If there’s one recipe to add to your dinner rotation this week, let it be this quick and easy Maple-Glazed Salmon & Kale Salad!
This meal has been on repeat in my home for the past month, and I guarantee it’ll become a favorite in your household too. Customize this dish to fit your dietary preferences like swapping the salmon for steak or pork chops, or adding fresh chopped peaches instead of tomatoes. Let’s dive into the ingredients you will need!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
For full measurements of each ingredient, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the recipe.
Salmon: I love using wild caught salmon in this recipe but I also enjoy using other protein sources like steak, pork chops, lamb chops, chicken breast, chicken thighs, or even crispy tofu.
Kale: The baked kale adds a delicious crunch and savory addition to the meal. If you’re not a fan of kale, you could opt for shaved brussels sprouts or broccoli florets instead.
Tomato: I especially love Roma tomato or heirloom tomatoes for this recipe, but feel free to use any tomato variety: cherry or grape tomatoes, beefsteak tomato etc. If you’re not a tomato fan, add another fresh element to the salad such as fresh peach, fresh pear, chopped apple, celery, or jicama.
Sliced almonds: Adding sliced almonds on top of the salad gives it a perfect crunch as well as some additional healthy fats. Sunflower seeds, walnuts, or pistachios are all great additions as well.
Maple Syrup: Since this is a Maple-Glazed Salmon recipe, maple syrup is the star of the show! Choose your favorite maple syrup or opt for a sugar free maple syrup to keep the sugar low.
Apple Cider Vinegar: To balance out the sweetness of the maple syrup, we need an acidic element, and that’s where the apple cider vinegar comes in. It gives the dish a perfectly balanced and flavorful maple-apple explosion in every bite.
Seasonings: You’ll need salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder. The seasonings are for the salmon as well as the kale to give the dish a savory component that balances the sweetness of the maple syrup dressing.
Oils: You’ll need extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. I love the taste of olive oil with baked veggies and I cook the salmon on the stovetop using avocado oil since it has a higher smoke point. You could opt for avocado oil for both if you’d prefer only using one oil.
Now that we have the ingredients, let’s talk about the equipment needed to make this recipe.
Equipment You’ll Need:
Baking Sheet: You’ll need a baking sheet to bake the kale.
Frying Pan: A pan is needed to cook the salmon. I very much recommend investing in a good stainless steel pan.
Spatula: I recommend using a spatula to flip the salmon inside the pan, as well as to mix the kale while baking so it doesn’t burn.
Cutting Board & Knife: You will need to chop the Roma tomato, so you’ll need a cutting board and knife.
Spoon: While the salmon is cooking with the apple cider vinegar and maple syrup, I recommend using a spoon to scoop the mixture over the salmon to coat.
How To Make a Maple-Glazed Salmon & Kale Salad
Prep and Bake the Kale: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wash and dry kale and break into small bite sized pieces. Place kale on a baking sheet, and season with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.
Massage the oil and seasonings into the kale until it is soft and evenly coated. Spread the kale out in a flat, even layer on the baking sheet.
Bake the kale at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 minutes, then flip or stir the kale with a spatula and cook for another 4 minutes, for a total of 8 minutes.
Remove the kale from the oven, add to two plates plate, and set aside.
Prep and Cook the Salmon: Pat dry the salmon filtes, and season with salt and pepper.
Bring a frying pan to medium heat and add a generous drizzle of avocado oil, and then add in the seasoned salmon, skin side up.
Cook the salmon for 3-4 minutes, and then flip so the skin side is down. The salmon should have a since seared crust and should be cooked halfway through.
Let the salmon cook for 2 more minutes, and then add in the maple syrup and apple cider vinegar. The syrup and vinegar will bubble ferociously at first, and then the bubbling will settle down.
Assemble the Salad: Using a spoon, scoop the apple cider and maple syrup mixture over the salmon to coat. Let cook for 1-2 more minutes, or until the salmon reaches your desired doneness, and then remove the salmon from the pan, and place on top of the baked kale. OPTIONAL: use the spoon or spatula to remove the skin from the salmon before adding to the plate.
Let the apple cider vinegar and maple syrup mixture cook for another minute or two. You’ll see it start to thicken. For a thinner, less sticky dressing, cook for less time. For a thicker, more sticky dressing, cook for more time. Once the dressing has reached your desired thinness/thickness, use a spoon or spatula to scoop the dressing out of the pan and over the salmon and kale.
Roughly chop a Roma tomato and sprinkle over the salads.
Sprinkle sliced almonds over the top of the salads, and enjoy.
Maple-Glazed Salmon & Kale Salad
Equipment
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 6 cups kale
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt use 1/4 tsp for the kale and 1/4 tsp for the salmon
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper use 1/4 tsp for the kale and 1/4 tsp for the salmon
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 filets salmon
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tomato chopped
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash and dry kale and break into small bite sized pieces. Place kale on a baking sheet, and season with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.
- Massage the oil and seasonings into the kale until it is soft and evenly coated. Spread the kale out in a flat, even layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake the kale at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 minutes, then flip or stir the kale with a spatula and cook for another 4 minutes, for a total of 8 minutes.
- Remove the kale from the oven and add to two plates and set aside.
- Pat dry the salmon filets, and season with salt and pepper.
- Bring a frying pan to medium heat and add a generous drizzle of avocado oil, and then add in the seasoned salmon, skin side up.
- Cook the salmon for 3-4 minutes, and then flip so the skin side is down. The salmon should have a since seared crust and should be cooked halfway through.
- Let the salmon cook for 2 more minutes, and then add in the maple syrup and apple cider vinegar. The syrup and vinegar will bubble ferociously at first, and then the bubbling will settle down.
- Using a spoon, scoop the apple cider and maple syrup mixture over the salmon to coat. Let cook for 1-2 more minutes, or until the salmon reaches your desired doneness, and then remove the salmon from the pan, and place on top of the kale. OPTIONAL: use the spoon or spatula to remove the skin from the salmon before adding to the plate.
- Let the apple cider vinegar and maple syrup mixture cook for another minute or two. You’ll see it start to thicken. For a thinner, less sticky dressing, cook for less time. For a thicker, more sticky dressing, cook for more time. Once the dressing has reached your desired thinness/thickness, use a spoon or spatula to scoop the dressing out of the pan and over the salmon and kale.
- Roughly chop a tomato and sprinkle over the salads.
- Sprinkle sliced almonds over the top of the salads, and enjoy.
Leave a Comment