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Grilled Salmon Rice Salad

Grilled Salmon Rice Salad | Magnolia Days

Happy Birthday Isabel! Yep, this post and recipe is for you. I had to make something special for your big surprise virtual birthday party. For everyone reading this that doesn’t know Isabel, let me introduce you. She is the Isabel Laessig; friend, mom, blogger, and founder of the Sunday Supper Movement and Food Wine Conference. There are few things I know she thoroughly enjoys and it is the inspiration behind this Grilled Salmon Rice Salad.

I met Isabel on the internet. It was on twitter to be exact. Our virtual paths crossed in a weekly twitter chat, back then known as Foodies Night In. We followed each other and then started saying hello to each other in the morning on twitter. It was then I learned she makes pancakes for her kids on the weekends. I can remember tweeting to her on Saturday mornings asking if she had made pancakes yet. Conversations continued and our friendship began.

Grilled Salmon Rice Salad | Magnolia Days

Then one Sunday she tweeted a simple question. I didn’t save it but it was basically “What are you making for #SundaySupper?”. I witnessed and answered the tweet that would change her life. It was also the tweet that lead to bringing families and people together for a meal around the family table. The virtual extended family grew and it was time for the first gathering. What started as a let’s all go to Isabel’s house turned into the spark of putting together a conference. This is how we finally met in person.

We met at a little B&B in Gainesville, Florida. It was the first place we scouted as a location for the conference. Well, after a giant waste of our time for a couple of days, we left and headed for Orlando. This is where we found the location of the conference and had a personal interview with Emeril Lagasse at the same time. It was a time I will never forget.

Grilled Salmon Rice Salad | Magnolia Days

Our friendship has grown through the years. What I have learned is she loves rice. I remember her post long ago on How to make Portuguese Rice and I swore one day I would make it. I know she loves salmon just about any way and especially either in sushi or grilled. She also adores salads and will make flatbread with a salad on top (she was the inspiration behind my Sausage Onion Flatbread Pizza and the salad part on top of Grilled Wine and Cheese Pizza). This is why I put together those components to make Grilled Salmon Rice Salad. Grilled salmon + rice + salad = Isabel dish.

Grilled Salmon Rice Salad | Magnolia Days

What is in the salad? First a backstory. I actually did make her Portuguese rice for the salad. It was incredible. Yet the flavors in it offset what I wanted in the salad. So I ate the Portuguese rice for days and made plain rice for the salad. I grilled a marvelous sockeye salmon in season right now. I threw in carrots, green onions, red bell pepper, peas, and fresh parsley. I made a lemony white wine vinaigrette for dressing the salad. I’m pretty sure this is a salad Isabel would enjoy.

Happy Birthday Isabel

A big birthday party needs food and beverages. Scroll down to find a list of all the tasty treats made by Sunday Supper tastemakers for this virtual birthday bash. Join me in wishing Isabel a very happy birthday. She is the one who brought so many people together with such a great mission: to share a meal around the family table. I’m so glad I met Isabel and treasure our friendship. Here’s to good times to come. Cheers!

Grilled Salmon Rice Salad | Magnolia Days
4 from 1 vote
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Grilled Salmon Rice Salad

Grilled Salmon Rice Salad is a wonderful make-ahead dish for entertaining. It's loaded with vegetables and has a lemony white wine dressing.
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 19 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author Renee

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 1 pound fresh salmon
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 cups cooked long grain white rice
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
  • 1 cup sweet peas
  • 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

For the dressing:

  • 1 small garlic clove minced
  • 2 teaspoons minced shallot
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of pepper
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

For the salad:

  1. Heat grill to medium-high (about 450°F).
  2. Coat salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Place salmon on grill skin side up. Grill for 2 minutes. Use a wide spatula to turn salmon skin side down. Grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes depending on thickness. Salmon should flake easily.
  4. Allow salmon to cool to room temperature. Remove and discard skin. Use your fingers to flake apart and separate salmon into pieces.
  5. Place rice, carrots, peas, bell pepper, parsley, and 1/2 cup dressing in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
  6. Add salmon pieces and gently stir or fold in. Taste and add more dressing if desired. Cover and chill thoroughly.

For the dressing:

  1. Place garlic, shallot, mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend on high to combine, about 30 seconds.
  2. Reduce speed to low and slowly pour in olive oil.

Recipe Notes

Grilled Salmon Rice Salad is a wonderful make-ahead dish for entertaining. It's loaded with vegetables and has a lemony white wine dressing.

Grilled Salmon Rice Salad is a wonderful make-ahead dish for entertaining. It's loaded with vegetables and has a lemony white wine dressing.

Join me in celebrating Isabel’s Birthday with all the delicious food and drinks her #SundaySupper family prepared!

Birthday Drinks:

Birthday Appetizers:

Birthday Main Courses:

Birthday Desserts:

Sunday Supper MovementJoin Isabel and the #SundaySupper family on twitter every Sunday! The chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the conversation. To get great Sunday Supper recipes, visit the Sunday Supper Movement website or check out our Sunday Supper Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Recipe Rating




Marilyn

Tuesday 15th of August 2023

Great way to use veggies in the fridge,but the best part was adding a fresh peach. Perfection.

Terri/Love and Confections

Tuesday 11th of August 2015

I adore salmon and this salad looks perfect. Unfortunately I am the only one in my house that eats salmon, so I always make it in smaller portions. Next time, I will have to try this salad. Thank you so much for participating and helping with the celebration!

Amy Kim

Friday 7th of August 2015

I love this story! I remember when I first met you two at the first conference...I was astounded that you had just met in person shortly before that. I felt like you guys were old friends. Great story and great friendship! Also love this rice salad! Next time we meet up, we should have a potluck!

Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere

Wednesday 5th of August 2015

I loved reading about how you met Isabel! You never know what simple things may change your life! This is such a beautiful salad. I'm looking forward to grilling up some salmon and making it!

Bobbi from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen

Wednesday 5th of August 2015

This salad sounds amazing and is sooooo happening at my house soon since we have salmon from Kevin's fishing trip in the freezer!