What’s not to love about summertime? The bounty of fresh produce just makes you want to eat healthier and my Blackened Salmon Salad is just what you need to excite your taste buds while keeping you fit and trim for swimsuit season!
Now that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy my Blackened Salmon Salad all year long, it just seems that summertime makes us more health conscious. This would make a great fall or winter salad, especially since berries are available all year long. Not a fan of salmon? This would go great with chicken or flank steak, blackened or unblackened. The choice is yours.
What kind of protein would your family like best on their salad?
It’s not hard being good when you have all of these amazing flavors to enjoy. Northwest Coho Salmon, fresh berries, bleu cheese and candied pecans, now that’s a salad! The flavors of the blackened salmon go so well with those sweet-tart berries. Add in the bleu cheese and it becomes a symphony of flavors that your friends and family will love.
To make my plate even more colorful and delicious I added green beans and juicy red tomatoes to my blackened salmon salad. The trick to really enjoying salmon is not to overcook the fish, you want your salmon to be barely done so it stays moist and flavorful. Nothing will ruin a good piece of fish more than overcooking.
How do I make Blackening Seasoning?
If you can’t buy blackening seasoning aka Cajun Spice where you live, here is a basic recipe that can be adjusted to your likes.
- 2 tablespoons paprika (smoked or regular)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tesaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cayenne (more if you like heat, but be careful)
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Blackened Salmon Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounce salmon filets
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups salad mix
- ¼ cup blue cheese
- ¼ cup toasted or candied pecans
- ¼ cup blackberries
- ¼ cup raspberries
- 2 tomatoes sliced
- 2 cups cooked green beans
- 2 ounce your favorite salad dressing
Instructions
- preheat oven to 350 degrees
- to candy pecans add 1 tablespoon sugar to sauce pan adding 2 tablespoons of water. Heat over high heat until sugar is completely dissolved. As the water cooks out add the pecans while the mixture is still very liquid. allow pecans to be completely coated as water cooks out then place the pecans on wax paper, separating and allowing them to cool.
- remove skin from salmon and rinse in cold water. remove any pin bones that you find in the filet.
- coat one side of the salmon filet with your favorite cajun or blackened seasoning.
- heat skillet and add olive oil, place seasoned side down and allow seasoning to blacken as the salmon cooks, 2-3 minutes
- turn over the salmon and sear the other side for 1 minute
- place salmon on baking sheet with a little water and place in oven for 15 minutes
- build your with the salad greens on the bottom, sprinkling bleu cheese, pecans, raspberries and blackberries on top of the greens.
- Allow salmon to cool slightly, slice and place on top of the greens. Add green beans and tomatoes to the plate and serve with your favorite salad dressing.
Mitchell Fenton says
This is a wonderfully fresh, and light summer salad option. Perfect balance of flavors. I added a little More sweetness and color with oven roasted golden beets. I have also tried it with Gorgonzola crumbles, as well as goat cheese (both very good, I like the bite of the Gorgonzola against the sweetness of the rest of the recipe. Lastly, I did a homemade lemon tarragon dressing that really took it to the next level. This recipe is amazing and leaves some room to make it your own. Thanks chef!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you’re having fun with the recipe. Once you learn the basics its all experimenting and enjoying the deliciousness you create!
Shirley Wood says
The berries and candied pecans take the recipe over the top! Looks fabulous!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks Shirley it was a really tasty salad!
Ruwan Weerasuriya says
Sorry I meant best ever and can u tell me s substitute for berries since we do not get berries in Sri Lanka Thanks
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Ruwan
thanks for stopping by! I would suggest mango, grapes or any other fruit that you enjoy
Kim | a little lunch says
Dennis, I saw your salad photo and it stopped me in my tracks. Everything that is wonderful about summer is on that plate! You’re right — you don’t have to sacrifice flavor while you’re being “good.” 🙂 Fantastic recipe!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks Kim, we have been enjoying more salmon lately since I’ve been buying northwest coho and sockeye. It’s surprising how good berries go with salmon.
MarieB says
Dennis, I love your recipes. They are very much in line with the way my family eats. Thank you for sharing how to candy pecans. I wonder if walnuts would work as well?
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Marie – walnuts can be done the same as the pecans and are a nice addition to salads. Happy to hear you’ve been enjoying my recipes!
Reduceri online says
Amazing colors!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you!
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners says
My mouth started watering the minute I opened my email. Such a beautiful salad, Chef Dennis! I love the addition of green beans and tomatoes. Salmon is my favourite dish and I am cooking a whole one this week. I just realized I’ve never made blackened salmon – thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you Robyn! Blackened is actually my favorite way to eat salmon and it really does go well with berries (even unblackened)
Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you get to try my salad idea.
Larry says
Two delicious salmon dishes in a row – you’re not secretly in Alaska are you?
Carole Resnick says
Grilling salmon on Sunday. Will grill a couple of extra filets so I can make this yummy salad on Mon. or Tues. May flake rather than slice the fish.
I love candied pecans. Here is a nother summer recipe. 8 – 10 cups butter lettuce (substitute at will), dried cranberries, Manderian oranges (drained & patted dry), feta crumbles, candied pecans. Layer to look nice.
Drizzle with a cranberry based dressing.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks for stopping by and for sharing your salad Carole.