Gluten-Free Blackened Salmon Salad

Fresh salmon is seared until it’s perfectly blackened for this vibrant blackened salmon salad—a delicious, light meal ideal for summer evenings.

This recipe was inspired by a memorable salad I enjoyed on an anniversary getaway. The marinated salmon was beautifully cooked and served on a bed of fresh spring greens and spinach with sweet mandarin orange segments. It was so good I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and I knew I wanted to recreate a blackened salmon salad at home.

I used Wild Alaskan Sockeye salmon for this dish, buying frozen fillets from my local store. Alaska supplies a large portion of North America’s salmon, and frozen fillets make cooking seafood at home easy and convenient. Sockeye is a family favorite for its rich flavor and firm texture.

This salad comes together quickly—about 45 minutes from start to finish—making it a practical and healthy weeknight option. The salmon provides high-quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids, while the greens, spinach and mandarin oranges boost iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. If you’re new to cooking seafood, frozen salmon fillets are a great place to begin: they’re boneless and usually have skin on only one side, which is easy to remove after cooking.

In this recipe, the salmon marinates briefly in a simple gluten-free soy sauce and honey mixture while you prepare a fruity vinaigrette and assemble the salad. You can marinate the salmon earlier in the day to deepen the flavor and save time when you cook.

If you prefer, grill the salmon instead of pan-searing; grilling will add smoky char and reduce cleanup. If you’re not comfortable with a gas grill, a hot skillet works perfectly for achieving a crisp, blackened exterior. After searing the skin side first, flip and finish cooking until the salmon flakes easily.

For the dressing I made a simple huckleberry vinaigrette using frozen wild huckleberries. Huckleberries grow locally where I live and add a lovely tart-sweet note to the vinaigrette. If huckleberries aren’t available, you can substitute blueberries, raspberries or blackberries. I keep the dressing balanced rather than overly sweet because the salmon marinade and mandarin slices already contribute sweetness; add a touch more honey if you prefer a sweeter vinaigrette.

This salad is a full meal that’s easy to adapt. Serve it warm or at room temperature, and feel free to swap greens or add extras like toasted nuts or avocado slices for more texture and richness.

I hope you enjoy this salad. I’d love to hear what your favorite seafood is and how you like to prepare it.

Gluten-free Blackened Salmon Salad recipe:

Yield: 4 servings

Blackened Salmon Salad with Huckleberry Vinaigrette {Gluten-free}

Fresh salmon is seared to a crisp, blackened finish and served over spring greens and spinach with mandarin oranges and a bright huckleberry vinaigrette. Quick, flavorful, and naturally gluten-free.

Prep Time
20 minutes

Cook Time
8 minutes

Total Time
28 minutes

Ingredients

Salmon:

• 1 1/2 – 2 lbs. boneless Wild Alaskan Sockeye salmon fillets, thawed (leave skin on one side)
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce (Tamari works well)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil (for skillet)

Vinaigrette:

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup frozen huckleberries (or blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon honey

Salad:

• 5 oz. organic spring lettuce mix
• 5 oz. organic baby spinach
• 1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained

Instructions

Marinate the salmon:

1. Whisk together honey, gluten-free soy sauce, minced garlic, and pepper. Place salmon fillets and marinade in a resealable bag or container. Refrigerate while you prepare the dressing.

Make the vinaigrette:

1. Combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, frozen huckleberries (or substitute berries), water and honey in a blender or use an immersion blender. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small pitcher or jar for serving.

Assemble and cook:

1. Divide the spring lettuce mix, baby spinach and mandarin orange segments among four plates.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove salmon from the refrigerator and add to the skillet skin side down. Discard any leftover marinade. Cook 3–4 minutes until the skin side is dark but not burnt. Flip and cook another 3–4 minutes. If you prefer, use a fork or knife to peel the skin off the cooked side and discard. Salmon is done when it flakes easily.
3. Divide the cooked salmon among the prepared salad plates. Drizzle with desired amount of huckleberry vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Notes

I use San-J Tamari gluten-free soy sauce. Blueberries or raspberries make excellent substitutes for huckleberries in the vinaigrette.

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This post was developed in partnership with Alaska Seafood. All opinions are my own. Collaborations like these help keep new recipes coming—thank you for your support!