Greek Salmon Salad
This show-stopping Greek Salmon Salad with pan-seared filets, a rainbow of fresh veggies, and an easy Mediterranean-inspired vinaigrette makes a deliciously feel-good lunch or dinner.
When we’re craving healthy, veggie-packed meals, I love this balsamic chicken spinach blackberry salad, chicken gyro salad, or Jerk chicken lettuce wraps. Good for you should still be delicious!
Main dish salads are just so rewarding. No boring lettuce heaps here! When you pile on the crunchy veggies, flavor-packed additions like olives and feta, and a healthy protein like salmon, the result is a meal your tastebuds and your body will appreciate.
Ingredients & Common Substitutions
To make these Greek salmon salads, you’ll want to have the following components. Be sure to see the full recipe below for amounts when it’s time to cook!
- Salmon filets. I have been getting all our salmon from Butcher Box, which makes it easy to just defrost a few filets as we need them. You could also buy one larger piece and break it up over individual portions, though if it’s very large, keep in mind that it may be a bit more difficult to sear.
- Salad greens. I like to use a bag of pre-washed mixed baby greens to keep things simple. You can also use romaine, green or red leaf, or really any lettuce you enjoy.
- Bell pepper. Any color, seeded and chopped.
- Tomatoes. You can use halved cherry tomatoes, quartered Roma tomatoes, or your favorite in-season variety quartered or diced.
- Cucumber. I recommend using either a mini (Persian) cucumber or about half of an English cucumber. They have less water content and a thinner skin than traditional US cucumbers.
- Olives. Pitted Kalamatas are our absolute favorite. I always sneak a few extra onto my portion!
- Feta cheese. Yes, please!
- Fresh dill, if possible. This is a key to that signature Greek flavor in both the dressing and the salad itself.
- Red wine vinegar and olive oil. Highly recommend stocking both in your pantry!
- Seasonings: dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper.
Related: Salmon Kale Salad with Caesar Dressing
Variations & Customizations
Want to change it up a little? Here are a few ideas!
- Change up the salmon seasoning. Sprinkle on a bit of dried thyme, lemon pepper, or marjoram. See this guide to Mediterranean spices for more inspiration.
- Add extra veggies. Artichoke hearts, carrots, radishes, anything that you like (or need to use up!).
- Add nuts, seeds, or croutons. Pine nuts, sunflower seeds, or homemade croutons are always welcome in my book!
- Throw in some chickpeas. Roasted, marinated, or straight from the can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This is also terrific with grilled, pan-seared, or baked chicken breasts. Season them the same way, with a smidge of salt, pepper, and oregano.
Yes! Salmon can easily be baked for 10-12 minutes at 450 degrees F, or grilled over high heat for about the same amount of time.
If you have extra dressing, store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to a week. Just shake well to recombine and use on a simple Greek salad, chickpea salad, or as a quick marinade for chicken or shrimp.
First, look at the color; fully cooked salmon will change from translucent, raw red, to a more opaque pink. Another easy test is to press gently on the filet with a fork or your finger — cooked salmon will flake easily, meaning it separates along the white lines that criss-cross the filet. These lines are strips of fat.
The FDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F. However, many chefs prefer to cook salmon to medium — between 125°F and 135°F — for a flakier, more tender result. I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer to short-circuit all the guesswork!
More Main Course Salad Recipes
- Balsamic Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad
- Spinach Blackberry Salad with Balsamic Chicken
- Spinach Salad with Bacon and Eggs
- Greek Chickpea Salad
- Chicken Gyro Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing
- Vegetarian Taco Salad with Black Beans & Cilantro Lime Dressing
We love having this Greek salmon salad any time we’re craving some healthy meals. The flavors ensure you don’t feel like you’re missing a thing!
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Greek Salmon Salad
Ingredients
For the Salmon:
- 3-4 salmon filets
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10-12 cranks fresh-ground black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 8-10 cranks fresh-ground black pepper
For the Salad:
- 5-6 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small bell pepper any color, seeded and chopped
- 1 mini or 1/2 regular cucumber peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 3-4 tablespoons crumbled feta
- 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
Instructions
- Make the salmon. Pat salmon dry and sprinkle on one side with oregano, salt, and pepper. (If the salmon has skin, season the skinless side.) Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add salmon to the pan, unseasoned side down, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Test the salmon; when the bottoms release fairly easily, it’s ready to flip. Turn each filet over, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until it’s cooked through and has a golden crust. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Make the dressing. Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar with a tightly fitting lid, and shake well to combine.
- Assemble the salads. Combine greens, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, olives, and onion in a large bowl or on a large platter. Drizzle with about half of the dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with feta and dill. Top with salmon and additional dressing, to taste, either on the serving dish or on individual plates. Enjoy!
Notes
- Extra dressing can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. Give it a good shake to recombine and use on any salad you like.
