Salmon Avocado Salad with Lychee and Sesame Dressing: an easy, healthy and elegant salad — an Asian classic with a sweet seasonal twist.
For anyone pursuing a healthy start to the year, who loves Asian-inspired flavors and is wondering what to do with lychee: this Salmon Avocado Salad with Lychee and Sesame Dressing is for you. Raw salmon and avocado pair beautifully — add rice and you have sushi. I’m a long-time sushi enthusiast, and this combination captures that familiar richness with a fresh, fruity note. My husband disliked sushi before we met; now he enjoys it as much as I do.
On a recent trip to Moscow I ate more sushi than ever. Russian sushi isn’t necessarily strictly traditional — adaptations happen based on climate and available ingredients — but that creativity is part of its charm. Restaurants across the city offer inventive variations: warm and cold rolls, tempura, buckwheat or pesto-style twists, fillings from Kamchatka crab to smoked eel, and avocado rolls topped with salmon and cream cheese. With so many tempting choices I usually return to my favorite: a Philadelphia-style roll with cream cheese, avocado and salmon. These Russified sushi creations may not be purely authentic, but they are delicious and uniquely satisfying.
This salad was inspired by that same creative energy. I wanted to enhance the classic salmon-and-avocado pairing with something seasonal and sweet, so I added lychee. Beyond flavor, salmon and avocado deliver omega-3s, protein and vitamins, while lychee contributes fiber, vitamin C and B vitamins — plus a refreshing sweetness that pairs surprisingly well with fish and creamy avocado. To finish the dish I make a simple sesame dressing with soy sauce and chives — quick to prepare and full of flavor. For a polished presentation, arrange the salad with food-shaping molds, or simply plate it neatly.
Salmon Avocado Salad with Lychee and Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 250 grams raw salmon
- 2 ripe avocados
- 150 grams lychee (peeled and pitted)
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons chopped chives
- 1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of cayenne
Instructions
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Dice the salmon and the avocados into bite-sized pieces. Peel and pit the lychees, then dice them as well. Combine salmon, avocado and lychee gently in a bowl.
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Whisk together all dressing ingredients until well blended. Pour the dressing over the salad and let it sit for about 10 minutes so the flavors meld.
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For a refined presentation, use a food-shaping mold to plate the salad on two plates. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 34 g
| Protein: 34 g
| Fat: 59 g
Would you be interested in reading more about Russian sushi? I’m considering a post exploring the unique variations I discovered.
Cheers,
Elena