Smoked Salmon Salad is made with fresh ingredients. The perfect cold entrée. An elegant smoked salmon recipe that is sure to impress.
An easy salad with cold smoked salmon slices, cucumber noodles, and a creamy dill dressing. You might also want to try smoked salmon cucumber boats.
Refreshing and light, this low carb salad with cucumbers and smoked salmon is a sure hit for lunch or brunch. Patio dining perfection.
I love a good salad recipe. In the summer we often have salad for dinner on warm summer nights. Easy to prepare. Crisp and refreshing. You can never go wrong with the combination of salmon, dill, and cucumbers.
Speaking of cucumbers, if you love traditional cucumber tea sandwiches, then you need to try this cucumber bagel sandwich. Perfect for any meal of the day.
Smoked Salmon Salad Ingredients
- cucumber noodles
- smoked salmon
- sour cream
- fresh dill
- cherry tomatoes
- capers
- salt and pepper
Preparing Cold Smoked Salmon Cucumber Salad
So easy, it doesn’t involve any cooking! Full instructions are in the recipe card. I have some great recipe tips and substitutions below.
- Spiralize the cucumber into noodles.
- Sprinkle with salt and let drain in a colander.
- Mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl.
- Combine the dressing with the cucumber noodles.
- Add the salmon slices.
- Top with tomatoes and capers.
- Garnish and serve.
Suggestions/Recipe Tips
Cucumber noodles are fun. Easily made with a spiralizer or mandoline. Make cucumber ribbons using a potato peeler. You can also just cut the cucumber into thin slices, or thick slices then cut them into quarters. Leave the skin on.
- Sour cream can be replaced with Greek yogurt.
- Fresh dill is always best, but in a pinch, dried dill is always an option.
- Capers can be replaced with olives.
Store leftovers in a container in the fridge. This salad is best served immediately upon making. The noodles will get soggy and watery if it sits too long.
Did you know that there are several types of smoked salmon? Lox is cured in a brine and NOT smoked. It has a buttery texture and a very salty taste.
Smoked salmon is dry-cured in salt and then smoked over a somewhat long period of time. Also known as cold smoked salmon because the temperature never gets above 80 degrees F. Much like my cold smoked cheese. The smoking does not cook the fish, and the texture resembles raw fish.
This type of salmon is the one found most often in stores. Thin slices, vacuum sealed and most often found in the freezer section. You can get it fresh as well.
Hot smoked salmon (also called kippered) is cured in a wet salty brine, then smoked for a few hours at about 120 degrees F (or a little higher).
Then there is gravlax. Salmon is cured and not smoked. This type of curing uses much less salt and ingredients like dill, lemon, sugar, and vodka.
More smoked salmon ideas:
- Smoked Salmon Sandwich
- Potato Appetizers
- Warm Potato and Smoked Salmon Salad
- Smoked Salmon Stuffed Potatoes
- Smoked Salmon Bagel
- Egg Tacos
Smoked Salmon Salad With Cucumber Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 pound cucumber noodles (spiralized)
- 5 ounces smoked salmon
- 2 ½ ounces sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill (and extra for garnish)
- 3 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons capers
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
To Make The Cucumber Noodles:
- Spiralize the cucumber (skin on) into thick noodles. Place in a colander and add about ½ tsp. kosher salt.
- Let sit for 15 minutes, rinse, and squeeze dry in a kitchen towel. Place in a large bowl.
To Make The Dressing:
- While the noodles are draining, combine the sour cream and dill in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
To Arrange The Salad:
- Wash and cut the tomatoes (or leave whole if you wish).
- Add the dressing to the cucumber noodles and combine.
- Divide the noodles into 2 bowls or plates.
- Place the salmon slices in and around the noodles on the plate.
- Top with the tomatoes and capers.
- Garnish with additional fresh dill and cracked black pepper.
Stine Mari
Salmon, dill and capers are such great friends! This dish looks really comforting, yet very Summery and fresh at the same time. Looks good!
Homemade & Yummy
We eat this all year long, but it does make a great, cool summer meal.
Claudia Lamascolo
I love salmon and I love it smoked we make it often in our electric smoker and I know the whole family will love this salad!
Homemade & Yummy
Oh making smoked salmon at home would be amazing on this salad. ENJOY!
Pam Greer
I had no idea about the different types of smoked salmon. I have had it on bagels a lot, but I love the sound of this refreshing salad! I’ve also made zucchini noodles, but never cucumber, have to try those too!
Homemade & Yummy
YES….so many types….I was surprised too. Hope you give this a try.
Linda
This salad looks fantastic and definitely my kind of salad! And I’m glad you brought up the different between smoked salmon and lox.
Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much for stopping by. Glad you found the post interesting. Hope you give this a try.
Valerie
What terrific color! Bagels and lox have always been one of my mom’s favorites. I bet she’d love this dish as well.
Homemade & Yummy
It is a fun and delicious salad for sure.
Arlene Mobley
This salad looks amazing. It would be perfect any time of the year here in Florida.
Homemade & Yummy
Yes it sure would. Hope you give it a try.
Carmy
This looks so refreshing and perfect for the long weekend. I’ve been obsessed with smoked salmon every since I tried it last year. And it’s so quick to make too! Yum!
Homemade & Yummy
Hope you have a great long weekend. Enjoy this super easy and delicious recipe.
Denise
Love this idea! I like cucumber salad like that I have a spiralizer too so I’ll have to give this a try. The capers look great on top and those tomatoes are beautiful!
Homemade & Yummy
This is such a fun and easy salad to make. Hope you give it a try soon.
Marisa Franca
What a fantastic looking salad. We are still having quite the heat wave and the salad would make a great lunch or even brunch dish – with a glass of light white wine. I have my mini-spiralizer available so I’ll be making the coodles? I think we’ve just coined a new word. Hubby would really enjoy this too. Great information on the difference between lox and smoked salmon.
Homemade & Yummy
HAHHA coodles. Put that in SEO research and see what it gets LOL. Hope you give this super easy recipe a try. Perfect for lunch, brunch or dinner. I would love to join you with a glass of wine (or two).
Veena Azmanov
We have smoked salmon almost every week and it’s actually my favorite. Even more than fresh salmon. Love that you make cucumber noodles.. I do that often to get the kids to eat more salad. This sounds so refreshing and light. Saving for later.
Homemade & Yummy
This is a quick and delicious way to enjoy smoked salmon. I think it would be perfect for entertaining too.
Adriana Lopez Martin
What a lovely dish! Smoked salmon is so yummy and elegant too. The combination with the cucumbers and the dill is such a classic pairing. A perfect salad to satisfy the most demanding palate. I need a plate! =)
Homemade & Yummy
This makes a great dinner salad….and calories wise too. Add a nice glass of wine…and ENJOY!
Debra
This recipe is so creative. I often serve smoked salmon on a platter with those same ingredients! This seems so much more elegant and would be great to serve at a brunch. Beautiful presentation and looks delish.
Homemade & Yummy
This is one of our favourite quick and easy meals.
Jolina
I did not know there were different kinds of smoked salmon but I do love all of them! We typically have them for breakfast and brunch but this salad looks amazing any time of day. So refreshing too! Perfect for this ridiculous heat we’ve been having.
Homemade & Yummy
OMG…the heat has been terrible. I know you also live in Ontario. Finally today there is a break. YES to all the different kinds of salmon…..the things we learn. Hope you give this recipe a try.
Amanda
Is it weird that I raised my hand when I read, “Are you a smoked fish lover?” Smoked salmon is the best. With Labor Day weekend coming up, this looks like the perfect salad to serve for a summer picnic.
Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH….no it is NOT weird. I will admit, it took me a bit to like smoked salmon, but now I totally love it. Have a great party, and I hope you give this recipe a try.
Kelly Anthony
This salad is speaking my language and would be perfect for any day of the week! Love smoked salmon with anything.
Homemade & Yummy
This is such a quick, easy and delicious meal any night of the week. Hope you give it a try.