Asian Salmon Salad – Barefeet in the Kitchen

With flavorful salmon nestled on a bed of baby greens, fresh herbs, glass noodles, avocado, crunchy cabbage and carrots, pickled broccoli and a to-die-for chili lime dressing, this Asian Salmon Salad is a showstopper.

This is a salad to get very excited for – just ask my friends and family. I’ve been shouting about it for months, and I’m thrilled to be sharing it with you at last.

Asian Salmon Salad

Yes, I did just call this salad exciting and I truly mean it. I challenge you not to fall head-over-heels for this colorful salad with a riot of textures and flavors.

The dish starts with a bed of baby arugula and spring mix. It is then topped with toothsome noodles, shredded carrot, thinly sliced red cabbage, pickled broccoli stems, fistfuls of torn fresh basil, cilantro, and mint, and toasted sesame seeds and tossed with the most insanely vibrant Thai chili lime dressing and crowned with roasted marinated salmon.

This salad is no side dish. It is an unapologetically main-dish salad worthy of the distinction. I’m not going to lie; it takes a couple of steps and some advanced planning to make this salad because of various components that need to rest overnight, but it is so worth it.

My friend and I tackled making this incredible-looking salad during a girls’ weekend after falling in love with the idea of it while looking through my copy of Mandy’s Gourmet Salads. You do need to start this at least one day before you plan to eat it because of the marinating and cooling time for the pickles and salmon, but I promise you won’t regret it!

Asian Noodle Salad

To make this stunner of a salad, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• glass or rice noodles
• baby spring mix
• baby arugula
• avocados
• carrot
• red cabbage
• pickled broccoli stems
• basil leaves
• mint leaves
• cilantro
• Lime Chili Thai Dressing
• black sesame seeds
• white sesame seeds
• Roasted Marinated Salmon

Asian Salad Recipe

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil on the stove. When the water is boiling, turn off the heat and add the noodles. Cover them completely with water. Stir the noodles every minute or so to prevent clumping.

When the noodles look and feel limp and tender, about 2-4 minutes, drain them and run until cold water until cool. Drain again and then toss with a splash of sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking together. Cooked noodles will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

In a large bowl, combine the spring mix, arugula, about 2 cups of cooked noodles, avocado, carrot, red cabbage, pickled broccoli stems, basil, mint, and cilantro. Drizzle with the dressing and toss well to coat.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and toss again. Transfer to servings bowls and arrange the salmon, broken into large pieces, over top.

Oh, how I love glass noodles. Let me count the ways. First there was my introduction to Korean Jap Chae, way back when I first met Sean (yikes – almost 30 years ago now!), it was love at first bite – the noodles, friends, the noodles.

Crisp, hot broccoli with sriracha, honey, soy, and sesame is an unforgettable combination in this house. When I had the idea to toss that broccoli with glass noodles in a bit of extra sauce? Well, let’s just say there wasn’t a bit left over.

And let’s not forget this Asian Pasta Salad that starts with 10 different fresh vegetables. Those crunchy vegetables are tossed together with glass noodles in a tangy Asian vinaigrette that is so flavorful, you just might be tempted to drink it. I am warning you now, it’s that good.

recipe shared, with thanks, from Mandy’s Gourmet Salads