Salmon Caesar Salad With Crispy Chickpea Croutons

This easy salmon Caesar salad has pan-seared salmon, crisp lettuce, crunchy chickpea croutons, and a creamy homemade dressing. This Caesar salad recipe is dairy free and gluten free.

Looking for more easy salmon recipes? Try my smoked salmon poke bowls, salmon mango salad, or BBQ salmon bites.

• Easy dinner – This easy salmon recipe is a delicious spin on the classic Caesar salad.
• Simple ingredients – A salad made with really simple, minimal ingredients but has tons of flavor and interesting textures.
• Healthy – This salad is full of healthy fats, fiber, and protein which make it very satiating. 

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Caesar salad with salmon:

• Romaine lettuce
• Salmon fillets or 1 large fillet – with the salmon skin removed and cut into large cubes.
• Chickpea croutons – these crunchy croutons add more protein while still providing the same crunch as toasted bread. You can also make dairy free homemade croutons.
• Creamy homemade Caesar dressing – it has no raw egg yolk and is instead made with a combination of mayo, nutritional yeast, fresh lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, fish sauce, garlic clove, salt, and pepper. It truly is the best Caesar dressing, dairy free or otherwise.

How to Make Salmon Caesar Salad: Step By Step

Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃. Drain the canned garbanzo beans/chickpeas and rinse under cold water.

2. Thoroughly dry the chickpeas with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Pat the chickpeas dry by gently rubbing the towel back and forth. Remove as much moisture as you can, discarding any skins that fall off or are loose.

3. Transfer the chickpeas onto a rimmed baking sheet (no parchment paper needed). Toss them with the olive oil and seasonings until well-coated then spread them out into a single layer.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, shake the pan, and rotate it, then bake for another 20 minutes. Do a crunch taste test and add an additional 3-5 minutes if needed. They’ll continue to crisp up as they cool.

5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. While the skillet heats up, toss the cubed salmon with lemon juice, a pinch of kosher salt, and a couple of cracks of freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl.

6. Add the salmon to the hot skillet and arrange them in a single layer. Cook on one side for 4 minutes, flip over, and cook another 2-3 minutes, depending on your personal preference of doneness.

7. Assemble the salad by tossing the chopped lettuce with a few tablespoons of the dressing followed by the salmon and crispy chickpea croutons. Drizzle more dressing over the top as desired.

Helpful Tips

• For a quicker option, use leftover salmon.
• The cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your salmon fillet and also the variety of salmon you use. Wild-caught salmon is typically thinner than farm-raised salmon, so if your fillet is on the thinner side, cook the salmon for less time on each side so you don’t overcook it.

Storage

Store the leftover lettuce and cooked salmon separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Store the leftover chickpea croutons in a bowl with a clean kitchen towel loosely over the top on the counter at room temperature. This will ensure they stay crispy for a couple of days. Don’t store them in a tightly sealed container, otherwise, they lose their crisp texture and turn soggy.

More Salad Recipes

• Salmon Mango Salad With Roasted Orange Dressing
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad (Dairy Free)
• Southwest Mango Blackbean Salad With Quinoa
• Broccoli Salad Without Bacon (or Mayo)

I hope you love this Salmon Caesar Salad! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!