
Coho Salmon and Orzo Salad with Feta, Summer Squash, and Herbs
August 31st, 2022A Simple Dish Featuring Bold, Fresh Flavors
This recipe for a salmon orzo salad layers flavor on top of flavor with bold ingredients like coho salmon, feta cheese, mint and basil. The key to balancing this dish — which is delicious warm, at room temperature or even cold the next day — is the al dente sautéed summer squash and orzo, both mild ingredients that absorb the intensity of the other components of the salad.
You’ll want to use a block of feta instead of pre-crumbed, if possible. Be sure to use a spatula when adding the contents of your squash saucepan into the salad mixing bowl — every last drop of oil should make it into the finished product. The same goes for the salmon pan drippings.
The WAC recipe team featured this Coho Orzo Salad in a live event! Watch the recording of the cooking demo to see how it's made.
About Chef Alexandra: Alexandra Albrecht has been working as a personal chef in New York City and Long Island for over 10 years. Whether she’s cooking for clients, teaching cooking classes or preparing dinner for her family of three, she centers her ethics of sourcing the finest seasonal ingredients to ensure delicious, balanced and nutrient-dense meals. She is also a professional dancer and therefore has a deep personal understanding of how proper nutrition fuels a healthy, active lifestyle.
Coho Salmon and Orzo Salad with Feta, Summer Squash, and Herbs
By Wild Alaskan Company
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total time
30 minutes
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (6 oz.) portion sockeye salmon or coho salmon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 summer squash, chopped
- ⅔ cup orzo
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ¾ cup equal parts basil and mint, rough chopped
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Set a medium pot of salted water on a burner to boil.
2. Set a saucepan over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, onion, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions have softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium, add squash and sauté until turning golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
3. Pat salmon fillet dry, then arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness of fillet. Fish is medium-rare when internal temperature reaches 120F at its thickest part on an instant-read thermometer, or when it flakes easily with a fork. Add a couple more minutes of cook time until salmon has reached desired doneness, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain, but do not rinse, and pour into a medium mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, feta, and contents of pan. Flake salmon into the mixing bowl with your hands or a fork, and gently stir. Fold in herbs just before serving. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 days.
Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.