Grilled Salmon Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

This Grilled Salmon Salad combines tart grapefruit, juicy oranges, crisp red onions, nutty pumpkin seeds and creamy blue cheese with a tangy vinaigrette. Perfect for meal prep or an easy, and flavorful, weeknight dinner.

I honestly cannot believe that it’s the end of March already. Where did the time go?! We’ve been keeping extra busy this year and I’m super excited to share some of our adventures with you! My little family and I visited the ocean on the East Coast for the first time last weekend, it was so great. The sea breeze definitely had me craving a crisp salad with vibrant citrus and salmon… so here we are.

I’m a huge fan of salads. I’m not talking about those tasteless bowls of lettuce and croutons… no one has time for that (and friends don’t let friends eat dull dinners, right?). Spring has officially arrived, so let’s take advantage of all those wonderful fruits and veggies we have available!

The first thing I focus on when creating a killer salad is the dressing.

I eat a salad at least once a day during the spring and summer, so I want my dressing to be both healthy and delicious. Whipping up a batch of your own is incredibly easy, so don’t fret. My go-to is usually some form of citrus vinaigrette, so I’m including my basic “base recipe” here. It seriously pairs perfectly with the salmon and it also works wells as a marinade for shrimp or chicken.

Next I’ll focus on our ingredients (psst: quality matters!).

Every Sunday my little helper and I head on over to Earth Fare to do our weekly grocery haul. Dylan picks out the fruits he prefers for his weekday lunches and sometimes I can even convince him to grab a vegetable or two. I absolutely love Earth Fare’s open and airy produce department because it really encourages my little guy to make healthier choices (and the quality of their produce is top notch). This week’s obsession has been blood oranges. Aren’t they stunning?

Whether you’re a salad lover or not, you gotta give this recipe a whirl.

This Salmon Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette is sure to turn your ordinary weeknight dinner into an extraordinary mealtime adventure. Our family especially loves the flavor combination of salmon and oranges; it’s seriously addictive! Trust me when I say, you’ll be making this recipe on repeat all season long.

A few notes on this recipe:

I’m a grapefruit advocate, so I included a full fruit in this salad recipe. If you’re not as big of a fan as me, no problem! Go ahead and use half or substitute with an orange. Either way, this dish will still taste fab.
Looking for a dairy-free option? Simply leave out the blue cheese and substitute with a creamy avocado. I’m all about different textures and this swap will still get the job done.
Are red onions too harsh for you? Substitute with a shallot! Fancy, fancy.

Grilled Salmon Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Serves: 2 Entree Size Salads

Ingredients

FOR THE CITRUS VINAIGRETTE:

Juice from 1 Lemon
Zest from 1 Lemon
3 tbsp. White Wine Vinegar
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 - 2 tbsp. Honey, to taste
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 tsp. Fresh Thyme
Salt + White Pepper, to taste

FOR THE SALAD:

8 ounces Cooked Salmon, cut into bite-sized chunks
4 cups Spring Greens Lettuce Mix
1 Ruby Red Grapefruit, segmented
2 small Blood Oranges, peeled & sliced
1 Orange, segmented
2 tbsp. Pomegranate Seeds
½ small Red Onion, sliced
2 tbsp. Pumpkin Seeds
1 tbsp. White Sesame Seeds
¼ cup Blue Cheese Crumbles
6 Cooked Asparagus Spears, optional

Instructions

Whisk all ingredients for the citrus vinaigrette together in a large mason jar or bowl. Set aside.
To assemble the salad, simply toss all ingredients together on a large serving platter and drizzle with Citrus Vinaigrette right before serving. If you’re meal prepping, make sure to pack the salad and dressing in separate containers.

THIS AMAZING RECIPE WAS CREATED IN SPONSORSHIP WITH EARTH FARE.

ALL OPINIONS ARE 100% MY OWN.

Earth Fare has also generously sponsored my cooking segments for WCCB News Rising! If you’re looking for some fun cooking videos to watch, check out my latest episode here & subscribe to my YouTube Channel!