Spicy Salmon Pasta Salad (Mayo-Free)

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!

*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 to make this creamy pasta salad

• 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 in this popular fiesta quinoa salmon 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 for this spicy salmon pasta salad

• 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.

Other mayo-free salads

• White Bean Tuna Salad with creamy cannellini beans, flaky tuna and crunchy veggies.
• Citrus Crunch Salad is a healthier coleslaw with a tangy citrus vinaigrette.
• Vegan Caesar Salad with crunchy cashews, crispy chickpeas and a lemon tahini dressing.

More pasta recipes

• Summer Orzo Salad
• Lemon Garlic Pasta with Peas and Asparagus
• Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

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Spicy Salmon Pasta Salad (Mayo-Free)

★★★★★ 5 from 22 reviews

• Author: Leanne
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 15
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 side salads
• Category: Dinner; Lunch
• Method: Toss
• Cuisine: American

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Description

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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Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
• 1/2 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
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 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 of 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

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Instructions

Prepare the dressing:

1. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Once cooked, let sit for a few minutes and then use a fork to flake apart into large pieces.

Assemble the salad:

1. In a large bowl, add all of the salad ingredients, including the salmon, and toss with the dressing. Serve immediately.

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Notes

1. To keep the salad gluten-free, ensure your quinoa pasta and spices are gluten-free.
2. 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.

Keywords: pasta salad, salmon salad