Arugula + Salmon Salad with a Creamy Cilantro Dressing
I have literally one salad recipe in my repertoire that I can whip up in a flash. I don’t need to look up the recipe or carefully look over a grocery list - I know it like the back of my hand. It’s my go to when I want to make a healthy dinner but not dive down the rabbit hole of trying to find the perfect recipe. Like that first night back from vacation when you need a healthy dinner in a pinch. Well if there’s one more salad I need to be able to whip out in a flash it’s this one - Arugula + Salmon Salad with a Creamy Cilantro Dressing. It’s so yummy, has the most delicious avocado + cilantro dressing, and is just so tasty. And easy!
More salmon dinners
This salad also ties into our current mission to get more salmon dinners incorporated into our life. I’m still sort of a newbie when it comes to salmon dinner. It just feels like a big deal when salmon is going down for dinner, so I don’t have many that I feel comfortable just throwing down on a whim. I still rely on Jordan to do all de-boning (and, if I’m being honest, I have no desire to do this myself) and I’m a real cautious salmon cooker. Like I need to make sure there are no distractions. This salad felt simple and in the category of able to throw it together in a pinch, and able to get it in the rotation a little more often for those on the fly dinners. Big excitement for that!
Big crisp energy
When I think salad, I want something refreshing & filled with the crispiest veggies. This salad is filled with so many. Cucumbers, tomatoes, & red onion - what I consider the big three for crunchy salad veggies, and they all get mixed into this one.
The lettuce sets the tone, and butter lettuce or romaine are perfect for that base layer of freshness.
This dressing is so good
I keep coming back for this creamy cilantro dressing. The secret - blend an avocado into your dressing. It is LITERALLY the best thing ever to get this creamy, thick consistency, and I just love a dressing that really coats everything in it. This one does the trick for me.
It’s also a really zesty + really herby dressing that feels fresh. The lime juice + cilantro sort of rise to the forefront. Just a bright and light dressing to tie it all together.
We truly loved this dinner, and it feels like such a good use of the salmon currently stock-piled in our freezer. Fingers crossed we’ll get to re-up the supply over the Summer and hold on to this fresh salmon supply for another year. But for now I’ll just enjoy meals like this and enjoy what feels like true PNW meals.
For the dressing
3 garlic cloves
1 jalapeño
1 avocado
1/2 c. lowfat mayo (the only mayo in our house)
juice of 2 limes
1/2 c. fresh cilantro
2-3 tbsp fresh basil
3 tbsp EVOO
2-3 tsp agave
pinch of salt
For the salad
1 large piece of salmon or 2 smaller filets, 10-12 ounces of salmon
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
salt + pepper
EVOO
4-5 c. of fresh arugula (a couple handfuls)
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
a handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
about a 1/4 c. of crumbled feta
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
red pepper flakes
Start by throwing all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor. Blend until the the dressing is smoother and herbs are well incorporated. It should be a pretty hearty and thick dressing, but not like guacamole. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment. Drizzle salmon filets with EVOO and season with the cumin, chile powder, and a pinch of salt + pepper. Heat in the oven for 15 minutes.
Move to make the salad. Add the arugula, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta into a bowl with 2-3 tbsp of the dressing. Toss to coat all the veggies with the dressing, adding a bit more dressing if desired.
To plate, split the dressed salad among serving bowls and top with a big piece of the cooked salmon. Drizzle a bit of extra dressing over the salad. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds + a pinch of red pepper flakes. You’re set and ready to dig in.