Lemon Herb Salmon Salad (Print Version)

Flaky salmon, fluffy quinoa, crisp greens, and fresh herbs in a zesty lemon citrus vinaigrette. Light, protein-rich, and ready in 35 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salmon

01 - 4 salmon fillets (4.2 oz each), skinless
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 - Juice of 1 large lemon (approximately 3 tablespoons)
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 tray with parchment paper. Place salmon fillets on the tray, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, chopped herbs, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and cooked quinoa. Drizzle with half the vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.
05 - Divide the salad among serving plates. Top each portion with a warm salmon fillet. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over the salmon and garnish with fresh herbs as desired. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It feels light but keeps you full for hours without that heavy, sluggish feeling.
  • The citrus vinaigrette brightens every bite and makes even plain greens taste intentional.
  • You can prep the quinoa and dressing ahead, so dinner comes together in fifteen minutes.
  • Its flexible enough to handle whatever herbs or vegetables you actually have on hand.
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 tossing it with the greens, otherwise it wilts everything and makes the salad warm and limp.
  • Check the salmon a minute or two early because ovens vary wildly and dry salmon cannot be rescued.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemon directly over the salmon so the oils land on the fish and perfume it as it bakes.
  • If your red onion tastes too sharp, soak the slices in cold water for ten minutes and they will mellow out completely.
  • Leftover salad does not keep well, but leftover components do, store the salmon, quinoa, and dressing separately and assemble fresh servings as needed.
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