grilled asparagus & wild king salmon with shallot-ginger vinaigrette

Looking for a delicious summery low-carb dish? You can’t go wrong with this grilled asparagus & wild king salmon. Enjoy it on top of your favorite greens and dress it with a yummy shallot-ginger vinaigrette. Pure perfection.

Full credit goes to the originator of the recipe, Chef Tom Douglas. He offers us the perfect combination of grilled foods on a bed of fresh salad greens, topped off with the most delicious vinaigrette. The only changes I made to the recipe were the ones necessary to make the vinaigrette gluten-free and low-carb.

Let’s start at the beginning by gathering what you need for the Shallot-Ginger Vinaigrette…

That way the flavors will have a chance to blend while we finish up at the grill. The longer the vinaigrette sits, the better it tastes.

• Sherry vinegar – Characterized by its complex, nutty, and slightly sweet flavor, sherry vinegar is more complex than other vinegars. The best choice for a substitution would be red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed is always best.
• Shallots – Finely minced or grated. Shallots are often used to brighten vinaigrettes because of their mild, sweet flavor that’s often described as a mix of onion and garlic.
• Tamari – Tamari is a Japanese version of soy sauce that is typically gluten-free and made with a higher concentration of soybeans, resulting in a richer, thicker, and less salty flavor than traditional soy sauce. If replacing with soy sauce, you may want to choose the low-sodium version.
• Fresh ginger root – Freshly grated. Ginger root adds a distinct, spicy, aromatic flavor. Fresh ginger is sweeter with more complex flavor than its ground counterpart. If you must substitute with dried ginger, use a half teaspoon instead of the two teaspoons of fresh.
• Stevia – Sugar substitute used if trying to limit the number of carbs in the vinaigrette. If replacing with sugar, start with three times the amount of stevia and taste as you go.
• Asian bbq sauce – Asian barbecue sauce is a sweet, savory, and sometimes spicy sauce that can be used for grilling, marinating, or dipping. It can include ingredients like soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil. For this recipe, I chose a brand that is certified gluten-free.
• Fresh garlic – Finely minced. To avoid unwanted chunks, use your garlic press or cheese grater.
• Extra-virgin olive oil – My favorite is a single source EVOO from Italy. Less processing = healthier more delicious olive oil.

As previously mentioned, I used San-J Gluten-Free Reduced Sodium Tamari in place of regular soy sauce along with San-J Gluten-Free Asian BBQ Sauce so that I could offer this dish to my gluten intolerant loved ones.

Feel free to use regular sauces if you prefer.

Too much is way better than too little…

You will have quite a bit of dressing left over. Be sure to place it in an airtight jar and stash it away in the fridge for next time.

Gather up the salad ingredients…

• Fresh asparagus – Choose stalks that are neither too thick or too thin so that they hold up well during the grilling process. If you’re fortunate enough to find white asparagus, go for it.
• Boneless wild king salmon filets – The salmon is the star of the show here. Choose the best available to you.
• Olive oil – My preference is always extra-virgin olive oil. It adds a pronounced peppery fruity flavor. As an alternative, you could use any neutral oil such as avocado oil or refined coconut oil. It’s advisable to avoid seed oils since they can be toxic when heated. 
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh salad greens – Good options would be baby arugula, spring mix and/or baby spinach. 
• Toasted sesame seeds – Toasted sesame seeds have a richer, more nutty flavor and a slightly crispier texture compared to raw sesame seeds.
• Lemon wedges – For serving, if desired.

Let’s talk salmon…

If you want to create a dish that shines, the salmon that you choose will make all the difference. What you see pictured here is wild-caught king salmon, also known as chinook salmon. Typically, the best wild-caught salmon comes from the Pacific Ocean. Most of the commercially sold salmon from the Atlantic Ocean is farm-raised …not what I would normally choose.

Before grilling, be sure to oil the salmon well so that it doesn’t stick to the grill. A generous amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper is then applied.

Get that grill nice and hot…

• Preheat the gas grill to medium heat. The grill must be preheated so that the grates are smokin’ hot.
  
• Wash the asparagus.
• Break off the woody bases where spears snap easily.
• Measure the thickness of salmon.
• Brush asparagus and salmon with olive oil.
• Sprinkle generously with salt & pepper.
  

Place the salmon on the hot grate, skin side up first. Don’t try to flip it until it’s ready …about 5 to 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filet.

• Place the salmon and asparagus directly on grill rack over medium heat.
• The asparagus should be placed horizontally across the rack so that they don’t fall through.
• Grill the salmon for 4 to 6 minutes per side for each 1/2-inch of thickness.
• Or, until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
• Grill asparagus about 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender, rolling the spears over to cook all sides.

Time to build your very own Grilled Asparagus & Wild King Salmon Salad…

• Just before serving, whisk the vinaigrette.
• In a large bowl, toss the fresh salad greens with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.

Divide the dressed greens mixture between two plates.

• Toss the asparagus with another 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
• Arrange the asparagus on top of each plate of greens.
• Place a salmon portion on top of each salad.
• Drizzle with 3 to 4 tablespoons of vinaigrette on each salmon serving.
• Sprinkle generously with the toasted sesame seeds.
• Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
  

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have personally experienced all of these products, and I recommend them because I have found them to be of superior quality. We appreciate your support.

More grilled greatness…