Salmon Salad is a light, zesty, and refreshing salad made with pan-seared salmon, cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion, topped with a homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing. If you love salmon, be sure to also make my Air Fryer Salmon Bites with Garlic Cream Sauce.
Salmon Salad
I have definitely been on a salmon kick lately from my Chili Lime Salmon with Pineapple Salsa to my Blackened Salmon with Avocado Corn Salsa. With all the health benefits it has to offer, it’s nice to have a few options for recipes. This salad is a refreshing way to enjoy salmon in a lettuce salad with a homemade dressing.
Salad Ingredients
Dressing: The homemade dressing is a lemon vinaigrette that brings lots of tangy lemon taste to every bite. You could also use store-bought lemon vinaigrette.
Mustard: Although we used course Dijon mustard in the dressing, you could use regular Dijon mustard or even yellow mustard.
Salmon: Salmon is full of nutritious value. It is full of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation. Salmon is also a wonderful source of protein and contains many vitamins and nutrients that are extremely beneficial.
Lettuce: I used about 1 1/2 romaine hearts for a total of 4 cups of greens. You could use your favorite blend of greens like a spring mix or iceberg lettuce.
When is Salmon Done Cooking?
Salmon can be a bit tricky to cook. The first step is to let the salmon sit out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before cooking it. This will help it cook more evenly.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, salmon is cooked through when the thickest part reaches 145°F on a meat thermometer. But, you can remove salmon from the oven, skillet, or grill closer to 130°F for a medium-cooked salmon; it will continue to cook after being removed from heat.
If you don’t have a thermometer, salmon is done cooking when it is a bit flaky when using a fork and the outside is opaque pink. Overcooking salmon will make it dry. If possible, get a meat thermometer to use. Once it has been cooked, let it rest for a few minutes before cutting.
How to Serve Salmon Salad
This salad can be enjoyed hot or cold. In fact, some people actually prefer to let salmon cool before eating it. You will still get its full flavor, and it is perfect for adding to salads.
How Long will Salmon Salad Last?
You can store this salad, without the dressing, for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Add the dressing when ready to enjoy.
Can I Make the Salmon in an Air Fryer?
Yes! I love cooking salmon in the air fryer because it comes out perfectly cooked every time. Set the temperature of the air fryer to 390°F. Rub the salmon with the tablespoon of the lemon vinaigrette dressing. Then, cook the salmon for about 10 minutes, depending on the size of the fillets. (A smaller single filet will cook in 6 minutes.) Again, a meat thermometer comes in super handy when checking the salmon for doneness.
More Delicious Salads
Salmon Salad
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
- ¼ cup (61 g) lemon juice, about 2 small lemons, juiced
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon coarse Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup (53 g) extra-virgin olive oil
Salmon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound salmon fillets, skin removed
Salad
- 4 cups romaine lettuce, roughly chopped (1-2 romaine hearts)
- ½ large cucumber, cut into thin rounds then halved (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup (149 g) grape tomatoes, quartered
- ½ medium red onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)
Instructions
Dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, garlic, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. While continuing to whisk, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream until fully combined.
- Drizzle a tablespoon of the dressing over the salmon, using your hands to gently coat all sides. Place the remaining mixture into the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the salmon and the salad.
Salmon
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add salmon and sear (about 3-4 minutes). Flip and repeat on the opposite side, until cooked through (about 3-4 more minutes), for a total of 6-8 minutes. Salmon should reach an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Remove the salmon from the skillet and let it rest for a few minutes before cutting it into bite-sized pieces.
Salad
- In a large bowl add lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and onion. Top with cooked salmon (warm or cold). Drizzle with the remaining dressing.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
This salad was delicious, especially with lettuce right from our CSA farm today. I used extra tomatoes to finish what I had. So good! Personal preference next time, would be less garlic. Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe!