Pesto Salmon Salad

Indulge in the delicious flavors of our Pesto Salmon Salad. Baked salmon, generously coated in fragrant Dijon mustard and basil pesto, takes the spotlight in this culinary masterpiece. Accompanied by tender boiled fingerling potatoes, crisp beans, and velvety jammy eggs, this dish is a celebration of textures and tastes. Perfect for any occasion, this Pesto Salmon Salad promises a delightful blend of richness and freshness in every bite, making it a feast for both the eyes and the palate.

Stunning salads might be my favorite meal to serve. Whether I make one just for myself on a Sunday afternoon or if I’m expecting lunch guests, a beautifully plated salad always seems to be a winning dish. Other favorite salad recipes include this vibrant Caprese Chicken Salad, flavorful honey mustard chicken salad, and this shaved-asparagus spring salad with creamy boiled eggs.

What You’ll Love About this Pesto Salmon Salad

• A Beautiful Blend of Flavors: This salad encompasses the buttery sweetness of salmon, the tangy taste of Dijon mustard, and the fresh flavor of pesto, all tied together by a savory homemade vinaigrette.
• It’s More Like A Meal: I’m calling this a salad, but with salmon, boiled eggs, fingerling potatoes, and crispy green beans, it’s a complete and healthy meal for 2 or 3.
• It Looks Beautiful: This salad is truly beautiful when plated on a serving dish. Tender salmon is the star of the show, surrounded by fresh greens, colorful potatoes, and bright yellow jammy eggs.

Salmon. Pesto. Dijon. Fingerling. Jammy eggs. If you’ve never made things things, do NOT be afraid.

One secret to gourmet cooking is that a lot of it is really simple to do. You just need to learn how.

Salmon is really hard to mess up (seriously, trust me!). And the same goes for the other elements that make up this salad! Just follow the steps one by one, and you’ll have a beautiful meal that will make your eyes and your taste buds really happy!

Before we start, let’s break down some of these words.

What is Pesto?

Pesto is a bright and aromatic Italian sauce traditionally made by blending fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts (sometimes, you can buy it without), Parmesan cheese, and olive oil into a thick sauce. Pesto is known for its intense flavor. The nutty richness from the pine nuts, the sharpness of the garlic, and the saltiness of the Parmesan cheese give pesto its unmistakable flavor. It can be used as a dipping sauce, spread, or topping, and gives plenty of flavor when added to dishes.

Fingerling potatoes? They’re just long and skinny (a bit like fingers!). You can get them in white, purple (sometimes they look blue), and red. You don’t usually peel fingerlings. Just give them a scrub and cook.

Dijon is a variety of smooth mustard that has a rich, tangy, slightly spicy flavor. I think it’s good on just about anything! But it’s most often used as a sandwich spread or added to sauces and dressings.

And jammy eggs are just another way of saying ‘soft boiled eggs.’ The yolks aren’t cooked hard, but instead have a soft but thick jam-like quality to them. They add a bright yellow color and pop of flavor to salads, and they’re really yummy spread on toast.

Ok. Let’s jump into this pesto salmon salad recipe!

Pesto Salmon Salad Recipe Ingredients

For the Salad:

• Salmon filet – Ask your butcher to help you find a center-cut, skinless piece of salmon. Look for a nice thick piece, about 1 1/2 – 2 inches thick.
• Dijon mustard – Any brand you like should be fine.
• Fingerling potatoes – You’ll find these with the other potatoes. Sometimes they’re loose and other times you can buy a bag of them. If you can’t find fingerlings, baby potatoes are a good substitute.
• Green beans – Fresh, thin beans will work best for this recipe. I like to buy them loose rather than a pre-packaged bag, because then I can sort through and buy beans that are fresh without brown spots.
• Eggs
• Little gem lettuce – Really, any lettuce will do, but little gem lettuce leaves look a bit like miniature romaine leaves and they are lovely for serving and plating.
• Radishes – I like the pop of red that radishes provide. Thin cut carrot or cucumber medallions can make a good substitution.
• Pesto – You can make your own or buy a jar of store-bought pesto. I like basil pesto for this recipe (it usually doesn’t contain any pine nuts), but you can use any kind you prefer.
• Cooking staples: Salt, pepper, extra-virgin olive oil

For the Shallot Vinaigrette Dressing:

• Olive oil – Avocado oil will make a good substitute.
• Shallot – Shallots are a type of onion. Find them near the rest of the onions, but keep in mind that they’re small and might even look like garlic!
• Dijon mustard
• Lemon – You’ll need the juice from 1 lemon for the best-tasting dressing.
• Honey – This will give the honey just a touch of sweetness.
• Salt and Pepper

How to Make

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven and prep the salmon. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and brush with Dijon mustard. Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper and then give it a drizzle of olive oil.

STEP TWO: Bake. Bake the salmon for 13-15 minutes. (See below for more instructions about how long to cook salmon)

STEP THREE: Prep the potatoes. While the salmon is baking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook for 8 to 15 minutes, depending on their size. You want them to be fork-tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl; keep the water boiling for the green beans. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and set aside until ready to assemble the salad.

STEP FOUR: Prep the green beans. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the ice water to stop the cooking process; keep the water boiling for the eggs. Drain the beans, transfer to the bowl with the potatoes until ready to assemble the salad.

STEP FIVE: Prep the eggs. Add the eggs to the boiling water and cook for 6 minutes for perfect jammy eggs. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. Once the eggs have cooled, peel the shell off and cut it in half lengthwise. Set aside.

STEP SIX: Make the dressing. Add the shallot, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt, and black pepper to a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.

STEP SEVEN: Prepare the salad. Arrange the lettuce on a serving platter. Brush a couple of tablespoons of pesto on top of the roasted salmon. Break the salmon into large chunks, and then arrange on the platter. Add the potatoes, green beans, jammy eggs, and radishes. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Drizzle the entire salad with the shallot vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Tips and Recipe Notes

• Prep your veggies before you start making this recipe. It will be easier if everything is cleaned and ready before you start cooking.
• Cover your baking sheet in parchment to make clean up easier and to stop your salmon from sticking to the pan.

How long do I cook salmon?

It’s a common question! Salmon cooks very quickly, and it gets dried out fast, so timing it properly is critical.

A general rule to follow when you bake salmon is to roast it at 350°F for these average times (ovens may vary):

1/2 inch thick – Bake for 4-6 minutes
1 inch thick – Bake for 8-12 minutes
1 1/2 inch thick – Bake for 12-16 minutes
2 inch thick – Bake for 16-20 minutes

Use a meat thermometer to test your salmon for doneness. When it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F in the thickest part of the filet, you know it’s done. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can gently cut into the thickest part of the fish. It should appear dry and flaky, and shouldn’t look raw, wet, or shiny.

Is this recipe gluten free? Dairy Free?

Always double check your own labels to be sure, but this recipe should be naturally gluten-free. The only ingredient that might contain dairy is the pesto; there might be parmesan cheese in it. You can always make your own if you need a dairy-free substitution.

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