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Salmon Caesar Salad

This Salmon Caesar Salad is loaded up with crisp romaine lettuce, chunks of cold grilled salmon and crunchy homemade sourdough croutons. The salad is tossed with a freshly-made Caesar salad dressing and large shards of Parmesan cheese. Serve this salad as a full-meal entrée for lunch or dinner.
4.80 from 5 votes
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

For the Sourdough Croutons:

  • 1 loaf 24 oz. sourdough bread
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper

For the Caesar Dressing:

  • 3 cloves garlic grated or minced
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice fresh squeezed
  • 2-3 anchovies
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup light olive oil
  • 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Salt to taste

For the Caesar Salad:

  • 1 large head of romaine lettuce
  • 12 ounces salmon grilled and chilled
  • 6 ounces 3/4 cup Caesar salad dressing
  • 2 cups salad croutons
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese

Instructions

For the Sourdough Croutons:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
  • Cut the bread into 3/4-inch thick slices and remove the crusts.  Cut the slices into cubes and place in a large bowl.  
  • Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil along the inside edge of the bowl and toss the bread cubes.  Continue drizzling the oil, one tablespoon at a time and tossing with the bread until the bread cubes are evenly coated with olive oil.
  • Spread the oiled bread cubes onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with garlic powder, seasoning salt and the pepper.  
  • Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring at the half-way time, until the croutons are crisp and golden brown.  
  • Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet.

For the Caesar Salad Dressing:

  • Add all the ingredients, except the Parmesan cheese and the salt, to a wide-mouth pint jar, add the stick blender and process, lifting the blender with an up/down motion until thick.  
  • Remove the stick blender and add the shredded Parmesan, then process until thick and creamy.  Taste the dressing and add salt according to your taste preference.  
  • Add the lid to the Caesar salad dressing and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Salmon Caesar Salad:

  • Rinse the romaine under cold water, tear into bite-sized pieces, spin dry in a salad spinner and place in a large salad bowl.   
  • Break or cut the salmon into bite-size pieces and add to the bowl with the croutons.  Drizzle with enough of the Caesar salad dressing to lightly coat the lettuce and gently toss to combine.  
  • Using a vegetable peeler, shave large shards of Parmesan cheese over the top of the salad and serve immediately.

Notes

  • For herb seasoned croutons, sprinkle them with your favorite dried herbs or a mixture such as Italian seasoning.
  • For cheesy croutons, after the croutons have baked for 10 minutes, sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese and continue baking until crisp and crunchy. 
  • Croutons will keep for several weeks in an sealed container.  If they are not sealed tightly and loose their crunchiness, place them on a baking sheet and reheat in a 250°F oven for 5-10 minutes to re-crisp them.
  • The anchovies are intended to balance and enhance the flavors of the dressing and should not be a dominate taste.
  • When preparing the romaine lettuce, if a salad spinner is not available, pat the leaves dry with paper towels to remove moisture, then tear into pieces and place in the bowl.
  • Any remaining salad dressing will keep for 1 week in a covered jar in the refrigerator.