Thick, glossy, and syrupy-sweet with an acidic undertone, balsamic glaze brings instant elegance and dynamic flavor to any dish. Balsamic glaze enhances the fatty, rich flavor of salmon—the oily fish allows the delicate honeyed fruity glaze to linger on the tongue. We love balsamic glazed salmon served atop a bed of chewy, hearty, bitter kale with crunchy bits of shredded red cabbage and carrots, creamy avocado, and the nutty crunch of toasted pine nuts for a Whole30, Primal/paleo Big Ass Salad. Spritzed with a fresh burst of sunny lemony citrus, this salad balances contrasting textures and flavors with panache.

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Balsamic Glazed Salmon with Kale & Avocado Salad

Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 6-ounce wild salmon fillet
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze made with Primal Kitchen Organic Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
• 4 cups kale
• 2 tablespoons carrots, shredded
• 1 tablespoon red cabbage, shredded
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 large lemon wedge

Instructions

*See section below titled How to Make Balsamic Glaze or Balsamic Reduction

• Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place a rack in the middle of the oven.
• Place salmon filet, skin side down, on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Run your forefinger over the top of the salmon to feel for any small bones. If you find any, remove the bones with tweezers (eye brow tweezers even work here as long as they're clean!). Season the salmon with salt and pepper.
• Place the salmon on the middle rack of the oven, and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 145ºF. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Meanwhile, while the salmon is cooking, make the balsamic glaze (see instructions below). 
• Place the kale in a large serving bowl. Add shredded carrots, cabbage, toasted pine nuts, and the avocado half on top. Add cooked salmon. 
• Spoon balsamic glaze on top of the salmon and kale. Serve balsamic glazed salmon and the salad with a large wedge of lemon.

How to Make Balsamic Glaze or Balsamic Reduction

A thick, syrupy sauce that intensifies the grape must flavor of high-quality balsamic vinegar, balsamic glaze is made by reducing balsamic vinegar by more than half its volume. Some recipes advise that you add sugar to the balsamic vinegar to make it intensely sweet like a syrup, we don't believe added sugar is necessary if you use a high-quality, pure balsamic vinegar from Italy.

To make a balsamic glaze:

• Heat up two cups of Primal Kitchen Organic Balsamic Vinegar of Modena in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring the balsamic vinegar to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vinegar reduces to about 1/2 cup. This takes about 20 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool completely before serving (about 15 minutes).

Nutrition info of Balsamic Glazed Salmon with Kale & Avocado Salad (per serving):

Calories: 478

Carbs: 36 grams

Net Carbs: 25 grams

Fat: 20 grams

Protein: 44 grams

Nutrition information calculated using Cronometer.

You might also like these other Whole30 recipes:

• Balsamic Roasted Vegetables 4 Ways
• Keto & Whole30 Dijon Mustard Salmon
• Savory Salmon Cakes
• Whole30 Instant Pot Ranch Chicken
• Whole30 Lasagna
• Whole30 Breakfast Casserole
• Whole30 Spicy Shrimp Salad
• Shortcut Whole30 Bolognese
• Whole30 Macro Bowl