I tell myself salad rights all wrongs. That it’s the great dietary equalizer. That no matter how many baby bites I ate, plane food I consumed hopping back-and-forth across the country in 48 hours, or how much BBQ I ate in Alabama, the salad will fix it.
But it needs to be a serious salad like this Spinach Salad With Spiced-Walnut Salmon And Cilantro-Mint Dressing recipe. A big ol’ entree salad with some combo of dark greens, whole grains, healthy fats, and something that’ll keep me full for hours (no dainty side salads need to apply).
The salmon on its own is stand out enough to be an entrée but I love flaking it up and tossing it together with everything else then topping it with this Cilantro-Mint Walnut dressing that’s as close to love as I’ve ever seen a dressing get.
Now, go stock up on all your cooking essentials, then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
Spinach Salad With Salmon And Cilantro-Mint Dressing Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Coat The Salmon:
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 2 tablespoons raw flax seeds
- 1/4 cup ground coriander
- 6 (4 ounce) salmon fillets
- kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon roasted walnut oil
For The Cilantro Dressing:
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup water or coconut water
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 medium fennel bulbs fronds and ends trimmed and discarded
- 1 small red onion
- 5 ounces baby spinach, kale, or chard
- 1/2 cup raw (unsweetened) coconut flakes toasted (optional garnish)
- 1/2 cup walnut halves
- kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Coat The Salmon: Heat the oven to 450°F and arrange a rack in the upper third. Combine 3/4 cup of the walnuts, flax seeds, coriander, and pinch of salt and pepper in a small food processor and pulse until it's a fine meal, about 8 (1 second) pulses.
- Cook The Salmon: Pat the salmon dry and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle salmon with oil then press the walnut mixture into the top of each fillet (you may not need all the coating for the salmon). Roast salmon until the center is firm to the touch, it is light pink throughout, and the edges begin to flake, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, make the dressing.
- Make The Cilantro Dressing: Combine the herbs, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the water or coconut water, the vinegar, and honey in a small food processor and blend until smooth and well combined. Season, as desired, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Assemble The Salad: Halve the fennel and onion and slice both into paper thin slices. Chop remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts. To serve, divide greens among serving dishes, top with fennel, red onion, chopped walnuts, and coconut, top with salmon and drizzle with a spoonful of the dressing.
