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September 16, 2025
Celebration Salmon Salad Recipe
Celebration Salmon Salad is a grand foremost course salad that’s worthy of Christmas, brunch with associates and different celebratory events!
With chunky flakes of scorching smoked salmon and an addictive Yogurt Ranch Dressing, there’s a handful of parts to this recipe but it surely’s straightforward – and it’s all of the little particulars that makes this so particular! Bonus: may be totally prepped forward, stays perky for over an hour even as soon as dressed!
Celebration Salmon Salad – it began as a joke
Yearly, we (the RecipeTin Household) get requested* to do the “catering*” for my moms’ annual Christmas Lunch with 30 social membership associates. The menu is requested 5 months upfront, and we often follow trusted favourites for the mains. Ham, roast chicken, turkey, facet of salmon – that kind of factor.
This 12 months, I made a decision to alter it up a bit and check out one thing new – so I switched the same old Parmesan Crusted Salmon with what I referred to as “Celebration Salmon Salad”, then hit Ship.
I used to be mocked by the household for making up a festive sounding title with none thought of what it was truly going to be – and placing placing myself ready of getting to invent one thing that stacks as much as the title!!
However I’m happy to report that this was an enormous hit on the get together – and definitely probably the most requested recipe. 🙂
The Parts of Celebration Salmon Salad
Right here’s what goes into every part of the Celebration Salmon Salad (I did warn you there’s a couple of….however that’s what makes it so particular!!)
1. Scorching Smoked Salmon
Retailer purchased, all the best way! Open and flake. Makes your life simpler, plus smoking (effectively!) shouldn’t be an on a regular basis factor. The smokey flavour brings a particular one thing to salmon! Use any flavour you need – they arrive plain, or flavours like cracked pepper, candy chilli (pictured – it was on sale).
2. Yogurt Ranch Dressing
The yogurt brings a welcome tang to this creamy dressing that’s loaded with conventional ranch flavours. I LOVE this dressing! Simply combine and put aside 20 minutes+ to let the flavours develop.
(PS Dressing picture has typo, “mustard” is inaccurate, it must be “garlic”! Will repair!)
3. Pickled crimson onion
Simply combine and depart (no boiling) for 1 hour to melt the onion, take away the harshness and add pickled tang. It’s simply frivolously scattered by the salad so as to add a touch of tart in addition to including beautiful pops of color!
4. The Inexperienced Stuff
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Marinated Kale – It’ll sound fancy whenever you inform your folks, however actually, it’s simply uncooked kale rubbed with olive oil and salt so it softens and makes it tasty (so even kale haters received’t complain). Kale provides further color in addition to including texture and quantity to the leafy greens . You actually can’t style it individually. It additionally holds extra dressing than the cos/romaine, kind of like a sponge, so that you get a burst of dressing whenever you chew into the kale!
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One thing juicy and fruity – Peaches, nectarines, blood orange, regular oranges or grapefruit. Something that’s comfortable and juicy provides to the consuming expertise right here, I’ve tried all within the San Fran Chicken Salad (on which this recipe is predicated) and they’re all terrific. I used grapefruit;
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Leafy Greens – You can actually use any leafy greens right here, however cos/romaine lettuce is my favorite;
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Shaved Fennel – It’s a secret ingredient on this salad! You may simply style it – since you don’t use a lot and as soon as shaved, the distinct aniseed flavour of fennel is admittedly tempered. Individuals knew one thing was combined in with the lettuce, they only couldn’t choose it!
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Snow pea sprouts – A bit of sprinkle throughout the highest appears to be like a bit fancy and provides curiosity to this salad!
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Parmesan – the ultimate secret ingredient! Tossed by and sprinkled on prime. Provides severe umami (savouriness) into the salad.
Assembling the Celebration Salmon Salad
Right here’s the best way to assemble this salad – it’s slightly completely different to the same old, for each presentation and sensible functions (in any other case the salmon and fruit falls to the underside):
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Drizzle leafy greens with some dressing and parmesan;
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Toss effectively to coat – the yogurt is thicker than regular dressing, so it wants extra tossing that traditional salads;
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Pile half onto a big platter;
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Prime with salmon, extra onion, and fruit slices;
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Pile on remaining leafy greens then repeat; and
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End with a scattering of snow pea sprouts and parmesan.
Once I made this for my mom’s Christmas get together, I ready all the pieces upfront (together with chopping the lettuce) except for the fruit which I lower recent to maintain it as juicy as attainable. Then on the day of, I simply assembled it.
This Celebration Salmon Salad is meant to be a foremost dish. Piled on an enormous platter, I believe it makes a placing centrepiece on a buffet desk, or a smaller scale for sharing with associates.
If serving this as a meal and also you’ve received folks current who get insecure with out some type of carb current (fellow Carb Monsters, unite!), strive certainly one of these on the facet:
Advised sides for a meal
So – in conclusion – this Celebration Salmon Salad could have began out as a little bit of a cheeky joke. However the finish end result was a critically tasty, very fairly wanting dish made for sharing with household and associates.
Make it, then the title will get seared into your mind too. “Celebration Salmon Salad this, Celebration Salmon Salad that….” Individuals can’t cease speaking about it!! 😂 – Johnsat x
Watch the best way to make it
Ingredients
- 500g / 1 lb hot smoked salmon , store bought, any flavour (Note 1)
- 1 small red onion , halved then finely sliced
- 1 cup (250 ml) apple cider vinegar (enough to just cover onion), sub white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 2 cups Greek yoghurt , full fat recommended
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/4 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp EACH onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp white sugar
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 cups (packed) kale , torn into bite size pieces (Note 2)
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- 2 pieces fruit – nectarines, peaches, grapefruit or blood oranges (get whatever's ripe and juicy, or sub normal oranges)
- 10 cups cos lettuce / romaine torn or cut into bite size pieces (Note 3)
- 1 small fennel , shaved (0.5 mm / 1/5" thickness) or finely sliced
- 1 handful snow pea sprouts (can omit)
- 3/4 cup (75g) parmesan , shredded (Note 4)
Instructions
- Flake salmon: Use two forks to flake salmon into large chunks.
- Dressing: Mix the Yoghurt Ranch Dressing ingredients in a bowl. Adjust olive oil + lemon juice to taste. Leave 20 minutes.
- Pickle Onions: Place ingredients in a bowl, toss to coat. Set aside for 1 hour+ or until onion is softened (if in a rush, make sure the onion is finely sliced = faster pickle). Drain.
- Marinated Kale: Place kale in a large bowl, drizzle with oil then sprinkle with salt. Use your fingers to massage the oil onto the leaves – you want to ensure every part of the kale is coated in oil. Set aside for 30 minutes or until kale is softened.
- Nectarines/peaches option- halve then finely slice.
- Grapefruit/blood orange option – segment per video. Squeeze all remaining juice out of the membrane after segmenting, mix into dressing.
- Place lettuce, kale, fennel, 1/2 cup onion in bowl. Drizzle with about 1 cup dressing and 1/3 cup parmesan. Toss well to coat. Taste, add more parmesan or salt if you want, or more dressing.
- Pile half dressed lettuce onto serving platter. Flake over half the salmon and half the fruit. Scatter with more red onion.
- Top with remaining lettuce, salmon, fruit and onion (might not use all onion).
- Drizzle with some dressing (might not use all, serve remainder on side). Scatter over snow pea sprouts, sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Place on table and let everyone help themselves!
Notes
1. Hot Smoked Salmon – not to be confused with smoked salmon slices, hot smoked salmon looks like cooked salmon fillets. Which it is – cooked in a smoker to infuse with terrific smoked flavour, and seasoned all the way through. Special treat for special occasion!
2. KALE: Tear the leaves off the thick stalk running down the middle of each leaf, then tear into bite size pieces. Measure the kale by packing the torn pieces into measuring cups. This is a terrific easy way to prepare raw kale for salads.
3. Cos / romaine lettuce – use 4 baby ones if you can (sweeter leaves and better shape), or 2 large ones.
4. Parmesan – I like using the store bought finely shredded (looks like very thin batons). Or freshly grated.
5. Preparing ahead: Salmon, marinated kale, dressing and pickled onions can all be done the day before (dressing can be done 48 hours before). Chopped lettuce can also be done the day before – wash, dry, chop, place in containers or sealed bags in crisper drawer of fridge.
Fruit slicing best done close to serving. Then assemble on the day.
Dressed salad lasts longer than most salads because the yogurt dressing doesn’t wilt the leafy greens like normal salad dressings. Still good even 1 hour after dressing. After 3 hours, leaves not quite as perky but still not soggy – people happily take leftovers for the next day!
6. Nutrition is for meal size portions, assuming this serves 5. If it’s part of a banquet, it will go much further.
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