This chopped salmon salad is the perfect healthy lunch or dinner. Crisp greens and vibrant veggies are tossed together with perfectly roasted salmon, crunchy walnuts, creamy avocado, fresh parsley, and a bright lemon-dijon dressing. So many flavors and textures!
Easy And Healthy Chopped Salmon Salad
This chopped salmon salad is a tasty combination of delicious flavors, cool textures, and feel-good nutrition all in one bowl. Each forkful has some combination of flaky, tender roasted salmon, crunchy walnuts, juicy tomatoes, zingy red onions, crisp cucumber, and creamy avocado. It’s all tied together with a zesty lemon-dijon dressing and a touch of fresh parsley for a mouth-watering finish. This dinner or lunch salad is so quick and easy to make and it’s just brimming with healthy fats, proteins, and fresh veggies. Do yourself a favor and whip it up for you and your people tonight!
Why You’ll Love This Salmon Salad Recipe
- Nutrition powerhouse. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids from the salmon, heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from the walnuts and avocado, plenty of fiber, and an array of vitamins and minerals from fresh veggies, this salad is a nutritional goldmine.
- So many flavors and textures. Every forkful of this chopped salad really is an explosion of flavors and textures that will have you diving in to experience it again and again.
- Quick and easy. This salad comes together in under 30 minutes. Plus, there’s nothing tricky about it besides cooking the salmon. No matter your level of culinary prowess, you will have a delicious, nutritious meal on the table in no time.
- Customizable. Don’t like an ingredient or want to add something extra? This salad is incredibly versatile, making it easy to tailor to your taste preferences.
How To Make Chopped Salmon Salad
This elegant, healthy chopped salad is quick and easy to make. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
Ingredients For Salmon Salad
- Salmon
- Olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
- Lettuce
- Parisian (small) cucumbers: You can also use an English cucumber or peeled standard cucumber instead.
- Cherry tomatoes
- Red onion
- Fresh parsley
- Walnuts
- Avocado
Ingredients For Lemon-Dijon Dressing
- Olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Salt
Directions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Roast the salmon. Place the salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Bake for 12 minutes.
- Make the salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine the baby lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and parsley.
- Dress the salad. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing, drizzle it over the salad, and toss.
- Serve. Divide the salad between 2 large bowls and top with sliced avocado. Cut or break up the roasted salmon into smaller pieces and divide it between the bowls.
Tips & Variations
- Choose quality salmon. Look for vibrant color, moist texture, and a clean sea smell. The salmon is the star of the show here – you want nothing but the best.
- Don’t overcook the salmon. Salmon has a tendency to dry out easily, so keep an eye on the salmon to ensure that you don’t overcook it. Take it out of the oven as soon as it flakes easily when pierced gently with a fork or when its internal temperature registers at 145˚F.
- Rest. Once the salmon is out of the oven, allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving. This lets the juices redistribute within the fillet for more succulent, flavorful results.
- Bulk it up with some grains. Add some cooked quinoa, farro, or brown rice to the salad if you’re feeding a hungrier audience.
- Cheesy twist. Add crumbled feta, goat cheese, or blue cheese on top for added flavor and protein.
- Nuts and seeds. Add sunflower seeds or pepitas to the mix. You could even swap the walnuts out for cashews, pistachios, or any other nut.
- Play with herbs. Experiment with different herbs like basil, dill, mint, or cilantro to give the salad a unique twist.
- Try a different protein. Replace the salmon with chicken, shrimp, or tofu if you aren’t in a salmon mood.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy salmon chopped salad as a complete meal as is, or serve it with one or multiple of the following delicious accompaniments.
- Bread. I love serving this salad with a simple, warm hunk of bread. Try my Focaccia Bread Recipe, this No-Rise Slow Cooker Basil Pesto Bread, or my No Knead Skillet Olive Bread.
- Potatoes. Potatoes with salmon are a match made in heaven, if you ask me. Serve these Crispy Smashed Potatoes in the Air Fryer or my Air Fryer Baked Potatoes on the side.
- Grains. Round out your meal with a side of Lemon Parmesan Risotto, Almond Brown Rice Pilaf, or this Fluffy Couscous.
- A refreshing beverage. Sip on a Banana Kiwi and Kale Smoothie, my Hibiscus Iced Tea Sparkler, or this Spa Detox Water Recipe. In an adult beverage kind of mood? Try my Strawberry Pomegranate Mojito or this Grapefruit Rum Cocktail.
Can Salmon Salad Be Made In Advance?
Absolutely! You can prepare many of the components in advance to save time. Roast the salmon, chop the vegetables a day ahead and you can make the dressing up to a week in advance. Store each component separately in airtight containers and keep them in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply combine the ingredients and dress the salad.
If you would like a warm salmon, wrap it in foil and reheat it in the oven at 300˚F for 8 to 10 minutes or until heated through. Then add it to the salad.
More Healthy Salad Recipes
There are seemingly endless ways to approach salad: entree salads, side salads, pasta salads, tuna salads, chicken salads, potato salads, and more. They are all delicious, but here’s a list of some of my favorite options. Head on over to my collection of salad recipes for more ideas.
- Chef Salad
- Broccoli Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Grilled Zucchini Salad with Corn and Tomatoes
- Mango Chicken Salad
- Spring Vegetable Potato Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
- Avocado Chicken Egg Salad Recipe with Creamy Lemon Dill Dressing
Chopped Salmon Salad
Ingredients
- 2 fillets salmon, about 4 to 5 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups torn romaine lettuce
- 2 small Parisian cucumbers, or use 1/3 English cucumber, sliced into rounds
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ small red onion, sliced paper thin
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Roast the salmon. Place the salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until flaky and the internal temperature of the salmon registers at 145˚F. Remove from the oven and let it cool while you make the salad.
- Make the salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuce, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and parsley. Set aside.
- Make the dressing. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, and salt.
- Dress the salad. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all of the ingredients.
- Serve. Divide the salad between two bowls and top with sliced avocado. Break the roasted salmon into bite-size pieces and add to the bowls.
Notes
- Picking Salmon: Flesh should have a bright orange-red hue with nice marbling, and there shouldn’t be any low tide, fishy-type smells.
- Cooking: Don’t overcook the salmon; it’s done when it flakes easily or registers at 145˚F on an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Let it Rest: After cooking, allow the salmon to rest for a few minutes.
- Add Grains: Toss in quinoa, farro, or brown rice for a heartier dish.
- Cheese It Up: Add feta, goat cheese, or blue cheese for an extra punch.
- Mix in Seeds: Consider sunflower seeds or pepitas. Swap walnuts for cashews or pistachios.
- Herbs: Experiment with basil, dill, or cilantro for a fresh twist.
- Switch Proteins: Swap out the salmon for chicken or shrimp.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
