Salmon Caesar Salad
When you’re looking for something light but satisfying, this salmon Caesar salad is the perfect meal. It’s a fresh twist on the classic, made with crispy romaine, savory Parmesan, the perfect homemade Caesar dressing, and flaky salmon.
This nutritious and delicious salad comes together in just 30 minutes, and makes a beautiful lunch, a quick weeknight dinner, or even a great main dish for spring and summer entertaining.
My kids are always excited to see this on the menu.
Because at our house, there are two, very popular foods: Caesar salad and salmon. So putting them together just made sense!
But I do have to admit something. While the homemade dressing is the star of this salad, my kids are just starting to come around to it, and for years, they preferred their favorite bottled Caesar dressing. Sharing in solidarity! 😉 While I didn’t agree, I always let them use it!
Anchovy is essential to a classic Caesar dressing. If you don’t love using anchovies, you’ll love the anchovy paste that we use here. It gives the salty, umami flavor we’re looking for, without having to deal with the fillets. It’s easy!
This salad is…
🥗 Filling & flavorful: This is definitely a salad worthy of dinner, but it still feels fresh and light.
🍋 Fresh & vibrant: Crisp lettuce, bright lemon dressing, and salmon work so well together.
👩👩👧👦 Family-friendly: Easy to customize for picky eaters if you serve the salad family-style.
💪 Balanced meal: We have protein, produce, carbs, fats, and flavor!
🕒 Quick to make: Dinner’s ready in under 30 minutes and lettuce and croutons can easily be prepped ahead.
🎉 Dinner party approved: Elegant enough to impress and easy enough to prep ahead for guests.
You’ll also want to try my panko salmon, southwest salad, grilled steak salad, and chicken Caesar pasta salad.
This is one of our favorite recipes Emily. The salmon is light and fresh, complimenting the Caesar Salad perfectly. Thanks for making it so easy to pull together. –Tut
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples for this Caesar salad with salmon: baguette, olive oil, romaine lettuce, salmon, Parmesan cheese, garlic, anchovy paste, egg, lemon, Dijon mustard, and vegetable oil.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Grilled salmon: Preheat grill to medium-high. Prepare a foil pan, drizzle the salmon with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the skin side down and grill for 6 minutes. Carefully flip over and grill another 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through and flakes easily. It should reach 145 degrees F.
- Pro tip: Pat the salmon dry with paper towel before seasoning and cooking to help get a great sear and crispy texture.
- Shortcuts: I think homemade dressing is a must, but my kids don’t agree, so you decide for your self. 😂
- Feeding kids without pressure: While this salad tastes best tossed together, I do typically serve it family-style (using this $5 tray, of course – affiliate) so that everyone can make their own salad. You can also serve the meal with a few sides you know they will eat (milk, fruit, bread)
Salmon Caesar Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Description
This salmon Caesar salad is crisp, creamy, and protein-packed – crunchy romaine is topped with flaky salmon and a homemade Caesar dressing.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. baguette (or artisan bread)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- sea salt
- 3 hearts of romaine lettuce (about 6–8 cups sliced)
- 1 lb. salmon fillet
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- shredded parmesan cheese for serving
Caesar Salad Dressing
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 Tbsp. anchovy paste
- pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Instructions
- Make croutons. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Tear half of baguette (about 4 ounces) into small pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt. Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
- Make dressing. Grate garlic into the anchovy paste. Add a pinch of salt and use the side of your knife to scrape this mixture together until combined. Place into a jar. Add egg yolk, lemon juice, dijon, and oil to the jar. Shake, whisk, or blend until emulsified.
- Wash and dry lettuce. Thinly slice.
- Cook salmon. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and place the salmon, skin side up, into the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes, flip over, and cook another 2-3 minutes more, until cooked through.
- Assemble salad. In a large salad bowl, toss together lettuce and dressing. Top with shredded parmesan cheese, croutons, and salmon. Top with freshly cracked pepper to taste.
Notes
- Storage: This salmon Caesar salad recipe is best served immediately, but if you have leftovers, store components separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. (I prefer to use dressing within a day since it has a raw egg!) You can serve the leftover salmon cold or at room temperature or heat in a 350 degrees F oven or in a hot skillet, just until heated through.
- Ingredient notes: Use skin-on or skinless salmon; wild-caught offers richer flavor (which can be a good and bad thing!). Look for small, crisp romaine hearts for max crunch! Costco has a great option.
- Prep ahead: Wash and chop romaine, prep croutons up to 2 days ahead.
- Special tools: I love using a microplane zester to grate the garlic so that you don’t get any big bites of garlic in the dressing. You could also blend the dressing with an immersion blender if you prefer.
- Serve with: Garlic bread.
- Grilled salmon: Preheat grill to medium-high. Prepare a foil pan, drizzle the salmon with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the skin side down and grill for 6 minutes. Carefully flip over and grill another 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through and flakes easily. It should reach 145 degrees F.
FAQs
Yes! To make a grilled salmon Caesar salad, you can prepare it as directed, but instead of cooking the salmon in a skillet, you can grill it outside. Grilling instructions can be found below in the recipe card. It’s a great option for warmer months, especially if you don’t like cooking fish inside.
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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Awesome post
This is one of our favorite recipes Emily. The salmon is light and fresh, complimenting the Caesar Salad perfectly. Thanks for making it so easy to pull together.
You know it’s a favorite/staple at our house!