Pistachio Salmon Salad – Eating Bird Food

This pistachio salmon salad has a Center Japanese really feel with child spinach, quinoa, chickpeas, carrots, dates and a flavorful harissa dressing. It’s a scrumptious meal-sized salad that can fill you up with out weighing you down. Gluten-free.

I do know I say this consistently, however I feel I’ve discovered my new favourite salad… pistachio salmon salad! Completely baked salmon with a pistachio crust, candy dates, crunchy carrots, chickpeas and quinoa all with a spicy harissa dressing… what extra might you ask for?

Severely although, I really feel like this salad is one thing you’d discover on the menu at a pleasant restaurant. It’s THAT good! The number of flavors and textures, plus the truth that it’s meal-sized and filling lets you have it for dinner and really feel 100% happy as a substitute of disadvantaged or hungry once more in a pair hours.

Why You’ll Love This Salad

• It has a Mediterranean/Center Japanese really feel and a pleasant stability of candy, savory and spicy.
• It has all of the parts of an excellent meal-sized salad… protein, good carbs, wholesome fat, a lot of veggies and satisfaction issue!
• One salad is loaded with over 30 grams of protein!
• The harissa dressing is filled with taste and positively takes this salad to the following degree.
• You’ll be able to simply prep components of this salad forward of time for fast meeting.
• It comes collectively in below half-hour for a fast and straightforward meal.

Harissa Dressing

If I do say so myself, the harissa dressing makes this salad! It’s jam-packed with taste and pairs properly with the salmon, dates and chickpeas.

In the event you’re unfamiliar with harissa, it’s a spicy chile paste that’s utilized in North African and Center Japanese cooking. It’s usually produced from a mix of scorching peppers, garlic, olive oil and numerous spices like cumin, coriander and caraway seeds.

Harissa paste can vary from delicate to very spicy, relying on the peppers used, and is obtainable in numerous varieties similar to inexperienced harissa or rose harissa. You’ll be able to usually discover it within the worldwide aisle at grocery shops. My favourite store-bought model is the Mina delicate harissa sauce or Mina spicy harissa sauce, however Dealer Joe’s sells it as properly. You could possibly additionally get fancy and make selfmade harissa.

Elements Wanted

• salmon filets – select contemporary, high-quality salmon for the very best outcomes. Each wild salmon and farmed salmon have advantages! Whereas wild salmon may be thought-about the higher alternative, it’s costlier and farmed salmon remains to be an excellent choice! Frozen salmon filets are additionally an excellent choice if that’s what you’ve got readily available.
• lemon juice – provides a contact of brightness to the salmon marinade.
• dijon mustard – enhances the flavour of the salmon and helps the pistachio crust adhere.
• garlic – a single clove, minced, provides a savory depth to the salmon.
• sea salt and floor pepper – important seasonings.
• salted pistachios – finely chopped for a pleasant, crunchy crust on the salmon.
• spinach – the bottom of the salad, offering vitamins and quantity. Be at liberty to make use of your favourite number of greens in the event you aren’t a spinach fan.
• quinoa – provides additional protein, taste and wholesome carbohydrates! Try my full submit on the right way to cook dinner quinoa. As a substitute of quinoa, you may completely swap in one other grain like farro or rice.
• chickpeas – one other plant-based protein supply that enhances the salmon.
• carrots – a colourful addition that provides pure sweetness and crunch.
• chopped dates – a contact of pure sweetness to stability the flavors within the salad.
• contemporary parsley – for a burst of freshness and pop of shade.
• harissa dressing – harissa paste, apple cider vinegar, water, maple syrup, and dijon mustard come collectively to create the right dressing for this salad. You should utilize spicy or delicate harissa paste for this dressing.

Make

Prepare dinner salmon: Preheat oven to 375°F. Place salmon filets pores and skin aspect down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper collectively in a small bowl. Unfold combination over each items of salmon and prime every with 1 Tablespoon of chopped pistachios. Bake salmon in preheated oven till the salmon is cooked by way of, about 15-20 minutes.

Make dressing: Whereas salmon is cooking, make dressing by whisking collectively all of the components in a small bowl.

Assemble salads: Begin with a spinach base and add half of the quinoa, chickpeas, shredded carrots and dates to every salad bowl or plate.

Serve: When salmon is cooked, take away from the oven and place one filet on every salad. High every salad with contemporary parsley and drizzle dressing on prime.

Prep in Advance

This salad is tremendous easy to throw collectively, however you can too prep it prematurely for sooner meeting! Right here’s what I might prep prematurely:

• Quinoa – you may cook dinner your quinoa as much as 3 days prematurely and retailer it within the fridge in an hermetic container.
• Dressing – so easy to whip this up prematurely!
• Extra components – chop your pistachios and medjool dates, rinse and drain your chickpeas and ensure your carrots are shredded. Then all you need to do is cook dinner your salmon and assemble!

Retailer Leftovers

Retailer any leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge. I might retailer the dressing in a separate container because the salad will get soggier because it sits.

The salmon will final for as much as 3 days, and the salad parts and dressing may be saved for as much as 5 days.

Extra Salmon Recipes to Attempt

Extra Meal Sized Salads to Attempt

Remember to try my full assortment of meal-sized salads in addition to all of the salmon recipes on EBF!