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Grilled Southwest Salmon Caesar Salad

Tender, flaky grilled salmon on a Southwest Caesar Salad with homemade dressing.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Grilled Salmon Caesar Salad, Salmon Caesar Salad
Servings: 4
Calories: 660kcal
Author: Julie Evink

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo minced
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon milk or cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad:

  • 2 heads Romaine lettuce chopped
  • 1 cup canned black beans drained, and rinsed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup croutons
  • ½ cup pepitas pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds can be substituted

For the grill:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 ears corn husked
  • 2 teaspoons taco seasoning divided
  • 1 to 1 ½ pound fresh salmon cut into fillets

Instructions

For the dressing:

  • Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar or small bowl. Stir to mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use. This can be done ahead and will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

For the Salad:

  • In a bowl, place lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, croutons and pepitas. Place in the refrigerator until the salmon and corn are ready.

For the grill:

  • Preheat grill to medium heat.
  • Lightly oil corn (I use my hands, but you could use a brush) and sprinkle with about ½ teaspoon taco seasoning. Place directly on grill grates and cook for 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove to cool. When cool enough to handle, cut corn off the cob.
  • Meanwhile, brush a piece of tin foil with oil and place salmon fillets (skin side down) on top. Season generously with the rest of the seasoning mix. Place the foil with the salmon, on the grill and cook for 8-10 minutes until salmon is cooked through (do not turn). Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
  • Place salmon and corn on the salad mixture and drizzle with dressing. Serve.

Notes

Can you use a different kind of protein?
Yes, you can easily switch up the protein in this salmon salad recipe. Maybe you don’t like fish or you don’t have any on hand – no problem!
You can use grilled chicken breasts, Southwest pork tenderloin, grilled steak, or even grilled shrimp!
Tips for the Best Grilled Salmon
  • Grill the salmon skin-side down on the foil.
  • There’s no need to turn the salmon while it cooks. If you do, the seasoning will just burn and add a bitter taste.
  • The cook time will vary depending on how thick your fillets are, so it’s always good to go by sight and use a thermometer. Salmon is done when you can flake it easily with a fork and the internal temperature is 145°F.
Don’t have a grill? You can roast the salmon on a sheet pan in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes.
How to make Salmon Caesar Salad Ahead
  • Caesar dressing: You can make the dressing a day in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. It will taste even better because the flavors will fully develop.
  • Salad: You can toss the salad part (without the salmon, corn, and dressing) a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge.
  • Corn: I like this salad with fresh-grilled corn that’s still a little warm, but you can grill it a day ahead. Just remove the kernels and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Salmon: It’s the same with the salmon – it’s delicious served warm with the salad, but you can grill it the day before and keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve it. Cooked salmon will keep well for up to four days.

Nutrition

Calories: 660kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 693mg | Potassium: 1303mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2015IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 4mg