Salmon and Fennel Dinner Salad
Looks can be deceiving: Maggie Battista’s salmon and fennel dinner salad might look like a light supper, but it’s surprisingly hearty and filling.
“The salmon offers a satisfying richness, the couscous adds heft, and the creamy dressed vegetables feel indulgent but aren’t in the least,” Battista says in her cookbook, A New Way to Food. “As a little surprise, I tuck strawberries between each of these elements to add a sweet, tangy pop.”
Enjoy this lovely salad as a satisfying lunch or dinner—no side dishes necessary.
Ingredients
Salmon and Fennel Dinner Salad
1 pound salmon fillet (about 1 inch thick), pin bones removed
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 limes, halved
1 cup pearl couscous
⅓ small head napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
2 cups strawberries, quartered
Herby Yogurt Dressing
½ cup unsweetened plain plant-based yogurt
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
4 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 small bunch chives, finely diced
Directions
1. Make the Salmon and Fennel Dinner Salad: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the parchment. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt and season with black pepper. Drizzle the oil and lime juice over the salmon. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fish registers 120°F, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven and tent a piece of foil over it until ready to serve.
2. While the salmon roasts, add the couscous to a medium pot over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling the pot frequently to ensure even browning, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently add 1¼ cups water and theremaining ½ teaspoon salt to the pot. Stir until combined and return to medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and thenreduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and allow to cook until all the water has been absorbed and the couscous is light and fluffy, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the couscous cool.
3. Make the Herby Yogurt Dressing: Add the yogurt, olive oil, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Whisk together until fully emulsified. Stir in the chives. Chill until ready to use.
4. On a large platter, toss the couscous, cabbage and fennel with two-thirds of the dressing until everything is well coated. Add the strawberries to the salad, gently tucking them around the vegetables. Break up the salmon with a fork or your fingers and place pieces across the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining dressing, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with fennel fronds.
Salmon and Fennel Dinner Salad
484 calories
18g fat
50g carbs
31g protein
8g sugars
Herby Yogurt Dressing
282 calories
28g fat
8g carbs
1g protein
7g sugars