds, cranberries, and feta cheese on a crisp bed of spinach greens dressed with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

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