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.

In summer, we crave all the main dish salads for dinner. Here’s one 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 kiddo loves 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. But making a big plate of this at home requires homemade dressing, in our opinion! We’ve also got a few adders that take it to the next level. Here’s what you’ll need for salmon Caesar salad:

• Fresh salmon, canned or smoked salmon
• Croutons (try them homemade!)
• Cherry tomatoes
• Romaine hearts
• Parmesan cheese shavings
• For the dressing: mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, garlic, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce or anchovy paste, salt and pepper
• Optional: capers, dill sprigs

How to cook the salmon

This salmon Caesar salad works with a variety of different types and methods of cooking salmon. In fact, there are a few ways to make this salad without cooking the fish at all! 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.
• Baked: Baked salmon is a simple, no fail method (though you do have to wait for the preheating).
• Broiled: Faster than baked and just as good!
• Blackened: Use the pan-seared method and coat the fish in a mix of Cajun seasonings. This makes a killer Caesar salad!
• Grilled: If it’s the season, grilled salmon is ideal for this summery main dish.
• Poached: Poaching is one of the fastest ways to cook salmon and what we used here! It’s melt-in-your-mouth tender.
• 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: Another no cook method! Tear off pieces of smoked salmon for a quick fix salad.

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 and reduces the calories from a standard Caesar. 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: You’ll still need a bit of mayo for richness and to help the dressing cling to the greens.
• Lemon juice: Fresh juice 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 flavor.

Serving tips

And that’s it! 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. We love adding a handful of drained capers to a Caesar salad.
• Add other veggies if you like. A traditional Caesar 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 for kids. Our son loved 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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