Creamy Baked Salmon Salad

What is Baked Salmon Salad?

If you like tuna salad, you will love baked salmon salad. It's made with oven-baked salmon, flaked into small pieces, and mixed with a creamy mayo dressing. It’s delicious and perfect for bagels, flagels, bialys, and fresh vegetables like cucumber and tomato.

A staple of the Jewish appetizer spread, it’s served with lox, whitefish salad, kippered salmon, and herring in cream sauce. It’s a favorite at Sunday brunches, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and family gatherings.

This salad is pareve. This means it has no dairy or meat. You can serve it with both meat and dairy dishes in a kosher meal.

Ingredients

• Salmon fillet
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and white pepper
• Mayonnaise
• Lemon juice
• Celery
• Onion powder

Step By Step Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Rinse the salmon under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the salmon skin-side down on a baking sheet. Bake it at 375°F (190°C) for about 20 minutes. It’s done when it flakes easily with a fork and reaches 145°F (63°C) inside. If your fillets are smaller, check them after 12 minutes. Cooking time may change based on thickness.
• Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate or wire rack. Let cool completely for about 30 minutes.
• Once cool, flake the salmon into a large bowl using a fork.
• Add remaining ingredients. With a rubber spatula, mix well. Taste and add salt to taste.
• Place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. Season with salt before serving.
• Serve cold with bagels, flagels, bialys, or crackers.

Top Tips

• Cook the Salmon Thoroughly – Bake the salmon until it’s fully cooked, not medium rare.
• Let It Cool Before Mixing – Let the salmon cool completely before you flake it and add mayo.
• Flake It Right – Use a fork or your hands to break the salmon into small pieces.
• Season Before Serving – Add salt as indicated when making the salad. You might need to add additional salt before serving.
• Chill for Best Flavor – Let the salad sit in the fridge for at least an hour minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
• Customize – Add dill, capers, and diced red onion for extra flavor. Russ and Daughters on NYC's lower east adds smoked salmon to take the dish to to a whole new level!

Storage

Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving.

Serving Suggestions

In NYC bagel shops, baked salmon salad is most often enjoyed spread thickly on a fresh, chewy bagel. Popular bagel choices include egg, sesame, or everything, though cristy pumpernickel bread is always good.

The bagel could be topped with lettuce, tomato, or thinly sliced cucumber.

Add some sliced nova or belly lox to your salmon salad sandwich for an unbelievably delicious meal!

For a lighter option, salmon salad can be served as a dip with crackers, or as part of a salad platter alongside mixed greens. It's also a fantastic addition to brunch spreads, paired with other deli classics like whitefish salad, lox, nova, and cream cheese.