Parmesan-Crusted Salmon Caesar Salad

By Jerrelle Guy

Published September 10, 2024

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(2,200)
Comments
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This fast weeknight recipe uses your favorite store-bought mayonnaise and bottled fish sauce in an easy Caesar dressing. And then, in an even more resourceful move, it uses that same dressing to coat salmon fillets, to help prevent overcooking, and to adhere a Parmesan crust. As the fillets broil, the layer of cheese bubbles and caramelizes to form a crispy, salty coating, a texture that only enhances the crisp lettuce. (For a vegetarian version, you can also use this method on avocado halves.)

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 small baguette

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder 

  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter 

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise 

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoons coarse-ground Dijon mustard 

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce 

  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more as needed 

  • 4 (3- to 4-ounce) skinless salmon fillets

  • 1 large head romaine lettuce (about 1 pound), quartered through the center and chopped into bite-size pieces 

  • ½ small red onion, halved and thinly sliced 

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

37 grams carbs; 84 milligrams cholesterol; 829 calories; 19 grams monosaturated fat; 25 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 60 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 1177 milligrams sodium; 35 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees and arrange a rack 8 inches from the top broiler.

  2. Step 2

    Tear the bread into rough 1-inch chunks and add them to a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, season with salt and a good amount of pepper, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss everything to coat, then spread bread evenly on the pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until bread is golden brown on the outside but still slightly chewy in the center. Remove the croutons from the oven, dump them into a large bowl, and wipe the crumbs from the sheet pan.

  3. Step 3

    Turn on the broiler. To a medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, fish sauce, the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon pepper, and whisk to combine, adjusting the seasoning, if desired. Remove ¼ cup dressing, and place it in a small mixing bowl along with ¼ cup grated Parmesan. Mix to combine.

  4. Step 4

    Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Using a pastry brush, liberally coat the fillets all over with the reserved Parmesan dressing. Place on the baking sheet, top fillets with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan, and place under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the salmon is browned on the surface and cooked through. If it starts to smoke, move the pan to a lower rack to finish cooking.

  5. Step 5

    Remove the salmon from the oven, and allow a few minutes to cool slightly.

  6. Step 6

    To a large bowl, add the lettuce, croutons and sliced onion. Drizzle in some of the dressing, and using tongs, toss to evenly coat the leaves. Divide across salad bowls and sprinkle with more Parmesan. Top each salad with a fillet and serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,200 user ratings
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Comments

Jimbo

This was a big hit at my house. I baked the salmon at 400 degrees for 12 minutes instead of broiling. Next time I will reduce the mayo to 1/2 cup.

JJ

@Lee I use Red Boat 40° North fish sauce. It’s recommended by bon appétit because it is simply anchovies and salt with no sugar or other additives.

RPR

@Kris I use a temperature probe and cook salmon to 125 degrees, not to time. Fish thickness varies too much to make time useful.

Elaine Koenig

Terrific recipe! 4 minutes under the broiler perfect and delicious!

Tracey

The salmon came out incredibly buttery and perfectly cooked through, the parmesan on top just browned. Big hit at my house too. I served my kids' salad without the dressing but I liked it.

Kim

This has become a family favorite, part of our weekly rotation! I typically sub most of the mayo for 2% fat greek yogurt (I keep about 1/4 cup mayo for the creaminess), and prefer to use 1tsp rice vinegar + 1tsp soy sauce in place of the fish sauce since we don’t usually have that in our pantry (though if you use all Greek yogurt I would omit or go light on the rice vinegar, it can get too acidic). Also found that baking at 400°F for 12-15 minutes works better in our oven. Highly recommend both the original recipe or the modified!

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