Salmon Watercress Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette: fresh, tender, peppery watercress is tossed with an exquisite dressing and topped with roasted salmon. 

Some of the Best Salad Recipes come from experimentation. I’d never tried watercress before, but it was a terrific foil for sweet berries and salmon!

Salmon Watercress Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette in a white salad bowl

Salmon Watercress Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Before I created this scrumptious Salmon Watercress Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette, watercress was off my radar unless it was in soup! Little did I know how hard I’d fall for a watercress salad! These tender greens had a peppery bite like arugula which made it the perfect complement to a sweet strawberry salad dressing. Topping with a piece of salmon glazed with this vinaigrette made this entree salad a fabulous meal!

Fresh ingredients for a Salmon Watercress Salad on a wooden board

A Simple Berry Vinaigrette

Did you know a spoonful of jam can add some delicious sweetness to a salad dressing? I’ve been making a raspberry vinaigrette for years, but thought a strawberry version was perfect for spring. With ripe fragrant strawberries filling the market, I wanted to add a few to this salad along with sliced green onions and toasted slivered almonds. Plus it doubled as a fabulous glaze for my seafood. One of the best salad recipes of the season, this Salmon Watercress Salad was a terrific summer entree.

Dressing pouring over a Salmon Watercress Salad in a white salad bowl

 

More Entree Salads You’ll Love:

When the weather is hot or you’ve been overindulging, a lighter entree is appealing. Try some of these tasty entree salads as an alternative to a meat and potatoes menu!

Salmon Watercress Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Salmon Watercress Salad Recipe with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Yield 4

Salmon Watercress Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette: fresh, tender, peppery watercress is tossed with an exquisite dressing and topped with roasted salmon.

Ingredients

Salad Dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon strawberry jam or preserves
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Salmon:

  • 4 salmon fillets, skin on (4-6 ounces each)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Salad:

  • 4 ounce bag watercress leaves
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
  • 2 green onions, white and a bit of the green, sliced thinly
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Instructions

Whisk together jam, mustard, and vinegar. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking until mixture is emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon fillets on a sheet pan. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Roast for about 12 minutes, then re-whisk dressing and use about 2 tablespoons to brush over salmon.

Turn on broiler and broil the salmon about 4-6 inches away from the heating element until tops are slightly browned about 2 minutes. Watch carefully so salmon does not burn. Let cool (may refrigerate if you’d like cold salmon on your salad).


When ready to serve, toss together watercress, strawberries, green onions, and almonds with enough salad dressing to lightly coat the watercress. Divide between 4 salad bowls or plates. Top with cold or room temperature salmon. Drizzle with any leftover salad dressing, if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 672Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 34gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 337mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 53g

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Salmon Watercress Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette | Tender, peppery greens tossed with a berry vinaigrette and topped with roasted salmon