What do you serve with salmon for healthy and light meal? A piece of grilled salmon paired with a salad make a good snack or meal, and even better news is that they are both easy to make.
This means that salmon and salad take a short time to prepare, making them a perfect go-to option when in need of a quick fix for that starving feeling. Spicing up the salad adds a twist to the whole meal and makes it less dull.
What are best salad to serve with salmon? The best salad options to serve with salmon are chopped salad, Greek salad, arugula salad, romaine salad, and kale salad.
These salads are versatile to add any type of cheese, greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and dressings to make into sweet, sour, creamy, and tangy taste of your choice.
Any leftover salmon from yesterdays meal can easily transform into a delicious salad. Depending on how salmon was cooked, you can add cheese, croutons, grains or rice to add filling ingredients for a hearty-meal with punchy dressing.
Salad with salmon allows you to add contrasting flavors and tastes that leave the tastebuds watery and craving for more. Answered below are frequently asked questions about what are the best salads to serve with salmon. Read through to learn more!
Ways to cook salmon when served with salad
Salmon can be pan-fried, roasted, boiled, grilled, pan-seared, poached or baked. However, the best method to serve with salad is baking, grilling or panfrying.
When cooking salmon from scratch to serve with salad, always season the fish with salt and pepper. If you are baking or grilling, then brush with olive oil and add dried herb such as oregano, rosemary, or thyme.
Since salmon tends to become flakey and dry easily, use a meat thermometer to insert in the thickest part of the fillet and frequently check the doneness while cooking.
The doneness of salmon fillet is based on personal preference. If the temperature shows 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the fillet is medium-rare and 145 degrees Fahrenheit indicates well-done.
Place the cooked salmon on the plate in front of the salad so that that hot fish does not wilt the delicate greens.
Alternatively, canned salmon is a quick and easy solution to serve with salad. Drain well before tossing in a large bowl to prevent the salad from becoming too oily.
What type of lettuce to serve with salmon salad?
There are variety of fresh greens to make a salmon salad. Most of classic recipes suggest romaine lettuce, which is a hearty green to serve with salmon salad.
This type of lettuce tastes good, crisp, juicy and provides a twist to the taste buds by its close to sour taste while presenting a colorful and tasty outlook with salmon.
Best type of lettuce to serve with salmon salad include:
- arugula
- baby spinach
- baby kale
- butter lettuce
- bibb lettuce
- little gem lettuce
- spring mix
- dandelion greens
- brussels sprouts
What salad dressing flavors go well with salmon?
Sweet and sour flavor can be easily accomplished by adding a splash of maple syrup, honey, orange zest, brown sugar, or simply squeezing wedge of lemon or lime zest blended into vinegar and olive oil.
A piece of salmon pairs very well with the subtle and bold tastes including sweet, sour, salty, creamy, and smoky.
Saltiness can be done not only with salt, but also soy sauce, olives, capers, or scoop of miso into the dressing.
Sweetness is an attribute that also compliments well with salmon. It not the number one ingredient that many consider pairing with salmon, but fruit is a way to add natural sweetness to the fatty fish.
When making creamy and smoky dressing, consider adding yogurt, heavy cream, or sour cream with a touch of cumin or smoked paprika to enhance the flavor.
Classic salad dressing flavor combinations that go well with salmon:
- balsamic vinegar + dijon mustard + garlic + olive oil + black pepper
- soy sauce + ginger + garlic + rice vinegar + sesame oil
- greek yogurt + lemon juice + dill + honey + red wine vinegar
- maple syrup + dijon mustard + cinnamon + lemon zest + olive oil
- mayonnaise + olive oil + parsley + garlic + lemon juice + olive oil
Best green salad to serve with salmon
From mixed greens to Mediterranean salads, there are many salad options to consider serving with salmon.
Mix lettuces, nuts, cheese, and dressing harmonize well with rich and bold salmon a way that never goes wrong. The selection of lettuce greens depends on how the salmon is cooked.
Generally, fresh salmon for salad is typically baked, grilled or panfried. Otherwise, using canned salmon is a quick resolution for a healthy meal at anytime without the hassle of cooking or storing fresh fish.
Whether the salmon is freshly made, yesterdays leftovers or commercially canned, here are green salad options to serve with salmon:
- Mixed greens with dried cranberries, pecans, feta cheese with a raspberry vinaigrette
- Greek salad with romaine, kale, or baby spinach and lemon basil dressing
- Caesar salad with shaved parmesan, fried capers and croutons
- Butter lettuce salad with lemon zest and tarragon leaves
- Kale salad with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheese
- Arugula salmon salad with shaved fennel, fresh strawberries and cracked black pepper
Salmon With Salad: Conclusion
Salmon can be mixed with or paired with different side dishes. However, salads are an excellent choice due to their versatile tastes, textures and versatile ingredients.
Green salads offer various flavors and increased nutrients compared to heavy carb loaded side dishes.
A salad can have sour, sweet, tangy and creamy flavors making it tickle the tastebuds, and leave the mouth watery and yearning for more.
Not only romaine lettuce, but there are variety of greens that you can serve with salmon in a salad. Arugula, kale, baby spinach, butter lettuce, bibb lettuce, dandelion greens, brussels sprouts, and spring mix are perfect lettuce greens to serve with salmon.
Depending on the flavor of the dish, dressings can be sweet, sour, salty, creamy, and smoky by mixing condiments, citrus fruits, spices, and herbs. Salmon is a fatty fish, so an acidic component is important to help cut through the fat.
Salmon with salad is a simple and healthy meal that is perfect to serve at any time of day. Use these flavor combination to create easy and unique salads that taste good with salmon.