Southwest Salmon Salad

This southwest salad has so many colors, flavors, textures it’s exactly what you’re looking for when you want a big entree salad. The Mexican spiced salmon is beautifully seared, placed onto a bed of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, creamy avocado, crunchy purple cabbage, sweet peppers, roasted corn and black beans and then the homemade tortilla strips on top that really make the salad. Topped all off with a spicy green goddess dressing. This is no ordinary salad it’s vibrant and full of flavor! I will be making it on repeat! It’s also fun because it’s hot and cold bring all the elements to life!

Tortilla Strips

• 3-4 corn tortillas
• 1 lime zest
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• pinch of cayenne
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Spicy Green Goddess Dressing

• 1 avocado
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1 jalapeño, seeded if you want it less spicy, large dice
• 2 limes juiced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 1/2 tbsp sour cream
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt and black pepper

Southwest Salad

• 2 (6 oz) salmon filet, boneless and skinless
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• salt and black pepper
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups mixed greens
• 1/2 cup yellow or orange bell pepper, small dice
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup queso fresco
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1/2 cup cucumber, sliced
• 2 tbsp. red cabbage sliced

Tortillas Strips

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cut the tortillas into strips and lay them out in an even layer on a rimmed baking pan. Sprinkle the spices, and olive oil over all the strips and toss together making sure everything is evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper and bake for about 10 minutes until crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Spicy Green Goddess Dressing

Add everything except for the olive oil into the blender. Then with the motor running drizzle the olive oil in. Making sure to scrape down the sides and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble the salad

Season both sides of the salmon with the cumin, chili powder and paprika. Heat a skillet up to medium heat with a little oil and sear the salmon. About 3-5 minutes on each side. Depending on how thick it is.

In a small saute pan with a little oil, heat the corn over medium low heat just until warmed through, stir in the black beans if you want to warm those up as well otherwise leave them just rinsed off and patted dry.

To assemble the salad, get two large plates or a large serving platter start with the bed of greens and layer on all the toppings. I like to start with the cold and finish with the warm. So add the peppers, tomatoes, avocado, queso fresco, scallions, cucumbers, and cabbage. Then finish it off with the corn, black beans and salmon. Spoon over the dressing and top it off with the tortilla strips! Enjoy!!