This is the salad of summer. From our first recipe test to the final shoot, this light and salmon Caesar salad and its fresh, tangy flavors knocked out me and my crew…as in I want to eat it every week.
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The homemade Caesar salad dressing is totally worth whipping up (you can spare 5 minutes, right?)!
I’m a raving fan of the whole kit and kaboodle. Talk about the best summer dinner.
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Texture mania
This salmon Caesar is a masterclass in crunch.
Part of the crunchy texture comes from matchstick cutting some green apple and a fennel bulb. And then more from a smattering of toasted, lemony breadcrumbs sprinkled over the salad before tossing.
And then there’s the two lettuce blend. I love peppery arugula and put it in every salad I can. My other favorite is a crispy green leaf lettuce. One of my favorites is a local brand, Gotham Greens. I keep their Windy City Crunch in our fridge all the time.
Assemble the salad
1. Trim the fennel bulb
I’m not going to detail how to make the Caesar dressing or bake the salmon. Each of those steps are covered in detail in their respective posts.
Here’s how to trim the fennel bulb.
Note: I only use half the bulb. Save the other half for this Brussels sprouts salad.
2. Assemble the salad
Final tips
Make a double batch of the dressing and the breadcrumbs. Each will last for about 2 weeks in the fridge so the salad can be made quickly over a couple of weeks.
The salmon can be baked and left at room temp for a bit before assembling the salad. This helps especially if you are like me and don’t love hot lettuce..
More summer salad favorites
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Crispy Salmon Caesar Salad with Green Apples and Fennel
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Ingredients
For the salmon
- 2 salmon filets, about 6 oz each
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 ½ Tablespoon olive oil, plus a little more for brushing the salmon
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic, about 2 large cloves
- 3 T fresh parsley, minced
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
For the salad
- 1 small head crispy lettuce, or Romaine
- 2 cups arugula
- ¼ cup fresh minced parsley
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ fennel bulb
- 1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions or scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
For the salmon
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Pat salmon pieces dry with paper towels on both sides. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.2 salmon filets
- Mix the breadcrumbs with the oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, parsley and seasoning. Reserve 1/4 up of the mixture and set aside.¾ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 ½ Tablespoon olive oil, 1 lemon, 3 teaspoons minced garlic, 3 T fresh parsley, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Brush a little olive oil on the top of each piece of salmon.
- Mound ½ of the breadcrumb mixture on top of one piece of salmon. Gently press down to adhere. Repeat with the other piece of salmon.
- Place into the oven on the center rack. Bake for about 10 minutes until the breadcrumbs are crispy on top and the salmon is flaky in the center.
- Remove the salmon from the oven and remove to a rack. To the same sheet pan, add the remaining breadcrumbs and quickly toast for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Feel free to squeeze a little more lemon on the salmon after baking.
For the salad
- While the salmon bakes, wash the lettuces until completely dry. Place into a large bowl. Toss in the minced herbs.1 small head crispy lettuce, 2 cups arugula, ¼ cup fresh minced parsley, ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- Cut the leaves away from the root of the fennel bulb. Trim the fennel by cutting half from root to stem. Cut out the core by cutting a "V" shape around it.1/2 fennel bulb
- Turn one half of the bulb, flat side down and thinly slice the bulb from one end to another. Save the second half for another use.
- Core the apple. Cut the apple in half and thinly slice. Stack the slices on top of each other and julienne the apple into matchstick pieces.Mince the green onions.1 Granny Smith apple, 2 green onions or scallions
Assemble the salad
- Toss the fennel, apple and scallions with the lettuces and herbs. Drizzle over Caesar dressing and toss.
- To plate the salad, sprinkle with some of the extra toasted breadcrumbs. Carefully place a piece of salmon on top with some more fresh herbs.Drizzle with a little balsamic glaze, if desired and serve with more dressing on the side.
