Simple Greek Salad with Salmon

If you ask me, Greek salad gets even better when you add salmon.

This main dish salad brings together flaky, seasoned salmon with all the classic Mediterranean flavors you love. Crisp cucumber and bell pepper mix with peppery arugula and a good amount of creamy feta cheese.

The salmon gets a simple treatment—just olive oil, salt, and pepper before cooking. Crunchy pepitas add a nice texture, while creamy avocado and tangy red onion round out the bowl.

It’s a filling dinner that feels light and fresh, perfect for when you want something healthy but satisfying.

What Kind of Salmon Should I Use?

You can choose farm-raised or wild for this recipe, both will work just fine. And, if all you have access to is frozen salmon, you’ll still be good to go – in fact, most fresh salmon at the supermarket has been previously frozen right off the boat. Just be sure it was handled properly by checking for any visible ice crystals or signs of freezer burn. For this Greek salad, you’ll want to use skinless salmon fillets since the skin won’t add much to the dish and is easier to flake once cooked. If you can only find skin-on fillets, no worries – just remove the skin after cooking and before adding the salmon to your salad.

Options for Substitutions

This Greek-inspired salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Salmon: If salmon isn’t your thing, try grilled chicken breast, shrimp, or even canned tuna. For a vegetarian option, chickpeas work great and add nice protein and texture.
• Arugula: Swap arugula with mixed greens, romaine, or spinach. Each will give you a slightly different flavor – romaine is milder while spinach is a bit earthier.
• Red bell pepper: Yellow or orange bell peppers work just as well. You can also use cherry tomatoes if you want something juicier.
• Pepitas: No pepitas? Try sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, or toasted pine nuts for that satisfying crunch.
• Feta: While feta gives that classic Greek flavor, you can use goat cheese or crumbled blue cheese instead. Just keep in mind these are a bit tangier than feta.
• English cucumber: Regular cucumbers work fine – just peel them and scoop out the seeds with a spoon before chopping.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when cooking salmon is not drying it thoroughly before seasoning, which prevents that nice golden crust from forming – pat it completely dry with paper towels and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking.

Overcrowding the pan or moving the salmon too early will also ruin your sear, so make sure the oil is shimmering hot before adding the fish, and resist the urge to flip it before those 3-4 minutes are up.

Another common error is adding the dressing while the salmon is still warm, which can wilt your arugula and make everything soggy – let the salmon cool for a few minutes before tossing the salad together.

Finally, don’t skip slicing the red onion super thin or soaking it in cold water for 5 minutes, as this removes the harsh bite and keeps it from overpowering the other flavors.

What to Serve With Greek Salad with Salmon?

This Greek salad with salmon is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with warm pita bread or naan on the side for scooping up all those tasty bits. If you want to make it more of a complete meal, add some hummus or tzatziki for dipping – both pair really well with the Mediterranean flavors. A light lemon orzo or couscous salad makes a great side dish if you’re feeding a crowd, and it won’t compete with the bold flavors already in the salad. For something simple, just grab some crackers or flatbread chips to add a little crunch to your plate.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover Greek salad components separate if possible. Store the cooked salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and keep the chopped veggies in another container. The arugula and dressing should definitely stay separate until you’re ready to eat, or everything will get soggy.

Make Ahead: This salad is great for meal prep! Cook the salmon and chop all your veggies ahead of time, then store everything separately in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, just toss it all together with fresh arugula and dressing. The salmon tastes delicious cold or at room temperature on top of the salad.

Best Served: If you’ve already mixed everything together, eat it within a day for the best texture. The avocado will brown and the greens will wilt if it sits too long. You can always add a squeeze of lemon juice to the avocado to keep it from turning brown if you need an extra day.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1250-1400
• Protein: 70-80 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 45-55 g

Ingredients

For the salmon:

• 1.25 lbs salmon (I prefer King Salmon for a richer flavor)
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

• 3 oz arugula
• 1 red bell pepper (seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/2 cucumber (sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons)
• 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)
• 2/3 cup pepitas (I use Go Raw sprouted pumpkin seeds)
• 3/4 cup feta (I like Mt. Vikos for its creamy texture)
• 1 batch dressing
• 1 avocado (pitted and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Step 1: Prepare the Salad Components

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, pitted and sliced

While you’re getting your pan ready, do all your vegetable prep work.

Dice the red bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces, slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch half-moons, and thinly slice the red onion.

Pit and slice the avocado into 1/2-inch wedges, setting it aside on a separate plate so it doesn’t brown.

This mise en place ensures your salad comes together quickly after the salmon finishes cooking.

Step 2: Sear the Salmon

• 1.25 lbs salmon
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

While the oil heats, pat the salmon dry and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Once the oil is hot, place the salmon skin-side up and sear for 3-4 minutes without moving it—this creates a golden, flavorful crust.

Flip and cook for another 2-4 minutes depending on thickness until the salmon is cooked through but still moist inside.

I like to check for doneness by gently pressing the thickest part; it should feel just barely firm.

Transfer to a plate to cool slightly.

Step 3: Build and Dress the Salad

• 3 oz arugula
• diced red bell pepper from Step 1
• sliced cucumber from Step 1
• sliced red onion from Step 1
• 2/3 cup pepitas
• 3/4 cup feta
• cooked salmon from Step 2
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 batch dressing

In a large bowl, combine the arugula, diced red bell pepper, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, pepitas, and crumbled feta.

Break the cooled salmon into bite-sized chunks and add it to the bowl.

Sprinkle the dried oregano over everything, then pour in your batch of dressing and toss gently until all components are lightly coated.

I find that tossing gently rather than vigorously keeps the salmon pieces intact and prevents the avocado from breaking down.

Step 4: Plate and Finish

• sliced avocado from Step 1
• additional feta for garnish
• additional pepitas for garnish

Divide the dressed salad between serving bowls or plates.

Top each portion with the sliced avocado wedges, a few extra crumbles of feta for garnish, and a sprinkle of pepitas for added crunch and visual appeal.

Serve immediately while the salmon is still warm and the greens are crisp.

Simple Greek Salad with Salmon

Delicious Simple Greek Salad with Salmon recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 1325

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the salmon

• 1.25 lbs salmon (I prefer King Salmon for a richer flavor)
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

• 3 oz arugula
• 1 red bell pepper (seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/2 cucumber (sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons)
• 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)
• 2/3 cup pepitas (I use Go Raw sprouted pumpkin seeds)
• 3/4 cup feta (I like Mt. Vikos for its creamy texture)
• 1 batch dressing
• 1 avocado (pitted and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Method

 

1. While you're getting your pan ready, do all your vegetable prep work. Dice the red bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces, slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch half-moons, and thinly slice the red onion. Pit and slice the avocado into 1/2-inch wedges, setting it aside on a separate plate so it doesn't brown. This mise en place ensures your salad comes together quickly after the salmon finishes cooking.
2. Heat 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. While the oil heats, pat the salmon dry and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Once the oil is hot, place the salmon skin-side up and sear for 3-4 minutes without moving it—this creates a golden, flavorful crust. Flip and cook for another 2-4 minutes depending on thickness until the salmon is cooked through but still moist inside. I like to check for doneness by gently pressing the thickest part; it should feel just barely firm. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, combine the arugula, diced red bell pepper, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, pepitas, and crumbled feta. Break the cooled salmon into bite-sized chunks and add it to the bowl. Sprinkle the dried oregano over everything, then pour in your batch of dressing and toss gently until all components are lightly coated. I find that tossing gently rather than vigorously keeps the salmon pieces intact and prevents the avocado from breaking down.
4. Divide the dressed salad between serving bowls or plates. Top each portion with the sliced avocado wedges, a few extra crumbles of feta for garnish, and a sprinkle of pepitas for added crunch and visual appeal. Serve immediately while the salmon is still warm and the greens are crisp.