Description
This vibrant Salmon Salad is a refreshing and healthy dish featuring oven-baked salmon flaked and combined with crisp radishes, celery, red onion, fresh dill, and chives, all tossed in a zesty lemon-Dijon mayonnaise dressing. Perfect served chilled on its own, tucked into a butter lettuce wrap, or as a hearty sandwich filling, this salad balances smoky, tangy, and fresh flavors for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Salmon
- 1 1/4 pounds salmon filet
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced (about 1/2 tablespoon zest and 1 1/2 tablespoons juice)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Salad
- 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
- 3 large radishes, grated
- 2 stalks celery, small diced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Prep the Salmon: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the salmon filet on top. Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and season generously with smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Bake and Flake the Salmon: Bake the salmon for 16 to 18 minutes, depending on its size and thickness, until it flakes easily with a fork. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, use a fork to flake the salmon into bite-sized chunks and transfer them to a bowl. Chill the flaked salmon in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.
- Dice the Vegetables: While the salmon chills, finely dice the red onion and celery, grate the radishes, and finely chop the fresh dill and chives. Add all the prepared vegetables and herbs on top of the flaked salmon in the bowl.
- Make the Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined and smooth.
- Combine the Salad: Pour the dressing over the salmon and vegetable mixture. Gently stir everything together until the salad is evenly coated and all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Serve: Serve the salmon salad chilled directly from the bowl or spoon it onto butter lettuce leaves. It also makes a delicious filling for sandwiches or wraps. Enjoy immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to eat.
Notes
- You can use a baking dish or a regular half sheet pan if you don’t have a quarter sheet pan, but the quarter sheet pan is ideal for baking whole fish filets evenly.
- Adjust seasoning to taste after adding the dressing if necessary.
- This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, so it can be made ahead for easy meal prep.
- For a lighter version, substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt or a low-fat mayo alternative.
- Serve on toasted bread or whole grain wraps for added texture and heartiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
