Smoked Salmon Kale Caesar Salad

This Smoked Salmon Kale Caesar Salad is made with hot smoked salmon and topped with golden shallots, toasted breadcrumbs, and a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano. It’s big enough to enjoy as a dinner salad and is sure to turn you into a kale lover if you aren’t already.

If you’re not a big salad eater, this recipe is sure to convert you. It has tons of texture, layers of flavor, and it even looks restaurant-worthy. In fact, it was completely inspired by a salad we saw at a local pizza shop called Allday Pizza.

There are many elements that make up this salad, with the salmon being a key component. Hot smoked salmon has such a unique smoky flavor to it and the meatiness of it is perfect here. We recommend using a peppered salmon, but you can always play around with other flavors.

For texture, we added some toasted breadcrumbs plus pan-fried shallots that add a little bit of sweetness. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Caesar salad without the dressing. We used our own homemade Caesar dressing which we’ve used in similar recipes like these Crunchy Salmon Caesar Wraps.

This recipe makes four pretty big salads that are a meal in and of themselves. And if you have any leftovers, you can store the separate salad components in the fridge and enjoy them throughout the week.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Find the full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions in the recipe card below!

• Hot Smoked Salmon: Not to be confused with cold smoked salmon, hot smoked salmon usually comes in fillet form or in a can. We use the vacuum sealed 4-oz peppered fillets from the brand, Foppen. There are many brands out there, but this is the one sold at our local grocery store and it’s usually found near the fish monger.
• Lacinato Kale: Also known as Dino Kale or Tuscan Kale, this variety is thinner and more tender than curly kale, making it ideal for salads like this one. You will need to remove the stalks in the center which is arguably the most time consuming part of the recipe.
• Panko Breadcrumbs: These are bigger than traditional breadcrumbs and are best for adding a bit of crunch/texture to the salad.
• Creamy Caesar Dressing: As mentioned above, we used our own homemade recipe which only takes a few minutes to make with an immersion blender.
• Parmigiano Reggiano: If you want something with a bit more bite, you can swap it with peppery Pecorino Romano.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This section provides a general overview as well as any pictures to guide you through the recipe. The full detailed recipe instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Toast the breadcrumbs. Add the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, pepper, and salt to a small pan and toast until golden brown.

2. Pan-fry the shallots. Cook the shallots in olive oil until deeply golden brown. Transfer them to a paper towel lined plate.

3. Combine the kale and Caesar dressing. In an extra large bowl, add the chopped kale and Caesar dressing. Use tongs to toss until well coated.

4. Assemble the salads. Divide up the kale into 4 salad dishes then top with pieces of salmon, shallots, and breadcrumbs. Grate a generous amount of Parmigiano Reggiano on top and serve.