11 Healthy Salmon Salad Recipes

Sofishticated" salad recipes

Written by
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Linda Larsen
Updated 09/10/20
Salmon Tartare

The Spruce Eats/Leah Maroney

Salmon is America's favorite fish, and a great choice when you're craving a healthy, low-fuss meal. Delicious, widely available, and full of good-for-you protein and omega-3s, salmon is a versatile ingredient for a variety of salads. We've rounded up our favorite salmon salad recipes for you here,

including ideas for what to make with leftover cooked salmon, frozen salmon fillets, or canned salmon in the pantry. Any of these recipes would make a delightful summer meal, but consider them also for lighter lunches and suppers you can enjoy all-year round.

  • 01 of 11

    Salmon Pasta Salad

    Honey Mustard Salmon Pasta Salad
    S&C Design Studios

    Whip up a healthy seafood pasta salad for your fridge, and enjoy it for easy weeknight dinners. It's a cinch to assemble using leftover cooked salmon or canned salmon, short pasta noodles, chopped fresh veggies, and a delicious tangy honey mustard dressing. The flavor improves with time, making it ideal for last-minute suppers, or packing up for potlucks and picnics.

  • 02 of 11

    Salmon Ceviche With Mango

    Salmon ceviche with lemon wedges

     

    Larisa Blinova / Getty Images

    Ceviche is a traditional Latin American seafood preparation that uses acidic citrus juices, versus heat, to "cook" fresh raw fish or shellfish. Fresh mango adds a tropical twist to this unique ceviche that is flavored with orange, lemon, and lime juices. Serve it for lunch atop lightly-dressed salad greens, or serve as a colorful appetizer with plantain chips or tortilla chips for scooping.

  • 03 of 11

    Glazed Salmon Salad

    Caramelized salmon salad in a blue bowl

    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

    Dinner will be ready in less than 30 minutes with this sensational warm salmon salad. Pan-searing salmon fillets in a sweet-and-spicy, Thai-style sauce creates a gorgeous caramelized crust, without overcooking the fish. The bright and crunchy salad base includes bean sprouts, fresh mint, cilantro, mixed greens, and crushed peanuts.

  • 04 of 11

    Salmon Niçoise Salad

    Salmon Niçoise Salad

    Annabelle Breakey/Getty Images

    Use cooked salmon instead of tuna for a different spin on the classic French bistro-style Niçoise salad. With tender salmon chunks, boiled new potatoes, hard-cooked egg, black olives, and crisp-tender green beans, it makes an elegant lunch when you are expecting guests.

    Continue to 5 of 11 below.
  • 05 of 11

    Salmon Tartare

    A dish piled with salmon tartare

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

    Change up your dinner party game with this fresh salmon tartare appetizer. It is a lighter, brighter alternative to classic steak tartare for those who enjoy poke bowls, and other raw fish dishes. Use sushi-grade salmon for this recipe, and slice the fish ahead of time if you like, keeping it separate from the dressing until just before serving time.

  • 06 of 11

    Creamy Salmon Spread

    Creamy salmon spread served from a canning jar

    Anna Pustynnikova / Getty Images

    Versatile and creamy, this tasty salmon spread is one of those go-to recipes every home cook should know. Make it in minutes using cooked salmon, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and simple seasonings, for an easy luncheon salad atop fresh, leafy greens. Or use it for sandwich fillings, a spread for mini-croissants, or thin it out with a little milk or yogurt for a delicious seafood dip for crudités and breadsticks.

  • 07 of 11

    Soba Salad With Salmon and Avocado

    Soba salad with salmon and avocado on a square plate

    The Spruce / Miri Rotkovitz

    Chewy, nutty-tasting, Japanese soba noodles (made from buckwheat, so they're gluten-free) curl around gingery bites of salmon, asparagus, carrots, and bell peppers in this fresh-tasting lunch or dinner salad. Serve it warm or cold on days when you're craving a lighter meal.

  • 08 of 11

    Salmon Skin Salad

    A bowl of mixed baby greens with grilled salmon skin and citrus soy dressing

    The Spruce / Judy Ung

    This Japanese restaurant staple makes tasty use of salmon skin, which becomes crunchy and full of flavor when broiled. Sliced into strips, it makes a flavorful topping for a simple salad of mixed baby greens and vegetables, tossed in a citrusy soy dressing.

    Continue to 9 of 11 below.
  • 09 of 11

    Crunchy Salmon Sandwich Spread

    Crunchy Salmon Sandwich Spread

    Joe Vaughn/Getty Images

    Whether you serve it as a salad, or use it for a sandwich stuffing, this crunchy salmon spread is an easy and delicious way to use up leftover cooked salmon. With diced celery, bell pepper, and a creamy, tangy dressing made with mayo, honey mustard, and Parmesan cheese, it's full of appetizing flavors, and great nutrition.

  • 10 of 11

    Quinoa, Salmon, and Chickpea Salad

    Quinoa, Salmon, and Chickpea Salad

    Bill Boch-Photographer's Choice RF-Getty Images

    Use tinned salmon (or tuna) to assemble a quick and easy lunchtime salad that delivers the boost of energy you need to get through a busy afternoon. Fluffy quinoa is tossed with canned fish, ​chickpeas, baby spinach, cilantro, mint, celery, spring onions, and baby tomatoes, in a lemony vinaigrette with optional garlic. Pack it up for a brown bag lunch, or store in the fridge for sneaking spoonfuls up to 3 days.

  • 11 of 11

    Salmon Poke Bowl

    Salmon Poke Bowl

    The Spruce

    Poke (pronounced "poh-kay") is a classic Hawaiian recipe of diced, marinated raw fish, and is typically served with pickled vegetables as an appetizer course. This sockeye salmon poke with pickled cucumbers includes all the island-fresh flavors you love in a traditional poke, and can be served as a main dish salad atop a bed of fresh raw kale or baby spinach leaves, with the included creamy Sriracha dressing.