Greek Salmon Salad – A Couple Cooks

Greek salmon salad is a healthy dinner that’s full of fresh Mediterranean flavor! This easy meal is simple and satisfying.

Looking for fun dinner ideas? This Greek salmon salad is healthy and satisfying, full of bold Mediterranean flavors! The star of the show is salmon bites, bite-sized pieces that add a pop of protein to each bite. Layer them over juicy tomatoes, cool cucumber, and feta cheese, and it’s a crowd-pleasing dinner idea that’s ideal in summer or anytime. Honestly, we’d eat this every night of the week! It’s that satisfying.

Ingredients in Greek salmon salad

This Greek salmon salad recipe is built around salmon bites, 1-inch bits of salmon that are cut into pieces before cooking. It makes them the perfect addition to salads, and what better pair than a refreshing Greek salad? Take our classic Greek salad, add a little arugula and top with the salmon bits. It makes the ideal Mediterranean diet dinner! Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 recipe Salmon Bites
• Ripe tomatoes
• Red onion
• English cucumber
• Baby arugula
• Capers
• Kalamata olives
• Feta cheese
• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• Dried oregano and salt

Making salmon bites

The key to Greek salmon salad is making these salmon bites! They’re quick to make in the broiler and take just 15 minutes total. Broiling salmon is one of our favorite ways to cook it because you don’t even have to wait for the time it takes to preheat the oven! Open the salmon bites recipe in a separate tab to see those ingredients. Here’s what to do:

1. Preheat: Preheat a broiler to high.
2. Season: Cut the salmon into 1-inch pieces, then toss them with the seasonings. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet brushed with olive oil.
3. Broil: Broil 4 to 5 minutes until just tender and pink at the center (the internal temperature should be between 125 to 130°F in the center). 
4. Toss with Garlic Lemon Butter: Melt butter, then stir in minced garlic and lemon zest. Toss the bites with the butter and sprinkle them over each Greek salad.

Notes for making salmon Greek salad

This salmon Greek salad is very simple and comes together in 30 minutes or less! Here are a few things to keep in mind when preparing and serving this dish:

• Use an English cucumber. English cucumbers are a long, thin variety with a sweeter flavor, imperceptible skin, and less pronounced seeds than a standard cucumber. We recommend using them in most cucumber recipes because you don’t need to peel or seed them! If you use a standard cucumber, make sure to peel and seed.
• Use baby arugula. Baby arugula (sold in boxes or bags) has a much milder flavor than standard arugula, which is sold in a bunch. If you can’t find it, use a different leafy green like spinach or mixed greens.
• The recipe is very forgiving, so add ingredients to taste. Want to use more tomatoes or cucumber? Feel free! Do you prefer lettuce over baby arugula? Use that instead!

Tips for buying salmon

It’s important in any salmon recipe to buy good-quality salmon. Low quality salmon can taste very fishy and have a mushy texture, or have a lot of that white stuff when it’s cooked (called albumin). Good quality salmon has a fresh flavor that’s not fishy and a tender, flaky texture. Here’s what to look for when buying salmon:

• Opt for fresh salmon if possible. We’ve found buying salmon fresh from the fish counter usually has the best flavor. However, frozen can work too: try to find higher-quality frozen salmon and avoid those big economy-sized bags (we’ve found this type can taste very fishy).
• Look for wild caught salmon. Fish that is wild caught in your country is usually a sustainable choice. (There are also quality options in well-regulated farms; see Seafood Watch Consumer Guide.)
• Know your types of salmon. We tend to like Coho salmon for its mild flavor: it’s a good middle of the road option in terms of price. Of course, King salmon is incredible but it’s expensive and we wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe. Atlantic salmon is most often farmed and not available wild caught. Ask about its source at the fish counter.

Make ahead notes

This Greek salmon salad is best eaten the day it is made; leftovers become rather soggy. If you want to make it in advance, here are a few tips:

• Make the salmon bites in advance and refrigerate until serving. If desired, you can re-warm them in the broiler or on the stovetop.
• Chop the cucumber and red onion in advance and store refrigerated; add the tomatoes, arugula and dressing directly before serving.

More salmon recipes

Greek salmon salad makes a hearty, Mediterranean diet dinner that everyone will love! Here are a few more salmon recipes that make easy dinner ideas: