When you need a little fresh and bright mixed into your fall comfort foods look no further than this Pepita Crusted Salmon Salad recipe! It keeps all the fall feels intact while letting you get in some veggies at the same time. And the roasted pumpkin is SOOOO GOOOOD, it's like candy on top!
Let's Make Dinner!
I love an entree salad and this one just might take the cake. I use a little shortcut of a bagged salad mix, but I beef it up with the addition of some roasted pumpkin and some rice along with the roasted salmon.
I start preparing this meal by slicing and roasting the pumpkin. Cut it in half, remove the seeds, and cut it into wedges. Season it up and roast it off.
Then I start the rice, I use ONLY basmati in my kitchen. It is my favorite because it is so easy to cook and turns out just right every time. Bring it to a boil, let it simmer for 5 minutes, then cover and turn off the heat and let it stand 10 minutes and it is perfectly cooked rice every time!
Next prepare the salmon. I start with a glaze so that the crust will stick and add an extra layer of flavor.
Then I quickly pulse up some bread crumbs and pepitas in a food processor to make a delicious crust for the top.
Bake it off in a hot oven so the crust crisps and the salmon cook quickly before anything has a chance to burn. A nice golden brown is what we are looking for here. Then layer up the salad on a platter and top with the cooked salmon.
This Salmon Salad makes the perfect dinner when you need something a little lighter in the fall and you want to get some greens in. This salad mix from Taylor Farms has the little add-ins that help make this salad a little extra special. The bacon and honey almonds add some crunch and flavor that I love.
Pepita Crusted Salmon & Roasted Pumpkin Salad
I look forward to “Pumpkin Season” all year long and when it arrives I look for any and every excuse to use it in all ways as long as they don’t involve pie! This is a great way to enjoy it as a weekend lunch or a lightened up dinner. They are also a great way to celebrate the start of PSL season!
Ingredients
for the salad:
- 1 pie Pumpkin or diced butternut squash
- Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 Thyme sprig
- 1 Rosemary sprig
- 3-4 Garlic cloves
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 1 tablespoons Butter
- 2 cup Chicken Stock
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ cup White Balsamic Vinegar
for the salmon:
- 4, 6oz Salmon Fillets
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 teaspoon Olive Oil
- ½ cup Pepitas, toasted
- ¼ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
to assemble:
- 2 pkg Maple Bourbon Chopped Salad Kits, from Taylor Farms
- 2 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
Instructions
for the salad:
- Slice the pumpkin into wedges and remove the stem ends. Toss the wedges in a bowl and coat in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in a 425˚F oven for 25-30 minutes until the pumpkin is fork tender. Let cool to room temperature.
- To cook the basmati rice, combine the rice, butter, chicken stock, and salt into a small pot. Bring the water to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Give the rice a stir, turn off the heat, and cover with a lid. Let the rice sit covered for 10 minutes. Top the rice with ¼ C white balsamic vinegar and fluff the rice with a fork and let cool to room temp.
for the salmon:
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F
- Season each of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl combine the honey, dijon, and 1 t of olive oil and stir together with a spoon. Spoon the mixture over the salmon and set aside.
- To make the crust, combine the pepitas, panko, and olive oil in a food processor and pulse to combine until the pepitas have broken down into small pieces but are still noticeable. Pat the crust mixture onto the top of the glazed salmon. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the crust has browned and the salmon is cooked to 145˚F.
to assemble:
- Mix the chopped salad greens with a splash of apple cider vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil. Layer the greens in the bottom of a bowl or on a large platter for serving. Top the greens with the rice, roasted pumpkin, salmon fillets, and the bacon and candied nuts from the salad kit. Drizzle half of the packaged dressing over top and serve the rest on the side. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
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