Spicy Salmon Pasta Salad will be your new go-to salad for summer holidays, family potlucks and backyard BBQs. Crispy salmon with a spicy coating is tossed with fresh veggies and gluten-free pasta, and covered in a creamy, tangy dill dressing. You can enjoy this one as a side salad or even as your main meal!
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*This post was originally published in May 2017 and has been updated to include a few adjustments to the recipe, as well as new text and photos.
Creamy pasta salad with no mayo
I love a good pasta salad. There are a few things that remind me of my childhood, and a macaroni pasta salad with mayo and paprika sprinkled on top, takes me back to summertime BBQs when I was kid.
While I'm being a bit nostalgic, my taste buds have definitely changed since then (along with my gut), and now I crave more greens and less mayo in my salads.
But what's a gal to do when she's craving a creamy bowl of pasta salad to go with her spicy jalapeño turkey burger? Enter this pasta salad hybrid. You still get your creamy pasta fix, but with the added bonus of some protein, healthy fats, fibre and lots of greens!
What you'll need
- 8 oz salmon fillet
- Chinese 5 spice (my secret ingredient) plus some other seasonings
- Greens of your choice such as green leaf lettuce, kale, spinach or arugula
- Grape or cherry tomatoes
- Sugar snap peas
- English cucumber
- Pasta of your choice such as fusilli, macaroni or rotini. (I use a quinoa fusilli that's gluten-free)
- Plain greek yogurt (skyr yogurt would work too)
- Feta cheese
- Fresh dill (or dried if you can't find fresh)
- Lemon juice
- Fresh garlic
Why you'll love this pasta salad recipe
- The salmon cooks up in just 15 minutes, and has the most flavourful and perfectly seared crust.
- The salad is covered in a tangy and flavourful lemon dill dressing that you'll want to use on everything!
- The dressing is also mayo-free, made with high protein greek yogurt. Not important to some people, but I've eliminated mayo, so this is a perfect creamy alternative for me.
- You can serve it as a side salad or main meal and it all comes together in about 30 minutes. Hello busy weeknights!
- It's also best served cold, so it's perfect for picnics and potlucks. And it can be made in advance. Just prep the ingredients the day before, and assemble when ready to serve.
How to cook the salmon
The salmon is pan seared for this recipe. Just brush some evoo on top of the salmon and coat it with the spice mixture. Lay the salmon skin side up in a pre-heated frying pan (I like to use cast iron), and cover and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the salmon is opaque.
I never flip the salmon. You might think the seasoning will stick to the pan, but it never does. It always sears on beautifully. The key is a well-oiled frying pan. This method never fails me, and it's the method I use for my salmon and quinoa bake.
You can also air fry the salmon! Just follow this air fryer salmon recipe.
How to make the lemon dill dressing
The dill dressing is so tangy and flavourful. Did I mention that already? Of course I did, but it bares repeating. While I've cut back on dairy, I make all the exceptions for this dressing. It's made with plain greek yogurt and salty feta cheese, and some extra zip is added with fresh dill, lemon juice and garlic.
Just add everything to your blender and blend until creamy. The dill creates a lovely minty green colour that's the perfect colour for a summertime salad dressing.
Can this salmon salad be made in advance?
Absolutely! Since this salad is best served cold, you can cook the salmon and pasta and prep all the veggies the day before, and assemble just before serving.
If you have some leftover, just store in an airtight container in the fridge. The greens will wilt a bit, but you can still enjoy this pasta salad within 2-3 days after making it.
Key recipe tips
- You can use whatever type of pasta you have on hand. I like to use pastas that are made with ancient grains such as spelt and quinoa, or plant based pastas such pea, chickpea or cauliflower. But you can use whatever you have on hand.
- If you follow a gluten-free diet, just make sure your pasta and spices are gluten-free.
- If you don't like your salmon cold, you can re-heat it before adding it to the salad.
- You can substitute other greens such as spinach, arugula, and kale, as well as crunchy veggies such as carrots, zucchini, radishes or broccoli.
More pasta salad recipes
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Spicy Salmon Pasta Salad (Mayo-Free)
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- 4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- pinch of salt, or more to taste
For the salmon:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ounce salmon fillet, skin on
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chinese 5 spice
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the salad:
- 3 cups cooked pasta such as fusilli, macaroni or rotini (I use a gluten-free quinoa fusilli)
- 3 cups green leaf lettuce, or greens of your choice, torn
- 1 English cucumber, chopped or sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, whole
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, halved and strings removed
Instructions
Prepare the dressing:
- Add the yogurt, feta, dill, lemon juice, garlic and salt to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into a jar with a lid and refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the salmon:
- Divide the tablespoon of oil. Add half to a frying pan and spread the other half on top of the salmon fillet. Turn the frying pan on low to pre-heat. Meanwhile, combine the spices, garlic, salt and pepper and press the spice mixture on top of the salmon.
- Lay the fillet face down (skin side up) in the frying pan and cover. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes, or until the salmon is opaque. The time will vary slightly depending on the thickness of the fillet.
- Once cooked, let sit for a few minutes and then use a fork to flake apart into large pieces.
Assemble the salad:
- In a large bowl, add all of the salad ingredients, including the salmon, and toss with the dressing. Serve immediately.
Notes
- To keep the salad gluten-free, ensure your quinoa pasta and spices are gluten-free.
- To make in advance, prepare and store the salmon, pasta, veggies and dressing separately and assemble the salad when ready to eat. This can be done up to 24 hours in advance.
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Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
Did you make this recipe or have any questions?
I love reading your comments and addressing your questions, so please leave your comments and ratings or questions below!
C. Stellingwerf says
Full of flavor and absolutely delicious! The perfect summer salad! I especially love the addition of feta and dill. Used dried dill but will make sure I have the fresh stuff when next I make this salad. This is probably going to be a weekly meal for me. Thank you!
Leanne says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the salad. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Sarah says
This is so good! I forgot to put the dressing in the blender and didn't have five spice powder, but it still came out super flavorful! It looked like the previous commenters hadn't tried the recipe yet so I had to add my review as soon as I took a bite. Thank you for a great recipe!
Leanne says
Hi Sarah! Thanks so much for your review. I'm happy you enjoyed the recipe. It's definitely a favourite in our house!
Terri says
I love that you have combined pasta and greens -yum! It's the ULTIMATE grown up summer salad compromise!
Leanne says
Thanks Terri! I like the way you put that- "grown up summer salad compromise"!
holly says
This salad looks so healthy and delicious! And it's awesome that it's gluten-free! I have a feeling I'll be making this all summer long!
Leanne says
Thanks Holly! It's a good one for summer entertaining. Hope you like it!
EA The Spicy RD says
This looks amazing! I was a big fan of Tuna Noodle Casserole growing up, so now I'm feeling a little nostalgic 🙂 This is such a healthy and delicious version-can't wait to make this!
Leanne says
This one definitely has some tuna noodle casserole vibes! Hope you get a chance to make it!
David says
You have made an older recipe new again, and I love the new pictures and adjustments! Can't wait to try this.
Leanne says
Thanks David! Hope you get a chance to try it!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
This would be perfect for lazy summer days - I can make this ahead and have it hanging out in the fridge waiting for me when I'm done with my day!
Leanne says
That sounds like an awesome plan for lazy or busy summer days! Thanks Kylee!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
What a flavor-packed pasta salad Leanne! I love that creamy dill dressing too! Can't wait to add this one to our menu!
Leanne says
Thanks Mary Ann! The dill dressing is definitely on repeat in our house!
Bernice M Hill says
Looks delicious and absolutely perfect for a hot summer evening meal!
Leanne says
Thanks Bernice! Now all we need here are some hot summer evenings! 😉
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
I'm a huge fan of pasta salads during the warm seasons, and the combination of salmon and veggies in this version sounds fantastic. I also don't really like heavy mayo dressing, so this yogurt-feta-dill dressing is right up my alley!
Leanne says
Thanks Ben! The salmon makes this one great as a side or a main. And I'm all about mayo-free dressings too!
Ellen says
I love lemon and dill together and I bet that dressing cools the heat of the salad just a bit. What fantastic flavors!
Leanne says
Thanks Ellen! The dressing definitely pairs nicely with the salmon!
Elaine says
Loving that dill dressing--so perfect with fresh salmon! A beautiful salad that is great for entertaining!
Leanne says
Thanks Elaine! I love the flavours of dill and lemon with salmon. And I will most definitely make this one for entertaining this summer!
Erin Vasicek says
I'm not even a huge seafood fan and this looks incredible
Leanne says
Haha! Thanks Erin. Appreciate it!
Karen says
This is a completely gorgeous salad. I love anything salmon and dill. This salad sounds amazing.
Leanne says
Thank you Karen! Yes, salmon and dill are lovely together!
Carlee says
I love everything about this!!! What a pretty salad and so full of flavor too. I wish I could eat a few bites right off the screen!
Leanne says
Wouldn't it be great if we could do some sampling off the screen!? Thanks Carlee!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
This sounds absolutely delicious. Salmon is my favorite fish and I LOVE that there's no mayo in here. (I can't deal with the stuff.) I'll be trying this for sure! Have a great rest of your week, Leanne!
Leanne says
We love salmon in our house. While my hubby enjoys mayo, I can't quite handle it anymore. So the yogurt dressing totally works for me. Hope you get to make this one! Happy almost weekend Kelsie!