Salmon Caesar Salad (Printable)

Grilled salmon over crisp romaine with creamy homemade Caesar dressing and croutons.

# What You Need:

→ For the Salmon

01 - 4 skinless salmon fillets (about 5 oz each)
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
05 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

→ For the Salad

07 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
10 - 1 cup croutons
11 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ For the Caesar Dressing

12 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
13 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
14 - 2 tsp Dijon mustard
15 - 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
16 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced (or 1 tsp anchovy paste)
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
19 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
02 - Pat the salmon fillets dry. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
03 - Grill salmon for 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through and lightly charred. Remove from heat and let rest.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until smooth.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and croutons. Drizzle with Caesar dressing and toss to coat evenly.
06 - Divide the salad among four plates. Place a grilled salmon fillet on top of each. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The warm salmon against cool crisp lettuce creates this incredible temperature contrast that restaurant salads always seem to nail
  • That homemade dressing comes together in two minutes but tastes like you simmered it all day
  • Protein rich greens that actually fill you up without that heavy post meal slump
02 -
  • Patting the salmon completely dry before seasoning is the difference between nicely charred fish and steamed fish that sticks to the pan
  • Let the salmon rest for a few minutes after grilling. Cutting into it immediately causes all those juices to escape
  • The dressing thickens as it sits in the fridge. Thin it with a teaspoon of water or lemon juice before tossing
03 -
  • Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly. Take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before grilling
  • If your anchovy fillets are salty, reduce the salt in the dressing accordingly