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Poached Salmon Salad

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 1.5 lbs wild fresh salmon fillets
  • 1 cup white wine
  • ½ cup water
  • juice of one lemon
  • 6-7 sprigs fresh dill. (use half for poaching and other half for the salad)
  • ½ red onion, cubed
  • 1 cup mini san marzano tomatoes or regular mini tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup whole wheat orzo
  • 3 tbsp olive oil (1 tbsp to sautee onions, 2 tbsps for cooked orzo)
  • 1 bag baby spinach, washed and drained.
  • ¼ cup capers
  • salt and pepper to taste

For Yogurt Lemon Sauce

  • ¾ cup greek yogurt (nonfat or 2% milk fat)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • ½ tsp honey
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Poached Salmon Salad

  • Sprinkle salmon fillets with salt and cover the top of fillets with dill.
  • Add water to a skillet or sauté pan and let water simmer. Place salmon fillets, add wine and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. After 3 minutes, reduce heat to low and cook for 3-4 minutes if fillet is on the thin side. If the fillet is thick, let it cook for 10 minutes or until the flesh is no longer raw.
  • Once salmon is cooked, transfer onto a plate, and discard cooked dill. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over fillets, place fresh dill on top and set aside to cool.
  • Once salmon fillets have cooled, break it off in approximately 2 inch chunks and set it aside.
  • Cook orzo according to instructions on the box. Once cooked, drain completely of water and place in a large bowl. Add olive oil and mix well, breaking off large clumps with fork.
  • In the meantime, heat small skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Once olive oil starts to sizzle, add red onions and sauté until tender. Transfer to a plate and let it cool.
  • Place tomatoes flat in the same skillet onions were cooked in. Leave tomatoes for 2-3 minutes on the each side until tomatoes have some char marks. Transfer tomatoes to a plate and let it cool.
  • Add baby spinach, onions, poached salmon chunks, capers, salt and pepper to orzo to combine. Transfer the salad to a serving platter and place tomatoes on top of salad before serving. Serve salad with lemon yogurt sauce.

Yogurt Lemon Sauce

  • In a small bowl, add greek yogurt, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper and whisk well.
  • Fold in fresh dill and lemon zest to the sauce, and set it aside until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature or chilled.