Grilled Salmon Salad with Fresh Strawberries

Grilling is synonymous with summer (or generally just warm weather in my book), but often the old standbys are not particularly light. Hamburgers, steak, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good burger, but when you fire up the grill as frequently as we do, you’ve got to have some lighter meals in the rotation as well. This salad is perfect summer fare in my book. It starts with a base of mixed greens tossed in a simple tangy vinaigrette. The greens are topped with a simply grilled salmon fillet and the whole thing is finished off with toasted almond slivers for crunch and sliced strawberries for a sweet counterbalance to the tart dressing. Though I opted for simplicity here, I think a sprinkle of crumbled feta would be a welcome addition to this dish. The other great thing about this meal is the simplicity and ease of preparation. The dressing, greens, almonds and berries can be prepped in the time it takes to heat up the grill and you’re just a few short minutes from an awesome lunch or dinner.

Note: This recipe was developed as part of my ongoing contribution to the Go Bold with Butter blog. Head over to see my posts as well as more great recipes from the other awesome bloggers involved with the project!

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

For the dressing:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2-3 tbsp.)
¼ cup finely chopped sweet yellow onion
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad:
½ cup slivered almonds
3 tbsp. butter, divided
4 salmon fillets, about 6-8 oz. each
Salt and pepper
10 oz. mixed greens, rinsed and dried
1½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

01
To prepare the dressing, combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and onion in a jar. Seal tightly and shake until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
02
Heat a grill to medium-high. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium-high. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the skillet and stir in the almonds. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are evenly browned and lightly toasted. Remove from the heat and let cool.
03
When the grill is heated, oil the grates. Pat the salmon fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. Divide the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 4 equal slices. Transfer the fillets to the grill, skin-side down and place a pat of butter on top of each. Let cook about 3-4 minutes, then flip carefully and continue cooking until the salmon is nicely browned outside and just cooked through inside, about 3-4 minutes more. Remove the salmon to a plate and let cool briefly; remove the skin and discard. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over each fillet.
04
In a large bowl, toss the mixed greens with a few spoonfuls of the dressing, adding more to taste. Divide the greens onto serving plates. Add a salmon fillet to each bed of greens (either intact, sliced or flaked depending on your preference). Top each salad with a sprinkling of the toasted almonds and strawberry slices. Serve immediately.