Tangerine Hibsicus Salmon Salad
Welcome to one of our favorite weeknight salad meals! Packed full of sweet, savory, fresh, salty, and sour flavors, this is an easy salad meal that we make over and over year round!
This salad features salmon flavored with Tangerine Hibiscus Rub!
This surprising spice blend brings together tangerine peel, hibiscus flowers, garlic, coriander, black pepper, ginger, cumin, and Sandia chiles to create a blend of tart, citrusy and floral flavors different from any other grilling rub. We find it goes especially well with seafood and fattier cuts of meat – like salmon!
And using salmon flavored with Tangerine Hibiscus Rub to top a fruity, crunchy, and salty salad is just a delightful way to end a busy weeknight!
Reasons We Think You’ll Love This Recipe Other Than Its Deliciousness!
- It’s a complete meal in just one dish. Full of protein, healthy fats, carbs, protein, and lots of veggies, you’ll feel good and satisfied after eating this meal!
- This is an easy recipe that makes a quick healthy weeknight dinner doable!
- You can easily prep this salad ahead of time. In fact, we often make this recipe at the beginning of the week to eat as lunch throughout the week! Delicious meal prep!
Customize This Salmon Salad
Make this salad your own! Whether you want to use what you have in your pantry or you’d like to feature your favorites, this salad is easily switched up.
- Swap out the greens. Not a fan of butter lettuce? Use romaine, spinach, or baby kale instead –or your favorite leafy greens.
- Swap out the fruit. Tangerines grow in Southern California where we live and are readily available. If that’s not the case, feel free to use what’s in season where you are. Grapes, mango, or even peaches would be a lovely substitution!
- Use whatever veggies you enjoy or have on hand! Cucumbers, shredded cabbage, or chopped broccoli would all be enjoyable in this salad.
How to Prep in Advance
Some nights even a 30-minute meal is too much! We understand! This salad has many components which can be prepared ahead of time.
- Dressing: Add everything to a jar. Shake real good. Store in the fridge until you need it. Can be prepared up to a week in advance.
- Salmon: Salmon can be served hot or cold. Prepare the salmon up to 3 days ahead of time and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to plop on top of your salad.
- Vegetables and fruit: Peel and section the tangerines, cut up the bell peppers, and pre-tear the lettuce. Store each component in its own airtight container.
With everything prepared ahead of time, you can assemble your salad in less than five minutes!
Watch our orginal Cook Along Video as we create this salad from beginning to end!
If you enjoy learning to cook with new spices and blends like Tangerine Hibiscus Rub,
SpiceScription might be for you! It’s a monthly subscription featuring one spice each month with exclusive recipes that will help you learn to bring the featured flavors into your kitchen!
- 1/4 cup + 4 teaspoons Olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice (You’ll need one lemon.)
- 1 Clove garlic (fresh, minced or 1/2 teaspoon Minced Dried Garlic)
- 3/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Pacific Flake Sea Salt (+ more to season salad)
- 2-4 Tablespoons Tangerine Hibiscus rub
- 1/4 teaspoon Pink Peppercorns (freshly ground + more to season salad)
- 1/2 small Red onion (thinly sliced)
- 4 (6-ounce) Salmon filets
- 16 oz Butter lettuce (Torn into bite-sized pieces)
- 2 Tangerines (peeled, sectioned, and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 Bell pepper, (red or orange bell pepper, cut in half, seeded, and then cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 4 ounces Feta cheese (crumbled, about 1 cup)
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a cast iron pan with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and place in the oven while it preheats.
As the oven preheats, lightly oil the salmon filets with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. After oiling the salmon, sprinkle it with ½ teaspoon of salt before sprinkling the Tangerine Hibiscus Rub onto the filets. You want the entire flesh of the fish to be covered with the rub. Set aside the salmon until the oven is heated to 425°F.
Next create the salad dressing by adding ¼ cup of olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground pink peppercorns to a jar. Put on a lid and shake until combined.
Splash 3 tablespoons of this dressing on the salmon filets.
When the oven comes to temperature, carefully add the salmon to the preheated cast iron pan skin side down-- if your filets have skin. Roast until cooked to 125°F--which should be between 8-12 minutes. Total cook time will depend on the thickness of salmon.
As the salmon roasts, add the lettuce, tangerine, bell pepper, red onions, and feta to your salad bowl.
Toss with about half the remaining vinaigrette. A good salad is always well seasoned, and this includes salt and pepper. Sprinkle your salad with sea salt and pink peppercorn. Start with a little, toss, and then taste. Add more salt, pepper, and vinaigrette a little bit at a time, until the salad meets your delishness barometer!
Divide between 4 plates or shallow bowls. When the salmon is roasted, place 1 filet on top of each salad. Serve immediately.
