Salmon Caesar Salad

Salmon Caesar salad is a hearty main dish salad for dinner everyone loves! It’s irresistible drizzled with a creamy homemade dressing.

Here’s an easy dinner that’s basic but satisfies every time: Salmon Caesar Salad! Imagine: tender, perfectly seasoned chunks of salmon nestled with bursts of crunchy romaine, juicy cherry tomatoes and crunchy croutons. It’s all covered in a creamy homemade Caesar dressing that makes each bite absolutely sublime. This one is a smash hit every time we serve it (and our kids love a deconstructed version with the Caesar as a dipping sauce!).

Elements in this salmon Caesar salad

You barely need a recipe for salmon Caesar salad! Just cook salmon and add it to a bed of romaine with Caesar dressing. It makes for a filling meal that’s a great concept for entertaining (we use it often when we have people for dinner). It’s best with homemade dressing of course, and we like a few adders that take it to the next level. Here’s what you’ll need for salmon Caesar salad:

• Fresh salmon, canned salmon, or smoked salmon
• Croutons, purchased or homemade
• Cherry tomatoes (optional)
• Romaine hearts
• Parmesan cheese shavings
• Caesar dressing: mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, garlic, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce or anchovy paste, salt and pepper
• Capers and dill sprigs, for serving

Ways to cook salmon for salad

This salmon Caesar salad works with a variety of different types and methods of cooking salmon. In fact, there are a few no cook ways to make this salad that are perfect for quick meals. It’s also a great way to use leftover salmon. Here are our top methods for cooking the salmon:

• Pan Seared: Whip out a pan and cook it up on the stovetop, then flake into bite sized pieces.
• Baked: Baked salmon is a simple, no fail method.
• Broiled: Broiling salmon is one of our favorite ways to cook it; it’s even faster than baked and just as good!
• Grilled: If it’s the season, grilled salmon is ideal for this simple dinner.
• Poached: Poaching is one of the fastest ways to cook salmon and what you seen in the photos here. It comes out melt-in-your-mouth tender.
• Salmon Bites: These salmon bites are chopped before roasting, which makes a fun and easy way to add them to salads.
• Canned: Don’t have time to cook? Use canned salmon and mix it with olive oil, salt and pepper before adding to the salad.
• Smoked: Tear off pieces of smoked salmon for a quick fix salad. It’s best with hot smoked salmon that you can buy in a smoked fillet, versus cold smoked / lox which can be overly salty and overpower this dish.

For Caesar dressing

The star of this salmon Caesar salad is the fresh, creamy homemade Caesar dressing. It’s a go-to we’ve been making for years. Using Greek yogurt lightens it up from a standard Caesar. (For dairy-free, try this Vegan Caesar.) Of course, you can also make this with purchased Caesar dressing for a seriously fast dinner idea. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Greek yogurt: Yogurt replaces some of the standard mayonnaise in this dressing: it reduces calories while staying irresistibly creamy.
• Mayonnaise: Mayo adds richness and helps the dressing cling to the greens.
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon brings a pop of acidity.
• Parmesan cheese: Cheese adds a savory saltiness.
• Anchovy paste or Worcestershire sauce: Anchovies are traditional, or substitute Worcestershire sauce for vegetarian.
• Garlic & Dijon mustard: These round out the savory, tangy flavors.

Salmon Caesar salad serving tips

This salmon Caesar salad is the best idea for easy dinners! We love serving it with canned or smoked salmon, or leftover salmon from the night before. Mix up the creamy dressing, compose the salad, and douse it all in Caesar. A few other notes on serving:

• Capers add a nice briny pop. A handful of drained capers makes magic in a Caesar salad.
• Add other veggies if you like. A traditional Caesar salad doesn’t have tomatoes, but we added them to make this into more of a main dish salad for dinner. Feel free to add other veggies of your choice!
• Serve as a decomposed salad if desired. Our son loves this separated out with salmon, “lettuce chips,” cherry tomatoes, croutons, and a small cup of Caesar dipping sauce.

More salmon recipes

Salmon is a dinnertime standby over here! Here are a few more easy salmon recipes to work into your repertoire:

• Try Salmon Tacos with Avocado Sauce or Salmon Sandwich with Dill Sauce
• Grab Salmon Caesar Salad, Salmon Salad Sandwich or Salmon Nicoise Salad
• Go for Salmon and Asparagus Sheet Pan Meal
• Opt for Classic Salmon Burgers or a Simple Salmon Bowl
• Whip up with Salmon Pasta or Honey Garlic Salmon

01

Salmon Tacos with Avocado Sauce

02

Salmon Nicoise Salad

03

Salmon Sandwich with Dill Sauce

04

Honey Garlic Salmon

This salmon Caesar salad recipe is…

Pescatarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free croutons. For dairy-free, use Vegan Caesar Salad.

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