Salmon Salad
89 Comments
Updated May 23, 2024
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This salmon salad has it all – flaky baked salmon, crisp celery, red onion, radishes, and fresh herbs, tossed in a creamy lemony dressing. Oh yes, this is how you give salmon a fresh new lift.
I’m a huge proponent of turning simple proteins into creamy summer salads. They’re deliciously filling, yet still light and fresh. At this point, I’ve made shrimp salad, chicken salad, tuna salad (even broccoli tuna salad)…you get the gist. So it only made sense that next on my list was a salad that leveraged one of my favorite ingredients – baked salmon!
Chunky, flaky, baked salmon is one of my go-to meal prep ingredients (a sneak peek of something you’ll find in my meal prep cookbook). And once you toss it with super fresh, creamy, and crunchy factors – this salmon salad recipe is seriously the best thing ever. Especially when it’s served on butter leaf lettuce!
What’s In This Salmon Salad?
Think of this as a variation of my original tuna salad, but slightly elevated. The creamy dressing is a bit more complex in flavor. The celery adds that crispiness we all love. The radishes – my secret ingredient – add a nuanced peppery bite. And the bigger salmon flakes gives this dish a whole new texture and visual appeal that’s decidedly elegant (if I do say so myself).
- Salmon: I’m using a large salmon filet, but you could also use several individual salmon filets. If you use smaller, individual filets, just make sure to reduce the bake time (you can follow my baked salmon recipe). And before you go shopping for salmon, make sure to read my posts about wild caught vs. farmed salmon and king vs. sockeye vs. coho.
- Salmon Seasoning: Smoked paprika, kosher salt and black pepper will give the salmon a hint of smoky, delicious flavor.
- Salad Dressing: A combination of mayonnaise, lemon, Dijon mustard, and garlic makes the best creamy dressing that pairs well with salmon.
- Vegetables: Diced red onion and celery are classics, but the grated radishes really make this dish pop with color and texture.
- Herbs: A generous amount of chives and dill coats everything in herb-y goodness.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Can you use canned salmon? Well, you can, but I don’t recommend it. Canned salmon typically has bones and skin in the can, which makes it less visually appealing. Canned salmon is perfectly fine to use in my salmon patties recipe, but for this salad you really want those large, chunky, fresh flakes of salmon!
How To Make Flaky Salmon Salad
Once the salmon gets placed in the oven, the rest is super simple to do. Just flake the salmon, chop some veggies and herbs, toss and serve! And if you like step-by-step tutorials, I’ve got a full video on it below.
Prep the salmon. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the salmon on top. Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and season with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Bake the salmon and flake. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, depending on the size and thickness. Let it cool to room temperature, then flake the salmon into chunks and place in a bowl. Chill it for 5 to 10 minutes in the fridge.
Prep the salad ingredients. As the salmon is baking or chilling, chop up the onion, radish, celery, dill, and chives.
Make the dressing. In a separate small bowl, sir together the mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Stir it all together. Add the chopped veggies and herbs into the flaked salmon bowl, and pour the dressing on top. Gently stir everything until the salmon flakes are evenly coated (and try not to over-stir – you want to keep some of those large salmon flakes!).
It’s ready to enjoy! Serve the salmon salad chilled straight out of the bowl, on top of butter lettuce leaves, or as a sandwich or wrap.
Ingredient Swaps
I know many folks have ingredient preferences and dietary restrictions, so here’s a few swaps you can do.
- Not a fan of mayonnaise? You can use yogurt and/or sour cream as the base for the dressing instead.
- Don’t like radishes? Grated turnip or jicama could be great options for a crisp texture.
- Can’t find chives or dill? Chop up parsley, basil, or tarragon to keep some fresh herbs in the mix.
Storage & Meal Prep Tips
A batch of this salmon salad is such a delicious and versatile meal prep ingredient. You can eat it on its own, wrap it, stuff it (like my tuna stuffed avocados), and so much more. And yes – it stores well!
- To store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- To freeze: Freeze this for the future! Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Just make sure to pack it down and remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Then, thaw in the fridge the day before you’d like to enjoy it!
Creamy Salmon Salad Recipe Video
Need some step-by-step guidance on how to make this salmon salad? Take a peek at the video below!
Here’s What to Do With Your Next Salmon Filet…
If you’re on a salmon kick, I’ve got tons more salmon recipes to try next. Here’s some favorites…
A bite of this creamy salmon salad is just pure summertime goodness. Once you make it, you’ll know what I mean. But, let me know how it turned out in a comment below!
Flaky Salmon Salad
Description
Video
Ingredients
For the Salmon
- 1 ¼ pounds salmon filet
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Dressing
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced (about ½ tablespoon of zest and 1 ½ tablespoons juice)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Salad
- ½ 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 the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the salmon on top. Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and season with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Bake and flake the salmon. Bake the salmon for 16 to 18 minutes (depending on size and thickness), or until it flakes easily with a fork. Let it cool to room temperature, then flake the salmon into chunks and place in a bowl. Chill the flaked salmon for 5 to 10 minutes in the fridge.
- Dice the vegetables. Top the flaked salmon with the onion, radish, celery, dill, and chives.
- Make the dressing. In a separate small bowl make the dressing. Stir together the mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Stir it all together. Pour the dressing on top of the salad, and gently stir to combine.
- Serve the salmon salad chilled straight out of the bowl, on butter lettuce leaves, or as a sandwich or wrap.
Lisa’s Tips
- You can bake the salmon in a baking dish or on a regular half sheet pan, but I love quarter sheet pans. They’re the perfect size for baking whole fish filets!
Nutrition
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My doctor wants more protein in my diet. This was so easy and so very good! Thanks for all your recipes….its time for another cookbook!!
Deb George
I’m so glad you enjoyed this salmon salad, Deborah! Salmon is a great healthy protein to include in your routine :)
I frequently make this without the salmon as a side dish. We call it radish slaw.
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing, Kris.
Thanks for this amazing salmon salad recipe! It is delicious, easy and it comes together quickly. I served it for lunch in roasted seaweed sheets. Yum!
I’m so glad you love this salmon salad, Debra!
I LOVE your recipes!
Happy to hear you’re loving Downshiftology recipes, Klara!
I love your recipes but wonder how I can print them on 1 page as the FB adds make it impossible!
Hi Julie – You should be able to print them with the print button!
So delicious, I used leftover salmon and it still worked perfectly.
Hi Annette – Great to hear this worked out perfectly with leftover salmon. Such a great way to use it up!
How long will this keep in the fridge? I’m a meal prepper 😊
Hi Jami – I typically will provide storage instructions in the recipe card! But this will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
You never disappoint me!! So good. Thank you.
Hi Darla – Happy to hear you love this salmon salad!
Let me say that I had every intention of making salmon croquettes for dinner. I was multitasking while the salmon was baking and, as a result, it went well past the 145º mark, nearing almost 200º before I realized it. Well, at least it flaked nicely lol I decided I didn’t want to cook that fish any more than I already had, so searched for recipes for flaked salmon and came across this one. THANK GOODNESS!!! This was absolutely what that overcooked salmon needed!! I did double the sauce because, not only did I have nearly 2 lbs of fish, but, yeah, it was a little dry after all. I didn’t have radishes, nor did I have the fresh herbs. I used a little more celery to accommodate the radishes and used dried herbs. I am not usually fond of lemon, but the dressing rocked with the zest and juice from the lemon. I don’t know if it was lack of the radishes, but I felt like it needed something else. Maybe pickles? Another reviewer used pickled onions and I think that would be awesome. We ate it over diced fresh tomatoes with some good buttery crackers. I’m already craving the leftovers for lunch! Can’t wait to make this again WITH radishes… and maybe the pickled onions, too. Definitely a keeper!!
Oh good, I’m so happy you were able to turn that little kitchen snafu into a winner of a meal! I do think the radishes really make this recipe, so try those and/or the pickled onions next time. Enjoy those leftovers!
This recipe was great. I used leftover salmon from dinner last night and it was a great way to use it up. I also did not have any red onion but we had a jar of “Lisa’s Pickled Onions” l in the fridge so I used that instead. What a delicious and fresh salmon salad sandwich. This one is a keeper for sure, thanks Lisa!
Hi Sarah – Happy to hear you were able to use up your leftover salmon to make this salad!
Thanks for the idea of using pickled onions!! I didn’t have the radishes to add so felt like it needed something, maybe pickles… Those pickled onions would have been awesome and I’ll use those next time. Still a great salad!!
Great stuff. Making it for a Scandinavian themed party this weekend and gave it a run through tonight. Question though: when I chilled my salmon in the fridge (after flaking it), it seemed to release quite a bit of liquid. Maybe I’m using inferior salmon, but should I drain the liquid before adding the dressing? I think it ended up more like salmon dip than salmon salad.
Hi Vince – Yes, I would drain the salmon before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.
We love this recipe! The fresh herbs and radishes really shine! I’ve made this with leftover fresh salmon from the previous night and with canned salmon and both versions are great! Thanks for sharing.
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks, Sara!
Could you use any canned salmon for any of the salmon recipes? I just ordered some wild planet because I knew you used the tuna.
Yes, you can definitely use canned salmon in this recipe instead of fresh. Enjoy!
A five star salmon salad recipe! The dressing is perfect! Don’t miss this one!
Thanks so much, Kay! I’m happy you loved it!
Yummy, easy, quick. I served it on a bed of baby greens with a little red wine vinegar and oil drizzle.
Great idea to serve this on a bed of baby greens for even more of a veggie boost!
Another winner! I’m not a fan of raw onions so I sauteed them a bit. I forgot the celery so I didn’t include it but it still tasted delicious. It was easy to make. Am making this again.
I’m happy you loved the recipe, Sandra!
I made this for Whole 30. It is very refreshing! I couldn’t find the fresh herbs needed so used their spice versions and thought it still tasted good. I can only imagine how much better it would’ve been if I used fresh dill.
Fresh herbs are a sensation in this salad, but is fine if you have the dry version. Glad you enjoyed this salmon salad, Emily!
This is absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe exactly (as I always do the first time making anything) and I wouldn’t change a thing! I like the chunks of salmon and the combination of flavors is perfect. You need to make this asap!
Thanks so much, Jane! I’m happy you loved it. :)
Ummmm please get up and got to the store and get the ingredients for this ASAP!! lol y’all I’ve made rbis a few times and it’s such a flavor explosion. I’ve eaten it with crackers, by itself, on a bagel with cream cheese (lox style) I just love it! Thank you for being willing this to share your recipes with us. Much Gratitude!
Oh, you’re so kind. Thanks so much, Laura! I’m happy you love it. :)
This is how I’ve made salmon salad for many years EXCEPT for the grated radish.
I think that’s a brilliant addition and I can’t wait to add it.
The radish adds a refreshing touch!
Hi Lisa
what would be a good dish to serve with this if i wanted this to be the main course?
Thank you!
Dafi
I’d say to serve this as lettuce wraps, or serve it alongside any sort of roasted vegetable :)
One of my favourite recipe! It’s very simple to make, perfect for summer and so refreshing! If you love salmon and dill, you’ve got to try this recipe!
Definitely a must-make for salmon lovers!
This recipe is absolutely delicious and definitely one of my new favorite dishes! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe, I will definitely be making it again and again. Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much, Camila! I’m happy you love it. :)
Just taste tested for Mother’s Day lunch. Delicious!
Exceptional! One of my new favorites!
So fresh and delish. Had such a great flavor! I’ll make this again. Yum.
Glad you enjoyed this salmon salad Eileen!
personally not a fan of mayonnaise, and my family is allergic. what would you recommend as a subsitute?
You could try swapping it with a yogurt or sour cream.
I made this last night and it was so good. Unfortunately, I could not find wild caught Salmon, but it was still great.
I love tuna salad and chicken salad and never thought of salmon salad! This was the perfect recipe to make use of a very large salmon cut I had made for dinner the night before and had lots of leftover salmon. I just put it on top of some toasted homemade bread, haha sorry no gluten free requirements in this house! I will definitely make it again.
This really is such a fun and delicious way to enjoy salmon! Glad you enjoyed it Hannah :)
This was amazing! Love your website, YouTube channel, recipes. I will be adding this into my mainstay rotation
Happy to hear you’re enjoying this salmon salad Errin!
Love this recipe! Super easy and quick. Will be adding it to my regular rotation.
Glad you’re loving this salmon salad Natalie!
Happy to hear this salmon salad has made it into your regular rotation!
Delicious! I added more lemon but I like a little more zing. My 1 year old also loved it! She just kept asking for more!
This salad looks so, so good!
Could a combination of greek yogurt + mayonnaise work for the dressing?
Yes, that can work as well!
Can I use canned salmon as a substitute for using a salmon fillet?
You can, but I don’t recommend it. Canned salmon typically has bones and skin in the can, which makes it less visually appealing. Canned salmon is perfectly fine to use in my salmon patties recipe, but for this salad you really want those large, chunky, fresh flakes of salmon!
This sounds delicious and a lot like the salmon salad sandwiches I make (with canned salmon…guilty as charged). One thing that can really give this a tasty bite is horseradish. I see radishes are included, but a jar of horseradish really makes it ‘extra.’
The tricky thing with salmon is keeping it moist. Any few minutes of overcooking or leaving it out (such as if taking this to a potluck) can really make it dry and not so tasty. Do you find that adding more dressing helps with this?
Thank you for the deliciousness idea!
I would say to not overdo the dressing, as you want the flavor of the salmon to peek through as well.
What would be the serving size for this dish?
It will depend on how big your fish is, but generally it should be around 1 cup.
Hi Lisa, I am so bad about remembering to leave a comment. I am so addicted to your videos and recipes. I have not had one bad one yet! Im making this salmon salad for the third time and its so delicious. Among my favorites are the pork carnitas, the white chicken chili, the guacamole, zucchini fritters, shredded chicken and the chicken marinades. All are just so good. Today I will also be giving the frozen bananas a try. Can’t wait.
Thanks again for such wonderful recipes.
Delicious 💚
Fantastic low carb dish!
Wow, this is a delicious salad! Such a great way to get extra salmon into the diet as well. I didn’t have garlic, radish, or chives but I used 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder & half seeded chopped cucumber instead. Yummy. Thanks for this.
Absolutely fabulous. The dressing is definitely a star in this dish.
Amazing, amazing, amazing!!!!
Light and delicious! I wasn’t sure about the dressing but it was great (I used half Mayo and half yogurt). I also added capers after dressed. Thank you for this!
Very tasty! I am not a celery fan and honestly I have probably never ate fresh celery, but in this salad it tastes delicious! Thank you!
Really incredible! My husband and I both loved it! The flavors are so fresh. I left out the radishes and chives because I didn’t have them. Will be making this again soon.
Glad this salad was a hit Kay!
I plan to try this and if it’s as good as it looks I may serve to a group of women. Do you have any suggestions for sides with this dish ?
I would say this alone doesn’t need any side dishes, especially if you serve these with butter lettuce leaves. But, you could always make a side massaged kale salad, or warmer roasted veggies if that’s what you’re feeling for.
My husband made this tonight for dinner. It was excellent. He added capers to the recipe which really paired nicely with the rest of the ingredients.
Yay! Glad both you and your husband enjoyed this salmon salad.
Great idea! I love capers!
This sounds so yummy! Going to make it tonight.
Hope you love this one Karen!
Could you use canned salmon?
Well, you can, but I don’t recommend it. Canned salmon typically has bones and skin in the can, which makes it less visually appealing. Canned salmon is perfectly fine to use in my salmon patties recipe, but for this salad you really want those large, chunky, fresh flakes of salmon!