Greek Salmon Salad is a salmon salad recipe that is full of artichokes, garbanzo beans, olives, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, a light lemon vinaigrette and perfectly roasted Greek salmon. It's delicious for a fresh lunch or a lighter dinner.
There’s something about a big, veggie-filled salad that puts me in a good mood. I’m not talking about wimpy ranch drenched salads, either. I mean a loaded salad with tons of textures and flavors that is healthy but keeps me satisfied. This time of year I love meals that are hearty but perhaps a little lighter than all of the holiday dishes I’ve been eating. A salad like Greek Salmon Salad is exactly what I'm craving!
This Greek Salmon Salad is like a salad you’d find in a restaurant, filled to the brim with vegetables. It’s a salad you are going to want to make again and again because it is so satisfying AND nutritious! It has so many textures and flavors in every bite. From the crunchy cucumbers and juicy cherry tomatoes to the soft artichokes, salty olives and tangy feta.
It's a delicious lighter meal option and is perfect for lunch or a easy weeknight dinner. If you're in the mood for salmon but not a salad, check out my Grilled Teriyaki Salmon!
The ingredients in this Greek salad are simple ingredients and many overlap between the marinade and the herb dressing. Refer to the recipe card for the ingredient list with the individual quantities.
Salmon - I always use wild salmon. My favorite is Sitka Salmon Shares.
Olive Oil - a good quality olive oil is great in this recipe, as it really makes the dressing outstanding.
Lemon - fresh lemon juice is used for the salmon and in the dressing.
Dried Dill - I use dried dill for ease but fresh dill is also delicious if you have it on hand!
Fresh Garlic
Canned Artichokes - canned artichokes are tender and flavorful and I love using them for a quick salad ingredient.
Olives - I use a Greek olive combination that includes kalamata olives that I find in my grocery store deli section.
Feta Cheese - salty feta cheese is commonly found in Greek food and it is perfect in this salad!
Cherry Tomatoes - fresh cherry tomatoes add a pop of color and flavor in this salmon salad.
Romaine Lettuce - I love crunchy romaine lettuce salads and it holds up well to all of the toppings. You can use whatever fresh salad greens you prefer.
Garbanzo Beans - garbanzo beans add some fiber and texture to this Greek salad.
Cucumbers - I typically use English cucumbers as their skin is less tough than regular cucumbers. If you use regular cucumbers, I would peel some of the outer skin off.
To start, the salmon filets get a quick marinade in a simple olive oil, lemon, dill, and garlic mixture. Ten minutes is enough but if you want to do a few hours, go for it! Once it's marinated, it gets baked. Place salmon on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Salmon is a great protein to add to a salad because it doesn’t need a knife for cutting, as the salmon should flake easily with a fork.
While the salmon is baking, you can make the dressing and prep the salad ingredients. To make the Greek dressing, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. You can do this in a small bowl or a small jar. For the rest of the ingredients, chop the lettuce, dice the tomatoes, drain and rinse the beans, drain the artichokes, and assemble it all in one big bowl.
To serve, toss it all with the lemon vinaigrette dressing and then serve topped with the delicious perfectly baked salmon!
This is delicious as a big dinner salad, or is a great recipe to prep it all in advance for an easy lunch throughout the week!
Use different tomatoes. I used cherry tomatoes, but you can definitely use grape tomatoes, diced Roma tomatoes, or heirloom tomatoes! Really, use any time of tomato you prefer.
Add other fresh veggies. You could add some thinly sliced red onion for some more crunch and onion flavor or a red bell pepper. Sliced creamy avocado would also be a delicious addition.
Use fresh herbs. If fresh dill in season, you can definitely use that in the salmon marinade.
Swap the cheese. While feta cheese is the common cheese in traditional Greek salad, you could also use goat cheese if you prefer.
Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. If possible, only add dressing to individual servings, as it will make the lettuce soggy if you don't eat it right away.