Summer is here in our hemisphere. And that’s when we all crave more fresh salads, leafy greens, fish & seafood, and all things beach. I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite recipes with you. This Fennel Salad with Seared Salmon and Baby Spinach is… well, EVERYTHING!
FENNEL SALAD WITH SEARED SALMON & BABY SPINACH. SO FRESH AND SO GOOD!
I’m not exaggerating when I say this salad is everything (maybe just a tad). Just see for yourself. It looks so elegant, colorful and vibrant. You can almost feel the omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals course through your body just staring at this photo. OK, now it sounds like I’m trying to hypnotize you, but seriously, it’s one healthy delicious salad. The fact that it looks so pretty and enticing is a huge bonus, especially when you make it for guests you want to impress.
FENNEL: A HEALTHY MEDITERRANEAN SECRET
I’m from the south of Italy and grew up eating fennel all year round for as long as I can remember. When I moved to the States, I was surprised and disappointed by the absence of this flavorful perennial herb. Growing up, we always had it in our salads, braised or grilled with fish, and ubiquitously at the end of each meal to help digestion. That’s just one of its many virtues, as fennel is not just rich in fiber; it’s also rich in minerals. Imagine that just 1 cup contains:
- 360 milligrams of potassium
- 45 mg of sodium
- 838 IU of vitamin A
- 43 mg of calcium
- 10.4 mg of vitamin C
- 0.64 mg of iron
- 0.041 mg of vitamin B-6
- 15 mg of magnesium
Plus smaller amounts of
- phosphorous
- zinc
- copper
- manganese
- selenium
- niacin
- pantothenic acid
- folate
- choline
- beta-carotene
- lutein
- vitamin E
- vitamin K
That means that eating fennel on a regular basis is beneficial to your immune system, bones, and digestive system, among other things. Plus, it tastes absolutely divine, even raw and all by itself.
YOUR SHOPPING LIST
Here’s what you’ll need for this rich salad, which can easily be an appetizer or a complete meal all by itself.
- Fennel
- Salmon Filet
- Baby Spinach
- Dill
- Lemon
- Capers
- Scallion
- Himalayan Salt
- Black Pepper
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
HOW TO MAKE FENNEL SALAD WITH SEARED SALMON & BABY SPINACH
All the ingredients are tossed together in a large salad bowl. It’s that fancy technique I like to call Chopping, Dumping & Tossing. The only cooking required is for the salmon filet. You can either grill it or sear it in a non-stick pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, just like I did in this recipe. It takes about 8 minutes, depending on how you like it done. I like it medium: pink and juicy in the middle.
LIGHT AND PERFECT FOR SUMMER
If you follow me at all, you know that I’m not obsessed with calories when it comes to food. Actually, studying nutrition has convinced me that the quality of the calories we ingest is always way more important than the quantity, even when it comes to weight management. However, it doesn’t hurt to know that fennel also promotes weight loss. One medium bulb contains only 73 calories, but it’ll make you feel full because of its fiber and water content. A full portion of this salad is only 300 calories and chockfull of nutrients. If you’re getting ready for bikini season, this will be one of your favorite go-to meals. It’s easy and quick to prepare, plus good & good-for-you 😉
Here is the printable recipe for this super easy and fresh summer salad. Well, actually fennel is a perennial herb, so you can enjoy it all year long!
Fennel Salad with Seared Salmon & Baby Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 lb Salmon filet, grilled or seared
- 1 Fennel thinly sliced or chopped
- 4 cups baby spinach 5 cups if needed
- 3 scallion chopped
- 1.5 tbsp Capers
- 2 tbsp Dill chopped
- 1.5 lemons zest and juice
- 4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- Himalayan salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Grill or sear the salmon filet on all sides, and cook it through to your liking (I like mine medium). I seared mine in a non-stick pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil
- While the salmon cools off, slice/chop the fennel. You can use a mandolin or just a sharp knife
- Peel and juice the lemons. Reserve the zest to garnish the salad
- Chop the scallion and dill
- Roughly cut the salmon filet into chunks with a fork
- Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl, including the capers, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and EVOO
- Serve immediately
Notes
Nutrition
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Try this flavorful and refreshing salad!