Sometimes an improvised meal turns out to be surprisingly delicious. This Salmon, Spinach, and Mandarin Orange Salad was one of those spur-of-the-moment successes. We had leftover grilled wild sockeye salmon that was too good to let go to waste. I cook wild sockeye several times a month — we love its flavor and it’s packed with nutrients.
Leftover Salmon — Perfect for a Salad
There was enough salmon left over that day to build a lovely salad for lunch. Instead of making sandwiches, we combined simple, fresh ingredients for a satisfying meal. Salads may be less common in winter when warm dishes dominate, but they’re great year-round: quick to prepare, adaptable, and full of good nutrients. When buying fish, try to choose sustainably caught options and look for ocean-friendly labels.
Oranges and Salmon — A Great Pairing
Seasonal fruit, like winter mandarins, pairs wonderfully with salmon. For many of us mandarins are a small, healthy holiday tradition — a bright, naturally sweet contrast to richer treats. Their sweet acidity lifts the flavors of the salad without overpowering them.
For this salad we tossed mandarin segments with flaked grilled salmon, fresh blackberries, tender baby spinach, and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds. The dressing is intentionally simple — sesame oil, lime juice, and a touch of honey — which keeps the salad fresh and balanced.
This combination of salmon, spinach, and mandarin orange is so good that it’s worth cooking salmon specifically for the salad when you don’t have leftovers. The result is light yet hearty, and a welcome palate cleanser amid heavier seasonal fare.
Recipe
Salmon, Spinach Mandarin Orange Salad
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Ingredients
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 8 ounces cooked salmon
- 2 mandarin oranges peeled and divided into segments
- ½ cup fresh blackberries
- ¼ cup sliced scallions
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- juice of one lime
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon liquid honey
Instructions
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Divide the baby spinach between two plates.
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Top each plate with flaked salmon, mandarin segments, blackberries, scallions, and pumpkin seeds.
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Whisk lime juice, sesame oil, and honey together and drizzle over each salad.