Whenever I ask my readers what kind of recipes they want to see more of, there is always an overwhelming request for easy weeknight dinner recipes. I get it. Dinner can be a struggle to get on the table at the end of the day, and not to mention the dishes that follow. As much as I love spending time in the kitchen, I am always challenging myself to come up with healthy meal ideas that can be made ahead of time, and that require very few dishes. Now, before you roll your eyes at a salad recipe, hear me out on this one. This salad is so versatile, pretty much any type of veggies and protein work. And the best part is that you can make the dressing, assemble the salad and even cook the protein ahead of time. This recipe definitely checks all the boxes which makes for the perfect weeknight (or any night) dinner solution!

I used fresh salmon in this recipe, but chicken, steak or any other kind of protein would be great. You could even pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store to make things even easier!

To make this salad ahead of time, I made the dressing (recipe below) and put it in a jar in the fridge. I then washed and cut up the lettuce and veggies, and assembled them on a platter. You could either cook the protein ahead of time or wait until right before you are going to serve it. I put plastic wrap on it and stuck it in the fridge and when I got home from a long day, dinner was done and ready to eat!

I hope you give this recipe a try on a weeknight when you're in need of an easy dinner! Also let me know what your go-to weeknight dinner recipes are :)

Salmon Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

2, 6 ounce center cut salmon filets
1 head red leaf lettuce, washed and cut
1 ear white corn, kernels removed
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 cup green olives (natural green olives, not "martini" olives)
1/2 cup hearts of palm, cut on the diagonal
2 medium carrots, cut on the diagonal
1 ripe avocado, diced
Optional: 1/2 cup feta cheese and pecans

Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients:

1 small shallot, minced
1 tsp. honey
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper on salmon filets. On a prepared baking sheet, place the salmon into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until flakey.
Arrange the greens on a large serving platter. Arrange the other veggies around the platter.
Mix all of the dressing ingredients until well combined.
Place the salmon on top of the salad. Drizzle the salad with vinaigrette dressing, and enjoy!

*The vinaigrette recipe was adapted from this source.