Salmon Caesar salad is a pale pink twist on the classic Caesar recipe. This stylish and summery little number is tender-centred, rosy fillets of fish on a frilly bed of crisp green leaves, laced with a tangy and creamy homemade dressing. Serve as a chic, (virtually) carb-free main meal, just add sunshine and light rosé wine. Dahling!
Elevate your summer party menu plans with these charming and diminutive chicken Caesar crostini canapés. And if you’re not keen on actual anchovies in your dressing, this Caesar recipe leaves them out.
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Caesar salad with salmon
I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but Caesar salad is nothing without its dressing. No new clothes for this Emperor! And why buy when you can so very easily make your own? If you ask me, store-bought Caesar dressing it little more than gloopy mayo and low-quality Parmesan.
The dressing part of this dish takes 2 minutes to make and is mostly store-cupboard staples. Thanks to the fresh eggs, fresh lemon juice, fresh garlic, fresh Parmesan, as well as punchy anchovies and sharp mustard, this homemade version is a stunningly snappy and smooth-textured item of edible haute couture.
As well as impeccable garments, this season’s Caesar is accessorising with salmon. It’s the new chicken. (Disclaimer: I made that up, it’s not an actual trend forecast.)
Mild-flavoured salmon works beautifully with this sharp Caesar sauce, and its soft flakiness allows the crisp lettuce to come forward as a statement rather than linger as an arbitrary garnish.
Finally, slice up that suffering loaf of sourdough from the weekend and give it a new lease of life by reinventing it as crunchy croutons. It’s the king’s crown, you could say.
Recipe tips and notes
- Croutons should be light and crispy. To make your own make sure you choose a bread with an open crumb. Nothing too dense. I’ve chosen a bubbly ciabatta for mine.
- Making your own Caesar salad dressing might sound like a task too far, but believe me, it is so easy! All you need is the listed ingredients and a blender to whizz them up in. Try it! I know you can!
- I strongly recommend using a neutral-tasting oil for this particular dressing. I’ve used groundnut but you could use vegetable. Although I’m an olive oil lover, the bitter notes clash terribly with the anchovies. Avoid.
- If salmon is not your vibe, you can easily replace it with chicken in this Caesar salad recipe.
- Salmon can be cooked any which way. Personally, I am not a fryer, but I have included instructions for three methods so you can take your pick: utilise your trusty air fryer, good old oven, or pan fry. All take 10 minutes or fewer.
- Romain is the classic crisp lettuce leaf for a Caesar salad, but I love a little gem. Their dainty looking, but suitably robust leaves can be left whole meaning they won’t brown as quickly and stay crunchy and fresh, and they look just gorgeous!
Serving suggestions
Salmon salad is a (virtually) carb-free main dish. If you’re dinner date is less diet conscious, serve with a light rye bread that’s slightly sweet, slightly sour, and lots of salty butter.
I plan meals a week in advance- I’m only making one trip to the supermarket! But thanks to the unpredictability of the British weather, these plans can be easily scuppered. A cool Caesar salad with salmon on a sunny July day seems ideal until it clouds over and turns cold.
Am I changing my dinner plans, though? No, I am not. I’m digging my high heels in and serving the salmon salad with some warm sides like lemon butter green beans and emergency air fryer garlic bread.
Storage and leftovers
Leftover dressed salad is not a keeper. Lettuce leaves become sad and soggy and the flavour of garlic infiltrates everything. If it’s possible, just salvage the salmon. It will keep for 3 to 4 days covered in the fridge and is already almost halfway to a hot cheesy salmon sandwich.
As my Caesar salad dressing contains fresh, raw ingredients like eggs and fish, I only store mine for 2 or 3 days in the fridge. If you have enough leftover to keep, it makes a fantastic sandwich spread with leftover roast chicken.
More salads to try
- Garden Salad
- Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Salmon Cobb Salad with Lemon Dill Dressing
- Cucumber and Heirloom Tomato Salad with Red Onions
Salmon Caesar Salad
Ingredients
For the croutons
- 4 slices ciabatta bread cut into small cubes
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- Salt
For the dressing
- 2 medium egg yolks
- 2 tbsp lemon juice fresh not bottled
- ½ tsp This is an affiliate link.Dijon mustard
- 2 anchovies diced then turned into paste
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- ⅓ cup neutral tasting oil, such as vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste
- 2-3 tbsp warm water
For the salad
- 1 head romain lettuce or 2 heads of little gem lettuce
- 2-3 baby cucumbers sliced
- 2 (120g / 4 oz each) salmon fillets
- 1 tsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 lemon zest only
Instructions
- Start by making the croutons. Cut the bread into pieces approximately 2 cm/¾ inch in size and toss with the olive oil, garlic and salt. Bake at 190℃/375℉ for 15 minutes (give them a stir halfway through) or until they are no longer soft inside otherwise they will taste hard instead of crispy when cooled.
- Next make the dressing. Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, dijon mustard, 2 chopped anchovies, minced garlic, oil Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. The whisk in the water by hand to bring the dressing to the needed consistency. Set aside till needed.
- Pat the salmon pieces dry with a paper towel, then season with salt, pepper and lemon zest from one lemon. You can cook the salmon in the air fryer, in a pan or an oven.
- If cooking in the air fryer Preheat the air fryer to 200℃/400℉. While it's preheating, season the salmon with salt and pepper and sprinkle the zest of half a lemon all over. Once the air fryer is preheated, arrange the salmon in the basket of the air fryer and spray it with a cooking spray. (If you choose to use oil instead of the spray, brush the salmon with 1 tsp of olive oil, then season with salt, pepper and lemon zest.) Cook for 8 minutes.
- If cooking in the oven, follow the instructions above but cook for 10 minutes.
- If pan frying, heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan, then add the salmon to the pan skin side up and sear for 3-4 minutes over medium high heat until golden and crispy, then flip on the other side and cook for 3 minutes longer or until the sides change colour from orange to pale pink all the way through.
- To assemble the salad separate the romain lettuce into individual leaves and wash well (dirt gets trapped between the leaves), then dry using a salad spinner or manually. If using romaine lettuce cut the leaves into smaller pieces but if using gem lettuces, leave them whole and add to a large bowl. Add the sliced cucumber and Caesar dressing to the lettuce and toss well to completely coat the vegetables. Sprinkle the croutons, top with cooked salmon and grate more Parmesan on top. Serve immediately.
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