Today’s salmon salad recipe introduces a side dish with delectable flavor and nutrition. The flavorful pan-seared salmon is layered on a bed of crunchy lettuce, cucumber, red onions, radish, cherry tomatoes, and chickpeas, then drizzled with olive oil dressing.
Savory, sweet, and tangy, our salmon salad has all the flavors you love, and requires little effort to put together. This salad is light enough to be served as a side for lunch and dinner, and an excellent meal to make using your leftover seared fish.
Is Salmon Salad Healthy?
With plenty of healthy fat from salmon and the various vegetables used in this recipe, our salmon salad turns out healthy and wholesome.
![Two hands holding a plate of salad consisting of lettuce, chickpeas, sliced radish, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and pan-seared salmon cubes](https://cdn.healthyrecipes101.com/recipes/images/salmons/is-this-salmon-salad-recipe-healthy-clbfx0kak009j46mr6qsc8dws.webp?w=1080&q=80)
The salad is nutrient-dense and low in calories. There are approximately 250 calories per serving, making the salad an ideal side to pair with a filling main dish.
Besides, our salmon salad is a balanced dish made with fish and vegetables, providing a good source of protein, fiber, and micronutrients. Each serving contains 54% of the recommended daily intake for vitamin K and 40% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) for vitamin B3.
Additionally, we keep the sodium, sugar, and saturated fat of one serving to a manageable 12%, 3%, and 15% respectively of the recommended daily intake from the USDA’s dietary guidelines. These amounts align with our healthy limits and will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Main Ingredients
Along with the visual and taste of a restaurant-quality side dish, our is made with easy-to-buy ingredients and is simple enough to customize to your liking.
1. Salmon
The versatile salmon is always the star of this favorite seafood salad. For this recipe, we used fresh salmon filets. We don't always recommend grocery store salmon filets because it’s hard to know how long they've been sitting out.
Unless you can go to the local market to buy freshly caught fish on that day, go the safe route and get the frozen salmon filets for the best quality.
![A round white plate containing two raw salmon fillets, a bowl of lettuce, a bowl of halved cherry tomatoes, and a bowl of chickpeas laid near various spices and condiments](https://cdn.healthyrecipes101.com/recipes/images/salmons/salmon-salad-ingredients-clbfx0dvp009h46mr5yt69jns.webp?w=1080&q=80)
2. Seasoning
The seasoning for salmon salad depends on how you plan on the dressing. Since we love to use a light dressing, there is plenty of room to play with condiments. Besides the basic combo of salt and pepper, here are some flavor enhancers that go well with salmon:
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Cajun seasoning
- Italian seasoning
- Chili pepper
3. Vegetables
Our rule for picking vegetables for this salmon salad is to keep things simple. Thus, we went with basic ingredients you can buy at any local store, such as crystal lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, radish, and red onions.
This combination adds texture and color to your salad, ensuring it looks and tastes like a summer in a bowl. Make sure you chop the veggies into bite-sized pieces so that you can have a little bit of everything in each bite.
4. Dressing
We like to keep things bright and flavorful for this salmon salad by making a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and ground pepper.
![A black spoon dispensing a thick and syrupy dressing onto slices of cucumbers, chickpeas, and cherry tomatoes of a salad](https://cdn.healthyrecipes101.com/recipes/images/salmons/salmon-salad-dressing-clbfx0i09009i46mr12180jbq.webp?w=1080&q=80)
For more flavor, try the blackening method in our blackened salmon recipe for your fish and add that to this salad.
How Long Does It Last in the Fridge?
If your salad is made using fresh salmon, it can last well in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. With canned salmon, it will keep for an extra 1 to 2 days.
Note that salmon should always be kept in an airtight container. Otherwise, the other foods in the fridge might absorb the aroma from the fish.
Storage and Freezing the Leftover Salad
This salmon salad is best when made fresh. If you want to store any leftovers from this salad, store the fish, veggies, and dressing in separate containers.
Alternatively, you can keep the ingredients together in one container but pack the dressing on the side since the liquid can make your salad soggy.
Raw veggies like cucumbers or lettuce don’t freeze well, so freezing the salmon salad is not a great idea. However, you could freeze the salmon, and prepare the vegetables and add the dressing after reheating the salmon.
What to Serve With
Packed with protein and vegetables, our salmon salad is hearty enough to be a light meal on its own. If you want to add some extra fiber, add some cauliflower rice or quinoa.
![A close-up shot of pan-seared salmon fillet cubes, red onion straws, and cherry tomatoes laid on lettuce leaves](https://cdn.healthyrecipes101.com/recipes/images/salmons/homemade-salmon-salad-recipe-clbfx0mgs009k46mrha3b7syd.webp?w=1080&q=80)
To incorporate the salad into lunch or dinner, we serve it with a filling main dish like pasta or casserole. Of course, a loaf of French bread or sandwiches could be a tasty addition as well.
With cooked salmon, you can also whip up a tasty burger. Get some buns and some greens, you can make a delicious burger.
Salmon Salad Recipe
Our 20-minute salmon salad recipe makes a protein-packed, delicious, and healthy side dish you'll come back to again and again.
- by Tuyet Pham, Luna Regina, 2022-06-15
- cook TIME 10 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 20 mins
- COURSE Side Dish
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 207 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 10 oz boneless salmon (filet)
- 4 oz canned chickpeas
- 4 oz crystal lettuce
- 4 oz cherry tomato (halved)
- 4 oz cucumber (sliced)
- 1 oz radish (sliced)
- 1 oz red onion (sliced)
- 0.5 oz feta cheese (crumbled)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper (divided)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
INSTRUCTIONS
Marinate 10 oz salmon with 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, and 1/4 tsp salt for 5 minutes.
![A hand dry-rubbing spices onto two raw salmon fillets laid on round white plate](https://cdn.healthyrecipes101.com/recipes/images/salmons/step-1-how-make-salmon-salad-clbfyqul800cq1hmreldefkwb.webp?w=1080&q=80)
Heat a skillet over small-medium heat, add 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Sear the salmon on all sides until crispy and cooked, about 7 minutes. Remove the salmon to a plate and set aside.
![A large pan cooking two salmon fillets whose skin is browned with black charred marks](https://cdn.healthyrecipes101.com/recipes/images/salmons/step-2-how-make-salmon-salad-clbfyqvk000cu1hmrfe8e8bmu.webp?w=1080&q=80)
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 2 tsp lemon juice. Set aside.
![A hand holding a black spoon and stirring a small glass bowl containing a dark yellow dressing that’s mixed with ground black pepper](https://cdn.healthyrecipes101.com/recipes/images/salmons/step-3-how-make-salmon-salad-clbfyquo300cr1hmrd7irbhdu.webp?w=1080&q=80)
Assemble 4 oz crystal lettuce, 4 oz cherry tomato, 4 oz cucumber, 1 oz radish, 1 oz red onion, 0.5 oz feta cheese, 4 oz chickpeas, and salmon on a salad plate. Drizzle with the dressing.
![A black spoon dispensing a syrupy and yellow dressing onto slices of cucumbers, chickpeas, feta cheese, and cherry tomatoes of a salad](https://cdn.healthyrecipes101.com/recipes/images/salmons/step-4-how-make-salmon-salad-clbfyqvic00ct1hmr44qvflvg.webp?w=1080&q=80)
Serve.
![A round white plate containing a salmon salad laid near lemon wedges, cherry tomatoes, lettuce leaves, a beige tablecloth, a dinner knife, and a fork](https://cdn.healthyrecipes101.com/recipes/images/salmons/step-5-how-make-salmon-salad-clbfyqv8h00cs1hmrapnxge49.webp?w=1080&q=80)
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary ConsultantLuna Regina
Writer, AuthorNatalie Butler, RD, LD
Nutrition Reviewer![A pan-seared salmon fillet with charred marks laid over a bed of lettuce, chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced radish and sliced cucumbers](https://cdn.healthyrecipes101.com/recipes/images/salmons/salmon-salad-recipe-clbfx0br8009g46mr27y99h23.webp?w=1080&q=80)
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