Summer Salmon Salad

5 from 5 votes

Lemon-garlic grilled salmon is served over crisp romaine with peaches, nectarines, strawberries, charred corn, avocado, and a bright red wine vinaigrette.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Marinating time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

For the Salmon

2 lemons, juiced
½ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 pound salmon

For the Lemon Vinaigrette

1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
½ cup olive oil
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the Salad

1 cup diced peaches
1 cup diced nectarines
1 cup charred corn
½ cup diced strawberries
2 avocados diced
2 heads romaine lettuce shredded

Instructions

For the Salmon

In a large zip-top bag, combine the marinade ingredients. Add the salmon, zip the top of the bag, and give it a quick shake to combine. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
Preheat a cast iron pan or grill to medium-high heat. Remove the salmon from the marinade and grill for 3-4 minutes, skin side down, then flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes until each side is crispy but not overcooked. Remove and set aside to rest. Remove the skin and flake the salmon before adding to the salad.

For the Salad

Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl. Combine the shredded lettuce with ½ the vinaigrette and toss.
Combine the fruit and corn and toss with the remaining vinaigrette. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed
Divide the dressed lettuce evenly among 6 bowls and top with a hefty portion of the diced avocado, flaked salmon, and fruit/corn mixture.

Notes

Marinate the salmon for 1 hour and no more than 2. The acid from the lemon juice will eventually start to break down the salmon's proteins, affecting its firm, flaky texture.
Pat the salmon completely dry before it hits the grill. Excess marinade moisture creates steam on the grill grates, which prevents the sear you're looking for. A dry surface makes contact with the hot grates and develops a proper crust that locks in the juices.
Start the salmon skin side down and leave it alone. The skin acts as a natural insulator and protects the delicate flesh from direct heat. Leaving it undisturbed for the full 3 to 4 minutes allows the skin to render and release naturally from the grates without tearing.
Let the salmon rest for at least 5 minutes before flaking. Resting allows the carryover heat to finish cooking the center evenly and lets the juices redistribute throughout the flesh. If you flake it immediately, you lose all those juices right onto the cutting board.
Char the corn directly on the grill or over an open flame before cutting it off the cob. Charring caramelizes the natural sugars in the corn and adds a smoky depth that makes the stone fruit salsa far more complex than raw or boiled corn ever could. Those little char marks are doing serious flavor work.
Dice all your stone fruit and strawberries to a uniform size, roughly half an inch. Consistent sizing means every forkful of the salsa has a balanced ratio of fruit, and the pieces hold their shape when tossed with the vinaigrette instead of turning into a mushy slurry.
Dress the lettuce with only half the vinaigrette first, then taste before adding more. Romaine is a sturdy lettuce, but it can get waterlogged fast, especially if it's been shredded. Using half first gives you control and keeps the base of the bowl crisp all the way through to the last bite.
Toss the stone fruit and corn with the remaining vinaigrette separately from the lettuce. The fruit releases liquid as it sits, and mixing it directly into the lettuce prematurely would wilt the romaine. Keeping them separate until assembly preserves both the crunch of the greens and the integrity of the salsa.
Add the avocado last, right before serving. Avocado oxidizes quickly once cut, and tossing it into the fruit mixture early will turn it brown and unappealing. Placing it on top at the very end keeps it looking vibrant and fresh.
Choose a good-quality salmon you love. Wild salmon tends to be leaner and firmer, while farm-raised salmon is typically richer and higher in fat; either works beautifully here.
Build each bowl individually rather than tossing everything together. Layering the dressed lettuce first, then the salmon, avocado, and fruit salsa on top keeps each component distinct so every bite has contrast in texture and temperature. A fully tossed bowl turns into a uniform mash very quickly.
If swapping salmon for chicken, use boneless skinless thighs instead of breasts. Thighs have enough fat to stay juicy through the same grill time and marinade, while breasts can dry out fast under direct heat. The richer flavor of thighs also stands up better against the brightness of the stone fruit salsa.

Nutrition (estimated)