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This classic Cobb salad uses lemon pepper flavoured salmon instead of chicken and a delicious lemon dill dressing. A salad that is a meal in itself!
But if you not a fan of salmon, take a look at our Traditional Cobb Salad with the most delicious dressing.
It’s no secret I crave salads whenever the weather turns warm. Not just a wimpy salad with a bit of lettuce and a slice of tomato but a salad you can eat for a meal.
Cobb is definitely one of those meals! It’s got absolutely everything for a satisfying lunch of dinner. It also boasts buckets of flavour.
Salmon Salad Ingredients
For the most part this recipe follows the classic Cobb salad. The standard version features chicken breast, bacon, eggs, cheese, tomatoes and avocado piled on top of salad greens. It is usually dressed with a vinaigrette or a creamy dressing.
Since I wanted to use salmon instead of chicken as the protein in this salad, I also decided to adjust some of the ingredients to compliment my fish. I did something similar with my Salmon Caesar Salad.
First of all, I seasoned my salmon with classic fish flavours; lemon and black pepper with a good pinch of salt. When seasoning fish, I find that grating a bit of lemon zest does wonders for the flavour. Something that lemon juice alone can never do.
I cooked my salmon in the air fryer, which is quick, easy and fuss free. It delivers fish that is perfectly cooked and it takes less than 10 minutes. But you can also use your oven!
I got rid of the bacon in my version. The rich flavour of the salmon didn’t need any help in my opinion. However, I kept cheese but instead of the usual blue cheese I opted for creamy and tangy goat cheese. Perfect companion!
Lemon Dill Dressing
As mentioned above, I flavoured the salmon with lemon and pepper. Lemon pairs beautifully with fish, so I wanted to include it in my salad dressing as well.
To make things simple I used mayonnaise as a base with a touch of mustard for the depth of flavour.
When it comes to summer salads I want all ingredients to be as fresh and real as possible. So I used the juice and zest of a lemon to give my salad dressing a real zing and brightness.
Freshly chopped dill is another classic, which gets paired with fish. And if you follow me, you know I am impartial to dill. A healthy dose of the herb went right in!
I honestly think the dressing is one of the best part about this salad and it can be used in ANY salad, so make a double batch and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Salads can be infinitely adaptable. Keep the basic concept of this salmon salad recipe in mind and go with whatever you have available, although it can take you further away from the classic cobb recipe. Some other veggies I might consider are thinly sliced red onions or shallot, green onions, Kalamata olives, fresh dill, or bell pepper.
- I used mixed salad greens but romaine lettuce is classic.
- You can also make variations of this salad by changing the protein. Chicken, tofu or other types of fish are all going to work. And of course there is always the option to use chunks of ham, as in the original.
- Salmon is simple to cook in the oven. Just add a layer of parchment paper to a baking sheet, the place the salmon skin-side down with a little salt, pepper and lemon zest. It’ll be done in 10-12 minutes. But even simpler, and faster, is to use an This is an affiliate link.air fryer! Prepare the salmon in the same way and leave it for 8 minutes.
- I love the creaminess and taste of using mayo in a salad dressing, but it is possible to use Greek yogurt instead. You will need to adjust the amount of salt to compensate since mayonnaise has some already.
Serving suggestions
We often think of salads as a side dish, but this is one that is built to eat as a meal.
If you are serving this to a group, it’s best to mix the salad veg and dressing together in a large bowl before serving so that the dressing fully and evenly coats everything. The salmon can be served on its own plate, allowing everyone to place salmon on their salad when they are ready to eat.
It’s worth remembering that salads start to get soggy as soon as the dressing is applied. When I make a salad, I prepare the veggies and the dressing, but only mix them together when it’s time to eat.
Storage and leftovers
Salad is best when fresh, but if you keep the vegetables in the fridge, without the salmon and dressing, they will last 3-5 days. The cooked salmon will last the same time.
The salad dressing will do a bit better. It can last for up to 2 months.
When it comes to enjoying the leftovers, you can also make the salad again. But if you feel like a change, try using it to make a salmon salad sandwich or salmon and lettuce wraps.
More big salad recipes to try
- Mediterranean Salad with Hummus and Halloumi
- Thai Grilled Chicken Salad
- Italian Salad with Tuna, Corn and Mozzarella
- Falafel Salad Bowl
Salmon Cobb Salad with Lemon Dill Dressing
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Ninja Foodi Dualzone Air Fryer
- This is an affiliate link.OXO Pastry Brush
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 125g / 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp This is an affiliate link.Dijon mustard
- 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
- 1 tbsp dill, chopped
- 2 tbsp water, to thin it out
For the salad
- 250g / 8oz salmon fillet pieces
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 lemon, zest only
- 4 tomatoes
- 2 cucumbers, small
- 2 eggs
- 1 avocado
- 4 tbsp goat cheese, crumbled
- 170g / 4 cups mixed salad greens
Instructions
- Make the salad dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest with chopped dill. Add warm water one teaspoon at a time to thin it out, continue adding water until desired consistency. Set aside till needed.
- Brush the salmon pieces with the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Grate the zest of 1/2 lemon directly on top. Cook in an oven preheated to 180C/350G oven for 10-12 minutes. Or cook in the air fryer at 200C/400F for 8 minutes.
- While the salmon is in the oven, cook the eggs. For soft boiled eggs, put the eggs in cold water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then turn the heat off and let the eggs sit in the water for 5 minutes. Afterwards, transfer the eggs to ice cold water until completely cool, then peel.
- To assemble the salad pile the salad greens on a platter, then top with the salmon, tomato slices, cucumbers halves, sliced avocado and soft boiled eggs cut in half. Then arrange the crumbled goat cheese in the middle. I like to sprinkle all vegetables with a bit of salt before adding the dressing. Drizzle with the lemon dill dressing and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was light and healthy but filling. I used left over salmon that I cooked the previos night in the air fryer and it matched well. The combination of the light dressing with the vegetables and goat cheese was delicious. I will definitely make this again.
Amazing summer dinner. I added some glazed walnuts which I thought went well. I loved the dressing. And it was all delicious and healthy.
Thank you for your review, Jen! I am thrilled you enjoyed this salad.