Mediterranean Salad With Sockeye Salmon

Searching for a quick, easy, and nutritious salad to serve at your next family gathering this spring? Look no further! This Mediterranean salad with sockeye salmon answers all our salad prayers! Prepared with pearl couscous, roasted purple and golden beets, pistachios, feta cheese, and a generous helping of greens, it's perfect for a laid-back Mother's Day feast at home.

Servings: 4 - 6 people

Prep Time: ~15 mins | Cook Time: ~15 mins

Ingredients

Salad:

• Wild sockeye salmon, approx. 1 pound
• 4 small beetroots, golden and purple
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup dry pearl couscous, cooked
• 4 cups arugula 
• 1/3 cup pistachios
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

Dressing:

• 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 large navel orange, juice and zest

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Start by preparing and roasting the beets. Wash thoroughly, then place each beet on a piece of foil, drizzle with a touch of olive oil and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Wrap individually in foil, then place on the prepared baking sheet and roast for approximately 45 minutes or until fork tender. Unwrap the beets and allow them to cool.
3. While the beets are roasting, cook the couscous according to package directions and set aside.
4. When the beets have finished in the oven, unwrap them and set aside to cool. Leave the oven at 400F. 
5. Place your thawed side of sockeye salmon, skin-side down, on a new parchment-lined baking sheet, and pat dry. Season the fillet with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Gently massage into the flesh of the salmon until evenly coated.
6. Bake the salmon for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
7. To make the dressing, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
8. When the beets have cooled enough to handle with your hands, peel the beets with your fingers, a peeler, or the back of a knife. Slice into smaller wedges, then place in a large salad bowl. Next, use a fork to pull apart bite-sized flakes of the cooked salmon and add to the bowl.
9. Finally, add the cooked couscous, arugula, pistachios, fresh chopped dill, crumbled feta cheese, and dried cranberries to the bowl.
10. Drizzle the dressing over top, toss to combine and serve.

Notes

• We opted for wild sockeye salmon in this recipe because of its vibrant colour. You could easily substitute sockeye with your favourite species of salmon, whether it be pink, chinook, coho or chum!
• This recipe can be served warm or prepped ahead of time and served cold. 

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