Strawberry and salmon salad with spinach and walnuts

Strawberries are too good to be confined to the dessert bowl or in a jar of jam. This super simple strawberry and salmon salad with spinach and walnuts takes our sweet fruit into the savoury sector in summer style.

Not content with strawberry pesto, now she is adding strawberries to salmon, whatever next? Yes this strawberry and salmon salad is my latest in the make-use-of-all-the-gorgeous-strawberries-in-the-garden venture and I have to tell you it’s marvelous.

Strawberries are sweet and juicy but they pair well with black pepper and balsamic vinegar, both on the savoury scale. Salmon for me is a sweetish fish with wonderful flavour, it is summer sunshine on a plate. Mix the two together in this strawberry salmon salad and you are swallowing sunshine I promise you.

How many does this salad serve?

This strawberry and salmon salad recipe is one of my meal-for-one recipes. With my daughter off at university I am very often whipping up meals for one and I’m a great believer in making solo eating as tasty and fun as eating with other people.

Why should I eat beans on toast (though I do love beans on toast) every night or just a humble egg. No,  I want to eat just as well as I would when feeding someone else, as the shampoo adverts tell us – ‘because I’m worth it’……

What’s in this salmon and strawberry salad?

I’ve used one salmon fillet, about six strawberries (and try to get locally grown berries, at least British and not imported which are pretty much tasteless.

There is 1 tablespoon of crushed walnuts (or if using halves then use about 6 walnuts).

A cup of baby spinach leaves (the baby spinach leaves are sweeter and more tender than the full-grown version).

A handful of rocket (arugula) leaves for their punch of robust flavour, one of those mini cucumbers or a good few slices of a normal sized cucumber.

One spring onion, some fresh mint, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest, extra virgin olive oil (I simply refuse to call it EVOL!). Finally of course salt and pepper to taste.

How to make this strawberry and salmon salad

• Cook your salmon fillet with a little oil on a high heat for about 2 minutes on each side, start skin side down. Remove from heat and allow to cool and remove the skin.
• Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for barely a minute till golden and aromatic then tip out of the pan immediately to stop them cooking, allow to cool.
• Make your dressing by mixing the mustard, lemon juice and zest, olive oil and salt and pepper in a small jar and shake well.
• Build the salad in your chosen plate or bowl with the spinach leaves and rocket first then add all the other ingredients and flake in the salmon.
• Drizzle over the dressing.

How to make a good salad

Salads should be simple but packed with flavour. If they are being the main dish as opposed to a side salad then they just have to be built properly. Just as you’d think of meat and potatoes and a vegetable on the side. Think of your salad as having layers.

The base greenery;  Salad leaves of your choice.

Protein; like fish (salmon in this case), meat, chicken or tofu.

Fillers; these are the other veggies, think cucumber, peppers, celery, onions etc.

The crunch; you need something to add texture and that crunch to a salad. Croutons, nuts and seeds of all types are good here.

Toppers; herbs, cheese, that extra element of taste and texture.

Is this salad healthy?

You bet your ass it is. There is super powered protein in that salmon. It’s low carb too. And it’s packed with all that veggie goodness too. This super easy strawberry and salmon salad with spinach and walnuts is a winner in the healthy eating stakes.

Looking for some more fabulous strawberry recipes? Then check these out;

Strawberry and Basil Vinegar

Strawberry Chia Parfait

Strawberry and Basil Ice-cream

Italian Inspired Strawberry Jam

Strawberry and Lavender Gin

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.