Our salmon salad is packed full of fresh vegetables, salty feta cheese, and grilled garlic-ginger salmon, all dressed with a tangy red wine vinaigrette. It's one of those easy salmon recipes that we can’t get enough of.
Ingredients for Salmon Salad
- Skin-on salmon fillets: There are lots of types of salmon to buy, but salmon can be expensive, so select whichever catch fits your budget.
- Garlic powder: Garlic powder adds a nice pungency and sharpness to the salmon.
- Ground ginger: Ginger creates a bright and zippy flavor that freshens the salmon’s taste.
- Spring mix salad greens: Spring mix contains a myriad of different greens that all contribute different flavors like fresh, spicy, bitter and peppery.
- Cucumber: Cucumber creates fresh and bright bites of crunch throughout the salad.
- Tomato: Tomato pieces have a bright acidity, and their red hue adds to the vibrant sea of color in this salad.
- Feta cheese: Feta is our cheese of choice in this salmon salad recipe for its brittle texture and salty, vinegary taste.
- Red wine vinaigrette: Red wine vinaigrette dresses this salad simply with bright and tangy notes.
Directions
Step 1: Season the salmon
In a small bowl, stir together the salt, garlic powder, ground ginger, dried parsley flakes and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the salmon.
Step 2: Grill the salmon
Place the salmon on an oiled grill rack, skin side down. Grill, covered, over medium heat (or broil in an oven 4 inches from the heat source) just until the fish begins to flake easily with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: If you’re a newbie to the grill, learn all the best grilling tips with our guide on how to grill salmon so you can get it right on the first try.
Step 3: Assemble the salad
In a large bowl, toss together the salad greens, cucumber, tomato and cheese. Divide the mixture evenly among four plates. Top each plate with a salmon fillet, and drizzle with the vinaigrette.
Salmon Salad Variations
- Use different greens: Omit the spring salad mix, and go for dark-green Tuscan kale (don’t forget to massage it first to release the bitterness!), vitamin-packed baby spinach, or light and crunchy romaine.
- Amp up the dressing: We dress this salad simply with a red wine vinaigrette, but there are so many delicious recipes for homemade salad dressing to try if you want a bit more flavor.
- Sprinkle with a different spice blend: A classic fish seasoning contains dill and lemon, but you could also try something with a bit more flavor like a Creole seasoning mix or a Moroccan spice blend.
- Marinate the fish: Instead of a dry seasoning, try a marinade. Place about 1/4 cup marinade in a shallow bowl. Add the fillets, turn to coat, and let sit for about 10 minutes. Fish requires a short marinating time—too long and the fish will get mushy. Our citrus-marinated salmon and gingered honey salmon contain great marinade recipes.
How to Store Salmon Salad
If you have leftovers, it’s best to store the salmon, salad and the dressing all separately. Store the salmon by wrapping it tightly in aluminum foil or placing it in a shallow, airtight container in the fridge for three to four days. The dressing will keep nicely in a small airtight container. Store the salad in a large resealable bag or a covered bowl. Undressed salad can stay crisp and fresh for up to seven days. However, once you add the dressing, it may go limp and unappealing after only one to two days.
Can you make salmon salad ahead of time?
Yes, you can make this salmon salad recipe ahead of time. However, we suggest not combining all the components together until you’re ready to serve. Grill the salmon, toss the salad’s vegetables together, and whip up the dressing, but store them all separately.
Salmon Salad Tips
How else can you cook salmon fillets for salmon salad?
Different ways to cook salmon fillets for salmon salad include baking, broiling, pan-searing, poaching and smoking. There are so many different ways on how to cook salmon, and almost all of them would be acceptable for this salmon salad.
Can you eat salmon cold on a salad?
Yes, you can eat salmon cold on a salad. Some people dislike hot components on a cold salad, so it’s totally OK to serve the salmon cold for this dish. (Just make sure you actually cook the salmon first!)
What do you serve with salmon salad?
There’s an abundance of side dishes for salmon, but the feta cheese and cucumbers give this salad a Greek flair, so why not add more Greek- and Mediterranean-inspired ingredients? For vegetables, try olives, cooked lentils, chickpeas, fava beans or roasted peppers. Top the salad with fresh fruits like figs and apricots, or a nut like toasted pistachios. Change out the dressing for a honey-yogurt mix, or a simple olive oil and lemon juice mixture for a wonderful minimalist touch.
