Salmon is a perfect protein for busy warm nights in the summer — it can be baked up in 15 minutes and served warm, room temperature or cold. This easy-to-make salad highlights the flavor of wild salmon with its richness and buttery texture.
With a bed of arugula tossed with lemon juice and olive oil, this salad has a spicy and fresh base perfect for topping with sliced cucumbers, roasted red peppers and grape tomatoes. And with the addition of mozzarella balls and roasted sunflower seeds, there is plenty of contrast between crisp and chewy bites to keep your mouth happy.
This is great for a dinner outdoors or a packed lunch for the work week, as the arugula will hold up to the light dressing for a day or two.
For more seasonal meal ideas and grocery shopping inspiration, check out Uproot Kitchen’s monthly Seasonal Produce Lists.
Summer Salmon Arugula Salad
Prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 2
2 5-ounce filets of wild salmon
1 large roasted red pepper
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 slicing cucumber
1 5-ounce container of baby arugula
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 ounces Ciliegine fresh mozzarella balls
2 tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place salmon on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake salmon for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool and then break baked salmon into bitesize pieces.
Roughly chop roasted red peppers. Dice cherry tomatoes in half and slice cucumber into half moons.
In a bowl, combine arugula with lemon juice, olive oil and Italian seasoning. Toss well and plate.
Top greens with salmon, roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, mozzarella balls and sunflower seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Marisa Westbrook is a public health professional, recipe developer and food photographer. Visit her website, Uproot Kitchen, for simple and healthy recipes made with whole ingredients, kitchen DIY ideas and urban gardening posts. Connect with her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Print this recipe: Click on the Print button at the top of the story. Click on parts of the story you want to delete, for example the photos and ads, then hit print.
