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Last month my little brother Stephen came to visit me in New York City for his first time ever! Stephen had just spent 4 months backpacking around South America so I was ready to spoil him with good food. When I picked him up from the airport, this salmon salad was waiting for him in the fridge…3 pounds of it! He demolished it over the first few days, and he loved it so much that I made it one more time while he was here. This is truly one of Stephen’s favorite recipes!

I’m always surprised by how many people have never heard of salmon salad, since chicken salad, tuna salad, and egg salad are so popular. It’s basically like the others, but with salmon! It is my favorite of “the salads.”

To get started, cook some salmon any way you wish…grill it, bake it, poach it, saute it. It doesn’t really matter since we’ll be flaking it up anyway:

While that cooks, prep your veggies.

I like scallions, parsley, celery, and dill:

Next, mix up your dressing, which is mayonnaise, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt and pepper:

Once the salmon is all cooked, flake it with a fork and add it to the dressing:

Add all the fresh green herbs and veggies too:

Stir it all together, then it’s ready to eat! I like it with crackers or in wraps for lunch.

Here’s a video I made for the recipe. Enjoy!

Stephen's Favorite Salmon Salad

Yield: Serves 3-4

Prep Time:10 minutes

Cook Time:10 minutes

Total Time:20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs salmon
• 1/3 cup sliced scallions
• 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh dill, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• a pinch of salt and pepper (or to taste)
• water crackers, for serving

Directions:

1. First we want to cook the salmon. And frankly, you can do it however you want to, and it doesn’t have to be pretty since it’s getting flaked up anyway. I usually cook mine in a skillet, which takes about 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of your salmon. You may also grill it, poach it, bake it, etc. When the salmon is cooked through to 140 degrees F, flake the salmon with a fork (and discard any skin that may be there).
2. In a big bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Add the salmon to the dressing, and toss. Taste and check for seasoning. It is now ready to be enjoyed warm, or you can pop it into the fridge until fully chilled. Enjoy!

All images and text ©Fifteen Spatulas.