A Dinner-Worthy Salad with Roasted Salmon
- Servings: 4 servings
- Total time: 35 minutes
- Effort Level: Simple
This kale salad with salmon was created as a full meal, not a side dish with protein tossed on top. Roasting the salmon at high heat concentrates its flavor and keeps the texture tender, and a quick glaze of Thai chili sauce and fresh orange zest adds sweetness, citrusy flavor, and just a little bit of heat.
That same chili and citrus mix shows up again in the dressing, combined with orange juice, lemon, and a touch of cream for balance. It ties the flavors of the salad base and fish together so every ingredient feels like it belongs. Crisp kale, fresh fruit, and crunchy cashews round things out, making this a dinner salad we’ve rely on for when we want something light and satisfying.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
We believe that great flavor starts with quality ingredients. Here are the small details that make these choices work. For a full list and measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Salmon fillets – Choose center-cut fillets of similar thickness so they cook evenly at high heat. Wild-caught salmon works well for its firm texture and deep flavor, but responsibly farmed Atlantic salmon from a well-monitored source is also a reliable option. Avoid very thin tail pieces, which tend to overcook quickly.
- Baby kale – Baby kale is tender enough to use raw without needing stemming or massaging. If you’re using mature kale, remove the tough ribs and give it a quick massage with a teaspoon of oil or dressing to soften the leaves before tossing.
- Apples and oranges – The combination of crisp apple and juicy orange adds sweetness and acidity that balance the richness of the salmon and the creamy dressing. Granny Smith apples work especially well here for their firmness and tartness. Honeycrisp is a good alternative. Use fresh orange segments rather than canned for cleaner flavor and better texture.
- Red bell pepper, carrots, and scallions – These vegetables add both crunch and color to the salad. Red bell pepper brings sweetness, carrots add crisp texture, and scallions provide a mild onion note that won’t dominate the dressing. Thin slicing helps everything integrate evenly.
- Salted cashews – Cashews add richness and crunch that works well with the creamy dressing, and being salted, they help season the salad as a whole. If needed, roasted peanuts can be used but the flavor is more assertive.
Prep Overview
How to Make Salmon Kale Salad
Here’s a quick overview of the process, with the key techniques that make it work. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Start by making the dressing directly in a salad bowl. Whisking it together first gives the flavors time to settle while you prep everything else. A small portion of the Thai chili and orange zest glaze for the salmon is folded in here too. This ties all the flavors together.
Next, assemble the salad. Apples, orange, peppers, and carrots are tossed with the dressing so they’re evenly coated. The kale goes in after that, which helps it soften slightly and absorb flavor. At this point, the salad can sit for a few minutes while you prepare the salmon.
The salmon is seasoned simply, brushed with the remaining chili–citrus glaze, and roasted quickly at high heat. This method sets the exterior while keeping the interior moist and tender. Once the salmon comes out of the oven, the cashews and scallions are added to the salad for crunch and freshness, and the salmon is placed on top just before serving so it stays warm.
Tested Tips
- Season carefully – Salted cashews and Thai chili sauce both contribute seasoning to the salad, so refrain from seasoning until everything has been combined and had a few minutes to sit and develop flavor.
- Check the internal temperature of the salmon – Salmon is best served either medium-rare or medium. Check the temperature in the thickest part of the fillet with an instant-read thermometer. For medium-rare, remove the salmon from the oven at 125°F, for medium, take it out at 130°F.
Variation: Summer Salmon and Kale Salad
For a warm-weather version, replace the kale with a mix of spinach and spring greens. Swap the apple and orange for chunks of fresh pineapple and sliced strawberries. For the salmon glaze, omit the orange zest, and replace the orange juice in the dressing with pineapple juice for a brighter, more tropical profile.
More Easy Salmon Dinner Recipes
If you enjoyed this salmon kale salad, here are a couple of one-dish salmon dinners to try. Honey Garlic Salmon and Quinoa Bowl pairs glazed salmon with roasted zucchini over fluffy quinoa for a fast, balanced meal; Sheet Pan Salmon with Potatoes and Green Beans roasts brown sugar–coated salmon alongside baby potatoes and crisp green beans for an oven-ready dinner with minimal cleanup.
Salmon Kale Salad with Citrus Dressing
Ingredients
Salmon
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin removed
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
- Zest of 1 orange, about 2 teaspoons
Dressing
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- 1-1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons cream or half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon minced shallot
- 2 teaspoons Thai chili – orange zest mixture
Salad
- 6 cups roughly chopped baby kale, see notes
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 navel orange, peeled, sliced crosswisem, and separated into segments
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
- 1/3 cup salted cashews
- 3 scallions, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a shallow baking pan with foil and coat lightly with nonstick spray.
- In the bottom of a large salad bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, orange juice, and cream until smooth.
- Add the minced shallot and whisk to combine. Set the bowl aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the Thai chili sauce and orange zest. Transfer 2 teaspoons of the mixture to the salad bowl for the dressing and whisk to incorporate. Reserve the remaining mixture for the salmon.
- Add the apple, orange segments, red bell pepper, and carrots to the salad bowl. Toss to coat lightly with the dressing.
- Add the kale and toss again until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and arrange them on the prepared baking pan.
- Spread the reserved Thai chili–orange zest mixture evenly over the salmon fillets.
- Roast the salmon for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on thickness, until just opaque and beginning to flake. Remove from the oven and let rest while you plate the salad.
- Add the cashews and sliced scallions to the salad and give it a final toss. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
- Divide the kale salad among four plates and top each serving with a roasted salmon fillet. Serve immediately.
Notes
If using regular (curly or Lacinato) kale instead of baby kale, be sure to remove the tough center stems. To tenderize the leaves, toss the chopped kale with a small amount of oil and massage briefly until the texture softens and the color deepens. This step makes the salad much more pleasant to eat and helps the kale absorb flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
