Salmon Salad

Salmon Salad

Make Salmon Salad with flaky roasted salmon, lemon-yogurt dressing, and crunchy almonds for bright lunches and easy dinners.

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Yield4

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Roast the salmon

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking dish with a sheet of parchment large enough to hold the salmon. Pat the center-cut, skin-on side of salmon dry with paper towels, place it skin-side down on the parchment, drizzle with olive oil and rub with half the ground cumin, half the kosher salt, black pepper and a portion of the oregano so every surface is lightly coated. Roast until the flesh just loses its raw sheen and flakes easily (target about 145°F internal, I often remove a few degrees early and let carryover finish it). Remove the pan from the oven and let the salmon cool to room temperature, then set aside and discard the skin before flaking.

Step 2: Soak the red onion

While the salmon roasts, thinly slice or finely chop the half red onion and place it in a small bowl topped with cold water to soften its bite and mellow the sharp aroma. Let it sit while you finish the other prep so it becomes crisp-tender and less pungent; drain and pat lightly before adding to the salad.

Step 3: Make the lemon-yogurt dressing

In a small mixing bowl stir together the nonfat plain Greek yogurt, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic and the remaining pinch of cumin, salt and oregano. Whisk until smooth and creamy — a spoonful should cling and leave faint ribbons — then taste and adjust the bright-sour balance. Keep the dressing chilled until assembly.


Step 4: Flake and combine into a chunky salad

Flake the cooled salmon into chunky, irregular pieces into a modern matte grey ceramic mixing bowl (discarding the skin). Add the diced mini cucumbers (or English cucumber), crumbled feta if using, currants or raisins, chopped dill and cilantro, drained red onion and toasted sliced almonds. Pour the lemon-yogurt dressing over the mixture and use a broad spoon to gently fold everything together — you want distinct salmon chunks and visible flecks of herb and zest, not a uniform paste. Taste and season with an extra pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed.

Step 5: Serve chilled or at room temperature

Spoon the finished salmon salad into the same matte grey serving bowl, arranging a few whole dill fronds and a light scattering of toasted almonds and currants on top for contrast. Serve chilled or at room temperature as a lettuce wrap, on toast, or over greens; leftovers keep tightly covered in the fridge for a couple of days.

Notes