Pasta Salad w/ Salmon & Avocado
This Salmon Pasta Salad consists of cherry tomatoes, jalapeños, zucchini, olive oil, lemon juice, avocado, feta, and a dash of salt and pepper. Although you can easily mix and match the produce and spices to your own personal tastes and preferences or what you have on hand.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Stovetop
- Barbecue (or oven)
- Cast Iron Skillet or Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1 fillet salmon
- dash salt
- dash pepper
- splash olive oil
- 1 lemon sliced
- 1/2 onion sliced
Pasta
- 1 lbs. pasta (shape of choice, I used fusilli)
Salad
- 2 jalapeños minced
- 1 zucchini sliced
- 10 oz. cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 avocado sliced
- splash olive oil
- splash lemon juice
- dash salt
- dash pepper
- 4 oz. feta crumbled
Instructions
Barbecue Salmon
- Let the salmon rest until it reaches room temperature.
- Meanwhile, preheat barbecue to medium heat.
- I grilled a rather large salmon, so I turned all 4 burners to medium. For smaller fillets, either cut the temperature or cooking time slightly. Although the same basic principles will apply, regardless of size.
- Place salmon skin-side down on a griddle or baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and add a dash of salt and pepper. Slice a lemon and half of an onion. Place evenly on top of the salmon.
- Bake salmon for 12-15 minutes, or until the salmon begins to flake. Salmon tends to be cooked when it loses the bright color and you can take a fork and it easily separates. Larger cuts of salmon may take upwards of 20 minutes. Smaller, individual portions may take less time. It's best to begin checking after 10 minutes of cooking and adjust the cooking time to the doneness of your filet.
Pasta
- Add about 4 inches of water to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.You can also make the pasta ahead of time. The salmon will need to rest and the pasta will need to chill before serving. Although the exact order that you do that in can vary!
- Cook pasta according to the manufacturer's instructions. This typically entails boiling for about 8-12 minutes, or until al dente.
- Remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator.
Assemble Salad
- Mix together pasta, salmon, produce, a splash of olive oil and lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper.Exactly how much olive oil and lemon juice you use is a personal preference. You're just looking for a light coating on the pasta to keep everything from sticking together and add just a little bit of flavor. I tend to eyeball it because the exact amount will vary depending on how cooked the pasta is and how much produce you add in.
- Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator. Pasta salad is a great dish to make ahead of time. Just make sure to add the feta right before serving. Cheese doesn't sit quite as well coated in olive oil and is best served fresh!