Herb-Crusted Salmon Salad (Printable Page)

Tender herb-crusted salmon atop fresh salad greens with a tangy vinaigrette dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Salmon

01 - 4 skinless salmon fillets, approximately 5 oz each
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
08 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

11 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)
12 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - ½ English cucumber, sliced
14 - ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
15 - ¼ cup toasted walnuts or almonds (optional)
16 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ Vinaigrette

17 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
18 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
19 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
20 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
21 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, parsley, dill, chives, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl to form a herb paste.
03 - Place salmon fillets on the parchment-lined baking sheet and spread the herb paste evenly over the tops.
04 - Bake salmon for 12 to 15 minutes until cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
05 - In a large bowl, mix salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, nuts, and feta cheese if using.
06 - Whisk extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar or lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
07 - Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss to coat.
08 - Plate the salad evenly onto four servings and top each with a warm herb-crusted salmon fillet. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Warm herb-crusted salmon over cold greens creates this perfect temperature contrast that keeps you coming back for another bite.
  • The whole thing comes together in 35 minutes, which means weeknight dinners that actually taste like you tried.
  • It's naturally pescatarian and gluten-free without feeling like you're missing anything or following rules.
02 -
  • Overcooked salmon is dry salmon, so use the fork test and pull it out when it still looks barely opaque in the thickest part—carryover cooking finishes the job.
  • Don't dress the full salad until the last second or you'll end up with wilted greens, which is sad when everything else is perfect.
03 -
  • Buy your salmon the day you're cooking it and ask the fishmonger to show you what's fresh, not what's been sitting since Tuesday.
  • The herb crust stays crispest for exactly ten minutes after the salmon comes out of the oven, so time your plating so the fish is still warm but not blazing hot.
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