Salmon Caesar Salad Recipe
Salmon Caesar Salad is an upgraded twist on a classic, with butter lettuce, homemade dressing, the best croutons, and luscious avocado slices.
This Caesar Salad with Salmon makes a perfect light dinner!
There’s something undeniably delicious about a Caesar salad, with its crisp lettuce, tangy dressing and crunchy croutons. But you know that around here, it’s probably going to get the salmon treatment. Well, here we are.
This upgraded twist on a traditional favorite is an easy way to incorporate more heart-healthy fish into your meal plan. Once you’ve added the flavor-packed dressing, Parmesan cheese and even a bit of avocado, you might be surprised at who will become a salmon lover.
Why You Will Love This Salmon Caesar Salad Recipe
- Nutritious and satisfying, this salad is packed with a double dose of omega-3 fatty acids from both the salmon and the avocado.
- It’s equally at home for a light dinner party main as it is for a weekday lunch.
- You can have this on the table in 30 minutes, if you prepare the dressing in advance (which we recommend anyway, for best flavor).
Salmon Caesar Salad Ingredients
- salmon – you’ll need 1 pound of salmon, and this can be either 1 large piece or several smaller fillets.
- Caesar dressing – we highly recommend our homemade Caesar dressing instead of a bottled dressing.
- lettuce – we skip the Romaine for food safety reasons, and use tender, mild-flavored butter lettuce instead.
- tomatoes – halved grape tomatoes add sweetness and acidity.
- Parmesan cheese – shaved Parm adds nuttiness and saltiness.
- capers – just a small spoonful will finish the Caesar salmon salad with their tangy, briny flavor.
- avocados – I love the buttery texture and fiber content that avocado adds to just about any salad.
- ciabatta bread – for making the croutons, which will add lots of texture and crunch to the salad.
- olive oil – for coating the bread cubes and helping them crisp up.
- kosher salt – you need to season the croutons for them to taste their best.
How to make Caesar Salad with Salmon
1. START CROUTONS. Place the ciabatta cubes on a baking pan and drizzle them with oil and sprinkle them with salt. Toss until everything is well combined, then spread them in a single layer on one half of the pan. Put them in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes.
2. BRUSH. While the croutons are baking, brush the salmon flesh with a bit of Caesar dressing. You can also add a sprinkle of salmon rub for extra flavor, if you want!
3. SEAR. In a nonstick skillet, sear the salmon, flesh side down, until it is deep golden brown.
4. TRANSFER. As soon as the salmon is seared, remove the baking pan from the oven and stir the croutons. Transfer the salmon, skin side down, to the empty half of the baking pan and put everything back in the oven.
5. REMOVE CROUTONS. When the 10 minute timer ends, the croutons should be fully crisp. Transfer them to a plate, but then return the pan with the salmon back to the oven and continue cooking the salmon until it reaches an internal temperature for 145 degrees F.
6. BUILD SALAD. On a large platter, arrange the lettuce and top with tomatoes, cheese, capers, avocados and croutons.
7. CHUNK SALMON. Slip a spatula between the salmon skin and flesh to remove the skin. Discard the skin and break the salmon into large chunks.
8. FINISH. Arrange the salmon over the salad and serve the salad with the remaining dressing.
Salmon Caesar Salad Recipe Variations
- BLACKENED – Use our recipe for blackened salmon for a Cajun-inspired salad.
- GRILLED – If you’re in the mood to grill, use our grilled sockeye salmon recipe here.
- OVEN SALMON – Don’t feel like searing the salmon on the stovetop? No problem. Use our recipe for simple baked sockeye salmon to do it entirely in the oven.
- MARINATED SALMON – Use our salmon marinade recipe before starting to give the salmon even more flavor.
- AIR FRYER – Love your air fryer? Try this salad with our air fryer salmon bites.
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Salmon Caesar Chef Tips
- Use the freshest salmon and produce available for the best flavor and texture for this Caesar salad with salmon.
- It’s very hard to give an exact cooking time for the salmon, as each piece varies in thickness. Your salmon could take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes in the oven to reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- Invest in an instant read thermometer. This is the quickest, easiest and best way to check the internal temperature of your fish without cutting into it and letting all the juices run out.
What to serve with Caesar Salad with Salmon
This salmon Caesar salad recipe can be served as a meal all on it’s own, or with a variety of side dishes, including:
- BREAD – You can’t go wrong with homemade yeast rolls with our homemade butter recipe.
- ROASTED VEGETABLES – If you’d like a warm roasted vegetable to go with your salad, honey glazed carrots and roasted asparagus are both good options.
- SOUP – A warm bowl of soup, such as ham and bean soup or our turkey soup recipe, adds comfort and warmth to this light dinner option.
Caesar Salad with Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 ounces ciabatta bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound salmon fillet either 1 large piece or a few smaller pieces
- ½ cup Easy Caesar Dressing divided
- 2 containers butter lettuce, roughly chopped 4.5 ounces each
- ½ cup grape tomatoes halved
- ⅓ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- 2 avocados sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place ciabatta cubes on half of large rimmed baking pan. Drizzle bread with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss until well combined, then spread in a single layer. Transfer to oven and set timer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush salmon flesh with 1 tablespoon Caesar dressing. Transfer salmon, flesh side down, to skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, undisturbed, until salmon flesh is deep golden brown. Remove from heat.
- Remove baking pan from oven and stir croutons. Transfer salmon, skin-side down, to other half of baking pan and return to oven.
- When 10 minute timer ends, croutons should be crisp. Transfer them to a plate, then return pan to oven and continue cooking salmon until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. How long this takes will depend on the thickness of your salmon piece(s); the salmon could take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes in the oven to reach temperature.
- To serve, arrange lettuce on large platter. Top with tomatoes, cheese, capers, avocados and croutons. Slip spatula between salmon skin and flesh to remove skin. Discard skin and break salmon into large chunks and arrange over salad. Serve with remaining dressing.
Notes
- Use the freshest salmon and produce available for the best flavor and texture for this Caesar salad with salmon.
- It’s very hard to give an exact cooking time for the salmon, as each piece varies in thickness. Your salmon could take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes in the oven to reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- Invest in an instant read thermometer. This is the quickest, easiest and best way to check the internal temperature of your fish without cutting into it and letting all the juices run out.
Perfect healthy dinner for a hot summer night! The combination of tomato avocado and capers is delicious on a Ceasar salad. Love the change of pace with the butter lettuce!
I’m so glad to hear you liked this, Jennifer! Butter lettuce wins over romaine for me, any day of the week!