Salmon Caesar Salad with Garlicky Stovetop Croutons
June 15th, 2022An Easy, Healthy Salmon Caesar Salad Recipe
This salmon caesar salad recipe is a trifecta of textures — crispy-skinned salmon fillets, crusty stovetop croutons, and crunchy romaine lettuce. It's an ideal wild salmon salad recipe to enjoy during the warmer months of the year when you want something filling, yet light and fresh.
Shortcuts for Our Salmon Caesar Salad Recipe
For this salmon caesar recipe, you don't need to make your own dressing — just use your favorite store-bought option, then add plenty of freshly grated parmesan cheese. This keeps the prep for this salad quick and easy. However, if you have the extra time and ingredients, you can absolutely make your own from scratch, using a great extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, anchovy, garlic, and an egg. A homemade dressing will simply add more flavorful nuance to your caesar salad.
To cut down on prep time even more, this salad can be made with leftover salmon fillets, chopped or flaked into the mix. It's great option for fast lunches when you don't have time to cook, for meal prepping, or as a way to simply to reduce food waste by repurposing last night's cooked fillets.
Salmon Caesar Salad With Garlicky Stovetop Croutons
By Wild Alaskan Company
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total time
25 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 (6 oz.) portions Sockeye Salmon or Coho Salmon
- 2 large heads romaine lettuce
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
- 2 handfuls day old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Caesar dressing, store-bought or homemade
- Parmesan, for serving
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
1. Fill large bowl with water and ice cubes to create an ice bath. Separate romaine leaves from core and trim off any brown or bruised sections. Tear leaves into salad-sized pieces into ice bath. Allow leaves to sit in ice bath until just before serving.
2. Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat fillets dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. Season with salt and pepper. When skillet is hot, add just enough oil to cover bottom. When oil is sizzling hot, carefully place one salmon fillet skin-side down into skillet and immediately press down onto fillet with a fish spatula to ensure good skin to pan contact. Hold firmly for 15 seconds, then repeat with remaining fillet.
3. Sear each fillet for 3 minutes, or until the salmon releases easily from the skillet with the help of a fish spatula. Carefully flip and allow other side to cook to desired doneness, another 1 to 3 minutes depending on thickness of fillets. Salmon is medium-rare when thickest part registers 120F on an instant read thermometer, or when flaked easily with a fork. Transfer to plate and set aside to cool.
4. Briefly allow skillet to cool, then wipe out and place over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and smashed garlic cloves to skillet and cook until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Remove garlic from the skillet, then toss in cubed bread to pan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir constantly, cooking until golden and toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Drain and dry romaine, then transfer to large serving bowl. Toss with dressing to taste, then flake salmon over leaves. Add croutons and plenty of freshly shaved or grated parmesan cheese, tossing to combine. Serve immediately.
Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.
