It occurs to me, belatedly, that since I threw down some sliced avocado action on this salad at the last minute, I could have called it a salmon BLAT salad. But I refuse to use such a gross sounding acronym. I can’t tell you why I’m ok with Salmon BLT, while the mere addition of an ‘A’ offends me, but there you go.
This salmon BLT doesn’t just have avo in the mix, it’s also ticking off all my major favorite flavors and textures. Let’s see: flaky salmon, crispy bacon, crunchy veggies and a creamy dressing that’s got that little something ‘extra’ compared to a typical, dairy based ranch.
So let’s talk about that tahini twist! Giving this dressing both its unctuous body and lightly nutty flavor is my always-beloved but not always tolerated pantry favorite, tahini.
Maybe you’ve already noticed, but I’ve had some recipes with new ingredients creeping onto the blog lately. And tahini is one of them, since I have successfully been able to bring it back into my face & favorite dishes without any problems. As my dietary horizons have broadened out over the last few years, I’ve decided to start reflecting that here in the blog. (Right now, this is my favorite, creamy dreamy tahini. So, so good.)
Being able to incorporate new, fresh, healthy & delicious ingredients here is such a joy to be able to share. Case in point, this Salmon BLT is totally brought together by the tahini, is sprinkled with a delicious Everything Bagel Seasoning blend and is dotted with juicy, sweet cherry tomatoes. I wasn’t able to tolerate any of these ingredients for a long time, so I’m thrilled to be able to do so successfully these days!
Nothing much will change around here too drastically, though. I’ll still be offering AIP recipes, but now I’ll also be able to share extra recipes each week that will allow all of my new-to-me ingredients to shine for those of you who also have successful re-introductions… or who were sweet enough to follow me here even though we didn’t share the same dietary needs. Onwards, my friends, to more awesomeness on all of our plates!
With all of that said… if you would like to make this AIP friendly, it’s as simple as swapping in your favorite AIP ranch dressing, skipping the tomatoes and sprinkling with fresh chives, dill & crunchy dried minced onion in place of the Everything Bagel Seasoning. I like to mix those onion bits with a little non fortified nutritional yeast, too, for a parm-like finishing touch!
Take a peek in the bottom right corner of the photo above and you’ll see the yummy dried minced onions that I like to use. They’re crispy & crunchy… and definitely not to be confused with onion powder. I’ll admit to eating them straight out of the package sometimes!
PrintSalmon BLT Salad with Tahini Ranch Dressing
This take on a salmon BLT is fully loaded with flaky fish, crispy bacon, crunchy veggies & creamy avocado, all drizzled with a fun tahini twist on typical ranch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: salad, seafood
- Method: oven
Ingredients
For the salmon:
- 1 1/2 lbs / 680 g skin-on salmon fillet
- 2 tbsp / 30 ml olive oil
- salt & pepper, to taste
For the tahini ranch dressing:
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml smooth tahini
- 2 tbsp / 30 ml fresh lemon juice, or preservative free bottled lemon juice
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml cold water
- 1 tbsp dried chives, I like these
- 1 tsp / 4 g dried minced onion
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt & pepper, to taste
For the salmon BLT salad:
- 4 slices of bacon
- 2 romaine hearts, washed & chopped
- 2 thinly sliced baby cucumbers
- 1 cup / 160 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 thinly sliced radishes
- 4 sliced green onions
- thinly sliced red onion, optional, to taste
- 1 avocado, halved & thinly sliced
To garnish:
- everything bagel seasoning
- fresh chives
- fresh dill
- lemon wedges
Instructions
ROAST: Preheat the oven to 400 F / 205 C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place the salmon, skin side down, onto the sheet. Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and brush it over to coat evenly, then season to taste with salt & pepper. Slide the salmon into the oven and cook until the salmon is opaque on the outside, just beginning to flake and still just a tad pink in the middle, about 8 – 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove from the oven and let cool on the tray just enough to handle.
BLEND: Add the tahini & lemon juice to a mini food processor and whizz until thickened but combined. Slowly drizzle in the cold water 1 tablespoon / 15 ml at a time, blending until smooth each time. Remove the lid & blade from the food processor and add the remaining dressing ingredients, stirring to combine. Adjust the salt and pepper, to taste, and add additional water only if you would like a thinner dressing. Set aside.
CRISP: Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisped to your liking, then remove to a paper towel lined plate to cool. Chop into bite size pieces.
ASSEMBLE: Divide the ingredients between plates or pile onto a platter. Start with the chopped romaine & sliced cucumbers. Remove the now cooled salmon from its skin and gently flake the fish over the top of the greens. Scatter over the halved tomatoes, sliced radishes & onions. Top with the crispy bacon, avocado and sprinkle over any garnishes you like. Drizzle with the tahini ranch and serve immediately.
Notes
Make it AIP:
- skip the tomatoes
- serve with your favorite AIP ranch dressing
- swap the Everything Bagel Seasoning for these crunchy dried minced onions and dried chives instead
Rachael, this looks AMAZING! I need to learn some salad styling tricks from you, because hot damn!