Sumac and smoked paprika-spiced, oven-roasted salmon with sweet potato, parsnip, and apple salad.
This post is a light fall dish with smoky sweet flavors and a hint of citrus.
The recipe for this salmon is straightforward and simple. But julienning 15 cups of vegetables can be a job. If you would like to split up the work, or do advanced prep, keep reading for a few tips.
The potatoes can be cut and rinsed in advance. Rinsing the potato removes some of the starch that can bleed into the dressing. Once rinsed, you will want to dry them to remove any excess moisture that can water down the salad. The parsnips can also be cut in advance and mixed with the potatoes. The apples, on the other hand, need to be sliced at the last minute. To prevent browning and keep their juices from thinning the dressing.
The dressing can be made ahead. But if mixed with the veggies too early, the salad will become soggy. Combine all the ingredients for the salad no more than 30 minutes before serving.
To make the salmon spice in advance, mix the dry ingredients in an airtight container and store it at room temperature until ready to use. Add the spice to the salmon right before placing it in the oven. If allowed to sit too long, the salmon’s moisture will dissolve the sugar in the mix resulting in a spiced syrup instead of a rub.
Spice Roasted Salmon and Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
Salmon
- 8- 6 ounce salmon fillets (48 ounces or 3 pounds total)
- 1 tbsp sumac
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp orange zest
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- salt as needed
Potato Salad
- 7 cups sweet potatoes peeled and julienne 3-4 small each
- 5 cups apple julienne 3-4 each
- 3 cups parsnips peeled and julienne 2-3 each
- 1 1/2 cups greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup chives
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 tsp honey
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp orange zest
Instructions
Salmon
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the orange zest between two paper towels and press to dry. Mix the zest with the remaining dry ingredients and spread out on a plate. Line a sheet pan with oiled parchment. Season the salmon fillets with salt. Press one side of the fillets into the spice mixture and place them spice side up on the sheet pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the fillets and bake for 10 minutes.
Potato Salad
- Julienne the potatoes on a mandolin slicer and rinse thoroughly with water. Dry the potatoes and place in a large mixing bowl. Julienne the apples and parsnips, add them to the bowl. Mix in the remaining ingredients and divide between 8 plates or refrigerate until needed. Place the salmon on top of the salad and serve immediately.
