Pesto Pasta Salad with Grilled Salmon
Pasta salad takes on a new look with spinach and kale, and tossed with a pesto vinaigrette. Delicious topped with grilled pesto salmon.
Servings: 6
Calories: 605kcal
Ingredients
- 13.25 oz. box of whole wheat or whole grain penne pasta cooked till al dente, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 c. baby kale
- 1 1/2 c. spinach
- 2 c. halved grape tomatoes
- 1 1/2 c. diced fresh mozzarella about 8 oz.
- 1/4 c. sliced kalamata olives
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice or the juice of one lemon
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 Tbsp. pesto divided
- 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. salmon fillets
Instructions
- Prepare salad by tossing together cooked pasta, kale, spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella, and kalamata olives.
- In a small jar mix together lemon juice, garlic, and 3 Tbsp. pesto. Add olive oil and blend vinaigrette together with a hand blender or by capping the jar and shaking all ingredients until well blended.
- Take a paper towel and lightly pat the salmon dry. Then spread the last tbsp. of pesto evenly on the flesh side of each salmon fillet.
- Preheat grill to medium high and place salmon on grates flesh side down. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and then check to see if the salmon will easily release from the grates. If so, flip the fillets over so the skin side is down. Cook another 8-10 minutes or until flesh flakes easily. Remove from grill and let rest.
- Drizzle vinaigrette over salad ingredients and tossed gently. Divide salad onto plates.
- Gently cut salmon into bite size pieces and arrange on top of each plated salad. Serve immediately.