Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad

Jump to Recipe

Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad is a simple and delicious weeknight dinner. Perfectly cooked salmon fillets are covered with blackened seasonings, pan-fried until crisp and juicy, then served with a homemade Caesar salad. This quick and easy dinner is filling and fresh and perfect for summer!

Overhead view of Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad in a bowl.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.

Why This Recipe is So Good

It’s a light but filling meal that is easy to meal prep. Make a few extra salmon fillets and enjoy them with grain bowls or pasta. The salad itself is super simple to prep; it’s basically romaine lettuce tossed with Caesar salad dressing. Top with optional chopped veggies, or leave them out!
This recipe is made in 30 minutes.
It’s flavorful and made with good-for-you ingredients. Enjoy this blackened salmon Caesar salad as a meal or pair it with your favorite pasta dish for a comforting meal.

Recipe Ingredients

Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad ingredients infographic.

Salmon – You’ll need 4(4-ounce) salmon fillets, skin-on or skin-off. Make sure the salmon is completely thawed first.
Blackening seasonings – This is a mixture of Cajun seasoning, ground onion powder, garlic powder, ground paprika, cayenne pepper, and white and black pepper. It’s savory and flavorful with a kick of spice.
Lettuce – 1 large head or 2 small heads of romaine lettuce.
Homemade Caesar dressing – This is made without a food processor by whisking together minced garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mayo, and Dijon mustard.
Croutons – Homemade or store-bought.
Optional add-ins – Chopped tomatoes, sliced red onions, chopped cucumbers, marinated artichoke hearts or olives.

How to Make Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad without Anchovies

All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Grated parmesan cheese, avocado oil and mustard in a bowl with a spoon.

Make Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies – In a small mixing bowl, add minced garlic and salt. Use a spoon to mash the salt and garlic together until it is a paste. Next, whisk in Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and mayo until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking, then whisk in the parmesan cheese. Set aside.

3/4 view of raw salmon fillets in a cast iron skillet.

Cooked salmon fillets in a cast iron skillet.

Make Blackened Salmon – Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Drizzle fillets with olive oil, salt, cajun seasoning, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion and garlic powder.
Place fish in skillet, skin side down. Pan fry for 4 – 5 minutes until brown/blackened. Flip over, then cook on the other side for another 4 – 5 minutes. If your salmon pieces are thicker, try lightly covering the skillet with a piece of aluminum foil or a lid at an angle to help the fish cook all the way through without burning.
Assemble and serve – In a large mixing bowl, toss a few tablespoons of Caesar salad dressing with chopped romaine lettuce. Top with croutons and veggies if using, then the blackened salmon. Serve and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions —

What are blackening seasonings?

Onion and garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black and white pepper, and ground paprika are the usual ingredients in blackening seasoning. When cooked at a high temperature over the stove, the seasonings will appear “Blackened”.

What is a good substitute for anchovies in Caesar dressing?

Using fresh garlic, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce really adds an umami flavor to the Caesar dressing, similar to anchovies.

Looking For More Recipes?

If you love this recipe, 📌 save it to Pinterest for later or leave this recipe a ⭐️ 5-star rating! Subscribe to The Midwest Kitchen Blog’s Newsletter for more recipes like this delivered straight to your inbox!

Close up image of salmon salad in a bowl.

No ratings yet

Print Pin Save Rate

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 550kcal

Author: Tonya Fowler

Cost: $20

Equipment

Large Cast – iron skillet
Medium mixing bowl
Salad spinner
Spatula
whisk
Large serving bowl
Garlic press

Ingredients

Caesar salad dressing

1 – 2 garlic cloves minced
⅛ – ¼ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup mayo
⅛ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated

Blackened Salmon

4 fillets of salmon – 4 ounces each, thawed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground paprika
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil

Salad

1 large head Romaine lettuce or 2 small heads of lettuce
½ cup tomatoes chopped
Few slices of red onion
1 cup croutons
grated or shredded parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, add minced garlic and salt. Use a spoon to mash the salt and garlic together until it is a paste. Next, whisk in Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and mayo until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking, then whisk in the parmesan cheese. Set aside.
Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Drizzle fillets with olive oil, salt, cajun seasoning, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion and garlic powder.
Place fish in skillet, skin side down. Pan fry for 4 – 5 minutes until brown/blackened. Flip over, then cook on the other side for another 4 – 5 minutes. The fish is done when it is opaque and it can easily flake with a fork.
If your salmon pieces are thicker, try lightly covering the skillet with a piece of aluminum foil or a lid at an angle to help the fish cook all the way through without burning.
In a large mixing bowl, toss a few tablespoons of Caesar salad dressing with chopped romaine lettuce. Top with croutons, grated parmesan cheese, and veggies if using, then the blackened salmon. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

How To Store/ Make Ahead

Store Caesar salad dressing for up to 1 week in an air-tight container.
Add dressing right before serving to prevent soggy lettuce.

Tips and Tricks

Salmon: Atlantic Salmon is fatty and juicy, and Sockeye Salmon is lean and flaky.
If the dressing is too thick, add a few tablespoons of avocado oil or grapeseed oil to thin it out.
Optional add-ins: Thinly sliced red onions, chopped or sliced cherry/ grape or Roma tomatoes, croutons, sliced avocado, marinated artichokes, olives, or chopped cucumbers.
Make it egg-free – Use a vegan mayonnaise.
Make it dairy-free – Use vegan parmesan cheese or simply leave it out.
Garlic – Don’t substitute it with granulated garlic or garlic powder; the flavor won’t be the same. You really want the strong garlicky flavor from fresh garlic since this is no anchovy Caesar salad dressing recipe.

Nutrition

All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.