A refreshingly beautiful plate of Salmon Salad hits your palate with a fiesta of greens paired with chunky seafood. You’ll surely fall in love with this healthy light dish you can serve on a weekly basis. Whip up this easy, colorful, and tasty recipe for your hassle-free weekend dinner!

Who says comfort food has to be unhealthy? I honestly think that anything that satisfies your cravings should be considered comfort food. Luckily, today’s recipe uses healthy wholesome ingredients you can easily find in the grocery all year round!

I love this recipe so much, I made it more than 3 times this past week! It’s a good thing that my hubby and son are really into my cravings as well, they actually requested for it again! Let me tell you all about how easy it is to make the best salmon salad!

Which Salmon to buy?

I know salmon can be a bit expensive so to get a bang for your buck, buy the best! Here are few tips on how to buy the best salmon for your recipe:

• Vibrant Colors: Easily enough, you can spot a good fish just by looking at it. It should show a vibrant orange to ivory-pink color. If it looks dull, it’s probably best you leave that alone.
• Cozy Aroma: If you manage to get close to a piece of salmon, try smelling it even from a distance. It should smell like a salty ocean breeze instead of fishy. Remember: if it’s fishy, it’s fishy.
• Plump and Moist: Give the fish a little press, it should spring back to its original shape almost immediately. Squishy and loose fish meat is always a sign of disaster.
• Clear Complexion: Avoid getting salmon slices with browned spots or bruising, it means that it wasn’t handled well during the shipment.
• Avoid Gapping: If you see the edges of the fish cut falling apart, it’s best to avoid that. It could be a sign of either bad meat or decomposition. You‘ll see this gapping when the meat parts easily collapse on their own. Yikes!
• Firmness: Try asking the butcher to lift the fish. The firmer salmon is, the better! If it’s floppy, it must be a flop. L

You can also buy frozen salmon especially if you have a trusted brand. Freezing the fish is one way to preserve its quality. Vacuum sealing is also another way to do this. Don’t be afraid to buy these, some may say that they are as good as fresh!

Recipe Ingredients

I don’t want to complicate your life with jargon and exotic ingredients. I can assure you that this salmon salad recipe is as simple as it can get. Here’s a list of fuss-free ingredients for this dish.

Marinade or Dressing

• Olive Oil – an aromatic oil perfect for all types of meats and veggies.
• Lemon Juice – An acidic liquid extracted from the lemon. It’s really sour but refreshing!
• Red Wine Vinegar (optional) – A fragrant yet sour vinegar that totally makes our dish posher. It’s made from fermenting red wine, as the name would suggest.
• Dijon Mustard – This tangy, sharp, and strong condiment is often shown as a yellow paste. you can mix it with other ingredients to make a sauce
• Fresh Dill – This gives you a grassy and earthy tone to your dish but once it dries out it becomes really bitter.
• Minced Garlic – Whether you use it fresh, dried, or powdered, this gives your whole dish a mouthwatering aroma. 
• Onion Powder – This dried seasoning distributes the rich onion flavor evenly throughout the meat. Using it in a brine gives the fish a sweet and aromatic internal flavor.
• Italian Seasoning – An ensemble of dried herbs that brings out true Mediterranean flavors for your dish. 
• Salt and Pepper – A pair I’m always happy to see. I use these to adjust the flavors.
• Skinless Salmon Fillets – This is our superstar right here! The main ingredient for our salad.

Salad Greens

• Romaine Lettuce – A deep green type of lettuce that’s so sensationally crunchy
• Cucumber – Nothing says fresh better than a slice of cool cucumber
• Cherry Tomatoes – This flavorful fruit bursts with flavor and juices. Try biting on one.
• Red Onion – A tangy ingredient that gives a burst of flavor in every bite.
• Red Bell Peppers – They are technically peppers but not the spicy kind. I love how they bring a fresh pulpy flavor to every dish.
• Black Olives – A plump ingredient that gives a mild salty taste to the whole dish. I often use it as a garnish.
• Avocado – The fresh creamy goodness of this ingredient makes any dish pairs with a total hit. It’s a huge plus that it’s vegan
• Lemon Wedges – Although it’s served as a garnish here, its citrusy freshness blesses the whole dish with a delectable tangy flavor

Storage and Making Ahead

Whenever I make salads, I always use a deep bowl because it makes mixing and storing easier. I seal the whole bowl with cling wrap and simply place it in the fridge. This gives my dish about 2 days before it goes bad.

Can I freeze my salad? Nope! Well, technically you can but, I’m telling you, fresh veggies don’t really last well. Because my recipe uses fresh ingredients, the shelf life of this dish is short, shorter if you try freezing it. Enjoy it fresh!

What goes with salmon?

Salmon is a very versatile ingredient which means it can go with a lot of other dishes. This salmon salad in particular makes a great combo with some of my previous dishes. Here are my top picks for the perfect pairings for this dish:

• Regular Roast Potatoes and Carrots are great for this dish because it doesn’t have any overpowering herbs. It highlights the freshness of the main dish.
• A small bowl of Blue Cheese Dressing is great, especially when pairing with fresh veggies.
• Slices of Homemade Garlic Bread is a great partner for this refreshing dish.

More Easy Salmon Recipes

• Salmon Burger
• Teriyaki Salmon
• Smoked Salmon Dip
• Cured Salmon
• Blackened Salmon

How to Make Salmon Salad?

Make the Dressing

• Mix all the salad dressing ingredients: Whisk together all of the salad dressing ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, dill, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Set aside in the refrigerator. (Photos 1-2)

Cook the Salmon

• Season and sear: Season salmon with salt and pepper, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear salmon on both sides until crispy and cooked to your liking. (Photos 3-4)

Prepare the salad

• Mix all salad ingredients: While salmon is cooking, prepare all of the salad ingredients and mix them on a plate or bowl. (Photos 5-8) 

Finishing Touches

• Preparation: Arrange salmon over salad. Drizzle with the salad dressing. Serve with avocado and lemon wedges.

Watch How to Make It

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Salmon Salad

Salmon Salad - perfectly seared salmon fillets with cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, olives, lettuce and avocado tossed in an incredible garlic lemon dressing. Fresh, colorful and super healthy!

5 from 3 votes

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 35 mins

American

Servings 2

Ingredients

Marinade/Dressing

• ▢ 3 tablespoons (44.36ml) olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (29.57ml) lemon juice freshly squeezed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (14.78ml) red wine vinegar (optional)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (4.2g) Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (14.17g) fresh dill
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (4.2g)  garlic minced
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon (1.05g) onion powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon (2.10g)  dried Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (4.2g)  salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon (2.1g) pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 (4-6 ounce each) skinless salmon fillets

Salad

• ▢ 4 cups (188g)  Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
• ▢ 1 cup (119g) cucumber quartered
• ▢ 2 cups (400g)  cherry tomatoes halved
• ▢ 1 110g  red onion sliced
• ▢ ½ cup (74.5g) red bell pepper sliced
• ▢ ⅓ cup (60g)  black olives, halved
• ▢ 1 (150g)  avocado, sliced
• ▢ lemon wedges to serve

Instructions

• In a small bowl, Whisk together all of the salad dressing ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, dill, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• Season salmon with salt and pepper, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear salmon on both sides until crispy and cooked to your liking.
• While salmon is cooking, prepare all of the salad ingredients and mix in a plate or bowl.
• Arrange salmon over salad. Drizzle with the salad dressing. Serve with avocado and lemon wedges.

Tips & Notes:

• Make the dressing ahead: Salad dressing can be made a few days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Make it colorful: Use different colors of bell peppers if you want a more Instagram-worthy plating.
• Mix and Match: Don’t be afraid to mix and match other meats such as chicken, tuna, or shrimp with this dish. You’ll never know what’ll surprise you.

Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1serving| Calories: 162kcal (8%)| Carbohydrates: 4.3g (1%)| Protein: 24.8g (50%)| Fat: 5.9g (9%)| Saturated Fat: 2.6g (16%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g| Cholesterol: 18mg (6%)| Sodium: 332mg (14%)| Potassium: 140mg (4%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 1.2g (1%)

Author: Imma

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy recipes, salad, salmon

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This was first posted on Aug 1, 2019.