Crispy-Skin Salmon with Butter Bean Salad
High-protein | High-fibre | Gluten-free
A fresh, protein & fibre-rich salmon salad with creamy lemon-garlic yoghurt. Both the butter bean salad and the yoghurt taste even better the next day, so this is the perfect recipe for meal prep or lunchboxes. The bean salad makes more than you need for 2, so you can play around with protein combinations the next day - it would be lovely with some rotisserie chicken, pan-fried cod, or even some hot smoked salmon if you want to make it speedier and easier without even having to turn the hob on!
If you like this recipe, try my Salmon & Peanut Power Slaw.
Tips & Tricks
Beans: Use good-quality jarred butter beans if you can - I’m a big fan of the Bold Bean Co Queen Butter Beans. They’re softer, creamier and much nicer in a salad than standard tinned beans.
Salmon skin: Pat the salmon skin dry really well before cooking. This helps it crisp up properly in the pan.
Garlic: If your garlic cloves are very punchy/large, start with half/one clove in the yoghurt, taste, then add more if needed.
Yoghurt: The recipe is intended with authentic Greek yoghurt, not ‘plain’, ‘natural’ or ‘Greek-style’ as they are not as thick or protein-rich
Equipment.
sharp knife & chopping board
frying pan
kitchen roll
mixing bowl
Ingredients.
Salmon:
2 salmon fillets, skin on
Neutral oil, such as avocado or sunflower oil
Salt and pepper
Extra basil, chives or parsley, to serve
Yoghurt:
Approx. 150g Greek yoghurt, see note
Zest of 1 lemon
1–2 garlic cloves
Salad:
1 jar butter beans, see notes
⅓ cucumber
A handful of cherry tomatoes, roughly the same amount as the cucumber
A generous handful of fresh basil leaves
2–3 tbsp capers
8-10 Kalamata olives
1 tsp dried oregano
A generous pinch of salt
A few tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Method.
Take the salmon fillets out of the fridge and place them on kitchen paper. Leave them to come closer to room temperature while you make the bean salad, and pat the skin dry well.
Drain and rinse the butter beans, then add them to a large bowl.
Finely chop the cucumber and quarter the cherry tomatoes, then add them to the beans. Tear or roughly chop the basil, halve (and pit if necessary) the olives, and add those too, along with the capers, dried oregano and a generous pinch of salt.
Drizzle over a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and squeeze in the lemon juice. Toss everything together, then taste and adjust with more salt, lemon or olive oil if needed. Set aside while you cook the salmon.
Season the salmon well with salt on all sides, and ensure it’s dry and at room temperature.
Preheat your pan on a medium heat for a few minuets
Add a splash of neutral oil and place the salmon skin-side down in the oil. Cook on a medium-high heat until the skin is crisp and the salmon is mostly cooked through. Flip and cook briefly on the top side until just done (a minute or 2 only), then remove from the pan and leave to rest.
While the salmon is cooking/resting, make the lemon-garlic yoghurt. Add the Greek yoghurt to a bowl with the lemon zest. Crush or finely grate in the garlic, season with salt and pepper, then mix well. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
Spoon the lemon-garlic yoghurt onto plates, pile the butter bean salad alongside, then top with the salmon. Finish with extra chopped herbs if using.
Crispy-skin salmon with tomato, basil, caper & olive butter bean salad, on a lemon-garlic yoghurt.