Herb-Crusted Salmon Salad (Printable Version)

Warm herb-baked salmon served over crisp mixed greens with a zesty vinaigrette dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salmon

01 - 4 skinless salmon fillets (5 oz each)
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tsp Dijon mustard
04 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
05 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
07 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
08 - 1 tsp garlic powder
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Salad

11 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)
12 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - 1/2 English cucumber, sliced
14 - 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
15 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or almonds (optional)
16 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

→ Vinaigrette

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat 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 - Arrange salmon fillets on the baking sheet and spread the herb paste evenly over the tops.
04 - Bake fillets for 12 to 15 minutes until cooked through and easily flaked with a fork.
05 - In a large bowl, toss salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, nuts, and feta cheese, if using.
06 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar or lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
07 - Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to evenly coat.
08 - Divide salad among four plates and top each with a warm herb-crusted salmon fillet. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The herb crust keeps the salmon impossibly tender while the warm fish wilts the greens just enough to make them taste like they belong together.
  • It's genuinely fast—less than 40 minutes from idea to plate, which means you can make it on a Tuesday without any planning.
  • People always assume something this elegant required more work than it actually did.
02 -
  • Fresh herbs make or break this dish—if your dill has turned brown or your parsley smells like the back of the fridge, start over because they're the whole reason this salmon tastes special.
  • Don't skip the parchment paper, because salmon sticks to everything and you want those herb flakes to stay on the fish, not on your pan.
  • The moment the salmon comes out of the oven is when it's at its perfect texture, so plan your salad assembly so everything is ready to plate right then.
03 -
  • Buy your salmon the day you plan to cook it, and if that's not possible, freeze it immediately—salmon deteriorates faster than you'd think, and frozen salmon honestly tastes better than old fresh salmon.
  • Don't let the herb paste sit on the salmon before baking; the acid in the lemon juice will start to cure the surface and change the texture, so assemble and bake right away.
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