Baked Salmon with Spinach Strawberry Salsa Recipe

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Adding fish to your diet brings health benefits, and pairing it with a chilled spinach strawberry salsa makes for a bright and healthy summer meal 

“In the summer months, I love grilling and smoking all kinds of meats,” said Josh Broadbent, executive sous chef for Intermountain Healthcare. “While not a traditional salsa, the spinach strawberry salsa is a great, well-rounded addition to the dish, with a ton of flavor from jalapenos and cucumbers in the mix. I love how bright the salsa tastes, and it really makes the baked salmon pop.”  

Baked salmon is a simple dish rich in omega 3 fatty acids and is great for heart and brain health. Eating whole fish has been shown to be more protective than taking a fish oil supplement, likely due to the presence of protective nutrients such as selenium and antioxidants that are found in fish but not fish oil supplements. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish, particularly fatty fish like salmon, at least twice weekly. 

Here’s the recipe: 

Yield: 5 Servings 

Ingredients: 

Baked Salmon 

2 ½ tsp. Olive Oil 

5 each Atlantic Salmon, 4 oz, Skinless, Thawed 

2 ½ tsp. Lemon Zest 

¼ tsp. Kosher Salt 

¼ tsp. Black Pepper, Ground 

5 each Lemon Slices, Sliced Thin 

Spinach Strawberry Salsa 

1 ¼ cups Fresh Strawberries, Diced 

1 ½ cups Spinach, Chiffonade 

½ each Cucumber, Peeled, Diced 

1 each Kiwi, Peeled, Diced 

¼ cups Jalapeno, De-Seeded, Minced 

2 tsp Mint, Chiffonade 

1 ½ tsp Lemon Juice 

1 ½ tsp Honey 

¼ tsp Salt Kosher 

Preparations: 

1. Preheat oven to 350F. 
2. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil, place salmon skin side down. 
3. Sprinkle with lemon zest, salt and pepper. 
4. Cover the baking dish with parchment paper and foil; bake for 17 minutes or until an internal temperature of 145F is reached. 

Spinach & Strawberry Salsa: 

1. Prepare all fresh ingredients and place into a large bowl. 
2. Combine the Lemon Juice, Honey, and Salt in a small bowl. 
3. Add the juice mixture to the fresh ingredient and carefully combine to prevent the ingredients from breaking down. 

Plate Assembly: 

Divided equally between the plates. Place the Salmon in the center of the plate. This dish pairs nicely with a rice pilaf or roasted red potatoes. 

215 Calories/ 255 mg Sodium/ 40% Cal/Fat 

For more information, go to www.intermountainhealthcare.org.