Strawberry Spring Salmon Salad with Vanilla Balsamic Reduction
Assembling a wholesome, colorful salad is more art than cooking. Each component adds texture, flavor, and aroma, and is satisfying to the eye as well as the soul! This salad is a great way to celebrate the flavors of Spring, and the natural sweetness of strawberry and sweet potato is enhanced with soft vanilla, like you get from Burundi V. planifolia vanilla beans, and can fit into just about any eating plan. Plus, we added roasted asparagus because this group order is nicknamed “Asparagus!”
Vanilla Balsamic Reduction
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 TBSP honey
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- ½ tsp fresh ground pepper (Madagascar Wild peppercorns are great in this application)
Place everything in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Let simmer until total liquid reduces to about 1/3 cup, or the mixture is rich and syrupy. Stir frequently. Set aside to cool.
Roasted sweet potatoes, asparagus, and salmon
- 1 sweet potato
- ½ pound fresh asparagus
- 2 or 3 4-6 oz salmon filets
- Olive oil
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp. vanilla powder
- 2 TBSP fresh lemon zest
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel sweet potato and dice into ½” cubes. Remove the woody bottom stems of the asparagus. Chop asparagus into 1” pieces. Lay the sweet potato and the salmon on a sheet tray, lined with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil over the sweet potato and salmon, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, vanilla powder, and a little lemon zest. Bake for 15 minutes by itself. Add the asparagus and, again, drizzle the asparagus with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, vanilla powder, and lemon zest. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until everything is tender and golden brown, but not burned, and the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. This can also be done in the airfryer at 380 degrees, again, letting the sweet potatoes and salmon get a 10 minute head-start before adding the asparagus. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the salmon after it comes out of the oven.
Assemble the Salad
- Spring greens lettuce mix
- Roasted sweet potatoes, asparagus, and salmon
- Fresh strawberries, sliced
- Cucumber or celery, sliced
- Fresh avocado, sliced
- Feta cheese (optional)
- Olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh lemon to taste
- Vanilla Balsamic Reduction
Toss spring greens in a large bowl with 1-2 TBSP good olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. On top, beautifully arrange the roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus. Decorate with crunchy sliced cucumber or celery and sliced strawberries. Top with the salmon (remove the skin) and fresh sliced avocado. If you want to add a sprinkle of feta cheese, now’s the time. Squeeze fresh lemon over the salad and drizzle with Vanilla Balsamic Reduction.
You can adjust any of the components to meet your needs. This salad is great with edamame or grilled chicken instead of the salmon, and you can add seeds or toasted nuts for extra crunch.