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Salmon Caesar Salad

A lighter, healthier take on classic Caesar salad, featuring golden salmon, creamy Greek yogurt dressing, and a flavorful mix of romaine and radicchio.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salmon
  • 1.5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 pieces skinless salmon fillets (5 ounces each)
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper, divided
  • 0.125 teaspoon salt plus ½ teaspoon, divided
For the Lighter Caesar Dressing
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk
  • 0.25 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1.5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon grated garlic
  • 0.5 teaspoon Dijon mustard
For the Salad
  • 5 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 3 cups chopped radicchio
  • 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil, plus more for garnish
  • 1.5 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Method
 

Cooking the Salmon
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Season salmon fillets with ½ teaspoon pepper and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Add salmon to the pan and do not move it around.
  3. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until it flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to a plate and break into large chunks.
Making the Dressing
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, Greek yogurt, Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, and the remaining ½ teaspoon each of pepper and salt until creamy.
  2. Reserve ¼ cup of the dressing for serving.
Assembling the Salad
  1. Add the chopped romaine, radicchio, fresh basil, and tarragon to the bowl with most of the dressing.
  2. Toss everything until every leaf is coated with the dressing.
Plating
  1. Arrange the dressed salad on a platter and top with the salmon chunks.
  2. Drizzle with the reserved dressing and garnish with extra fresh basil if desired.

Notes

For croutons, add homemade whole grain croutons or toasted nuts. You can also cook the salmon a day ahead and make the dressing 3 days in advance.