Orange Glazed Salmon Salad
Sometimes I just need to eat salmon.
Sometimes eating it makes me not feel guilty for the M&M Dairy Queen Blizzard I inhaled after my girls softball game the day before.
I love salmon… my oldest daughter and I are the only ones who do. My youngest dramatically spits it out and my husband calls it SAL-mon. It’s not funny to me… but I fake laugh… so he doesn’t notice that I’m annoyed. Because if he noticed… he’d keep doing it. I use this technique quite often in life’s little awkward situations… like when people tell bad jokes, or when I pretend to listen to a long overdrawn story and get caught not paying attention… and also when some lady at the grocery store is telling me about how she’s related to an extra in the movie Titanic. True story. I can’t make this stuff up… you’d think I wear a t-shirt that reads “come tell me your life’s story”. Because that’s what they do, while I’m standing in the check-out isle… and I can’t escape.
Let’s get back to salmon. Try not to read it as SAL-mon throughout this post, k? Or do it… could be funny!? Good luck!
Here are the ingredients. For those who are gluten free substitute tamari for the soy sauce. Tamari is 100% soybean and no wheat!
This is a pound of salmon. If you were serving 4 entree portions, I’d serve 6-8 ounces per person, so you’d need more than a pound. But this was mainly for me and I wanted this to last so I divided this into thirds… so I could eat this for lunch the next few days.
Cut into equal portions. I left the end piece longer because it was thinner.
I could wall paper my office with this pattern, that’s if I had an office. Love.
Place salmon in a shallow dish.
Then In a small dish; measure and pour in the soy sauce or tamari.
Same thing with the sesame oil.
And with the dark brown sugar.
Then zest…
… and juice half of an orange. I’m getting pretty good at cooking with my left hand! 
Whisk until combined and sugar is dissolved.
Pour half of the sauce/marinade/glaze over the salmon.
Toss, coat and let it chillax for 15 minutes or so.
While you wait, you could line a sheet pan with foil and lightly oil it with some olive oil.
Place the salmon, ugly side up.
Place underneath the broiler for about 4-6 minutes. Flip repeat for another 4-6 minutes or until the salmon is fully cooked. Once cooked let it cool for a few. Pssst the brown sugar caramelizes!!!!
While all that’s going on I get moving on the salad part. I love mixed greens… they are my fav! A little baby spinach, baby romaine and radicchio it’s salad perfection! Some sliced purple cabbage, matchstick carrots, sesame seeds and the reserved glaze. Bingo-bango. But you don’t have to serve it on a bed of lettuce. Rice… noodles… crusty bread… whatever floats your boat!
I was going to add a little red bell pepper, but when I pulled it out of my veggie basket… it looked like this 
. But any of your favorite veggies would work; mushrooms, pea pods, thinly sliced red onion, sliced red pepper that isn’t wrinkly.
Toss them in with the greens.
And give it a light toss.
Dish up some salad and place a piece of the orange glazed salmon in the center.
Drizzle with some of the glaze. It acts like a salad dressing… it’s awesome.
Remember those sesame seeds? You could totally toast these in a dry pan for a few minutes. But I was lazy… and hungry.
Sprinkle them on top. Then just season with black pepper and a little sea salt, just go easy on the sea salt because soy sauce tends to be a little salty. But you probably already knew that… and you probably mumbled “Thanks captain obvious” … I so would.
Hmmm. It’s missing something…
Oh yeah… squeeze a little fresh orange juice over top and serve!
What I like most about this salad, is that it’s simple. Because simple is how I roll. No but seriously it’s light, healthy and chock full of antioxidants. On that note; I’m going to eat this salad for breakfast for the rest of my life… because it’s the shizzy.
Orange Glazed Salmon Salad
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
FOR THE SALMON
3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
Juice and Zest of half an Orange
4 Fresh Skinless Salmon Fillets
Olive Oil for pan
FOR THE SALAD
1 pkg. Mixed Salad Greens
1/2 cup sliced Purple Cabbage
1/2 cup Carrot Matchsticks
Reserved Salmon Marinade
Sesame Seeds, for garnish
Directions:
In a small dish; whisk together soy sauce, sesame seed oil, dark brown sugar, zest and juice until sugar dissolves. Pour half of the marinade/ glaze over top of the salmon fillets and set remaining glaze aside. Toss the salmon until nicely coated and let marinate for 15-20 minutes on the counter top. Meanwhile preheat the broiler.
Once marinated place the salmon on a lightly oiled and foil lined sheet pan and discard used marinade. Place salmon under the broiler and cook for 4-6 minutes, turn and repeat for another 4-6 minutes or until salmon is fully cooked and flakes.
In a large bowl toss the salad greens with the carrots and cabbage. Plate a portion of salad on to a large plate. Place a piece of still warm salmon in the center. Drizzle with a little bit of the remaining glaze and season with black pepper and sea salt to taste. Garnish with little squeeze of fresh orange juice and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve.
Over the past few years I’ve been on a mission to find and create recipes that I can make from scratch. I hope you enjoy the recipes on this blog as they are tried and true from my kitchen to yours! (
I love how fresh and delicious this looks! It's the perfect summer meal!
It totally is! I love fresh fish with a salad!
Laurie this sounds fantastic! The recipe is simple and like you, I really love salmon and often use the health-factor to cover up other not-so-healty eats.
I also love your fake laugh story, LOL, too funny!!!
someone using yours photos…
http://ahhmniam.blogspot.com/2011/08/sandwich.html
I can't get myself to like salmon!
I see recipes like this and I just want to love it!
I hear ya lady! Sometimes a girl just needs to feast on some salmon! This looks so fantastic. The orange glaze is to die for…
Freaking. Gorgeous.
I lurve salmon, so this post just rips into my soul innards and gives me a massage.
I just love your blog!
That's an awesome recipe. I've been trying a lot of different things with salmon lately. I'm going to smoke salmon this weekend in fact.
Thanks Amanda!
Thanks for the tip Anonymous! I appreciate it!
Raven ~ So glad I'm not the only one!! lol
Bev~ I always love reading your comments. You crack me up!
I love smoked salmon!
laurie, I totally agree about sometimes just needing some salmon!! Maybe its a girl thing. This is my kind of recipe… simple, healthy and DEEELISH
OK…now these photos have really made me HUNGRY…….
savitharajsspiceland.blogspot.com
This looks so pretty! I don't like salmon, really most seafoods. But the salad and the dressing and the glaze…yum! I could totally do this with chicken!
Wow, look super easy! Can't wait to give it a shot
Greetings from the Amish community of Lebanon,Pa. Richard from Amish Stories.
This is going to be our dinner! Thanks for posting the recipe.
It sounds super. Your photos are amazing!
Salmon need to be really fresh and excellently prepared for us to really enjoy it but when it is it's a definitely favorite. Love the flavors in your recipe, especially the sesame oil which goes so well with salmon. Fresh and light and yummy!
Great salmon recipe. I love how the glaze doesn't overpower the salmon but works together with it to bring out its best qualities. Perfect
We made this for dinner tonight – it was delicious!
So glad to hear you liked it! Thanks for leaving feedback!
Made this tonight and loved it! For the salad I tossed orange, ruby red grapefruit, avocado and almond slivers with baby arugula and spinach and a lime olive oil dressing…it went soooo well with the citrus flavor in the salmon. Thanks so much for sharing!