This fresh salmon salad sandwich recipe is a moist salmon spread perfect for open-faced sandwiches! Loaded with lemon, fresh herbs, and seasoning this tasty dish beautifully comes together topped with the sweetness of the pomegranate! You don’t want to miss incorporating this salmon dish to your go-to meals!
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Creamy and delicious, this easy salmon salad sandwich recipe is the perfect spread for your next tea-time sandwich! Or really anytime!
Using our family (and the best!) way to cook the salmon, this baked salmon is so moist and flavorful combined with the other fresh herbs!
Super quick and fancy, this is the ultimate salmon sandwich filling to impress your guests!
This post will go over everything you need to know to create this salmon salad sandwich recipe.
Recipe difficulty: Super easy for any beginner!
Salmon with mayo and dill is like the ultimate combination for a refreshing mixture with a hint of that tart flavor and the vibrancy of the pomegranate! Bake and mix is all that is needed, as you can’t go wrong with our technique of cooking the salmon! Make sure to read the tips below to creating the perfect sandwich dish!
Sam’s Pro Tips for this Salmon Salad Sandwich Recipe
Have a Broiler Pan! The Number One Top Tip!
Discussed in all my salmon recipes like my Filipino Baked Salmon Recipe with Mayonnaise and 20-Minute Chili Brown Sugar Salmon, this is how I get the moistest salmon without drying out the fish!
By baking your salmon on a BROILER PAN with the water underneath, it keeps your salmon nice and moist in the oven.
The water will create steam in the oven and help cook the inside of the fish evenly without drying out the top. Definitely do not skip out on this tip!
Let the Salmon Salad Sit and Marinate in the Refrigerator
To make the best salmon salad sandwich recipe, have it sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours for the flavor to come together!
You’ll find that the salmon taste is more balanced with the lemon and herbs and has the perfect consistency.
Like my 4-Ingredient Filipino Style Fruit Salad to Dazzle Your Guests, I like to make this the night before if I plan to serve to guests for a lavish open-faced sandwich everyone will love!
Have the Salmon Cool Before Mixing
Before mixing the salmon with mayo and dill, among the other ingredients, have the salmon cool first!
This is essential as you don’t want the salmon to warm the mayonnaise and the Dijon mustard, when mixing. It needs to be room temperature!
After 20 minutes from pulling the salmon from the oven, the salmon will be at room temperature to begin mixing. You can wait even longer if you’re patient enough.
The Ultimate Salmon Salad Sandwich Recipe from Norway
So, this dish was inspired from my travels to Norway, where I spent a month traveling Scandinavia!
In Norway, this fresh salmon sandwich is popular smoked and served on rye bread, topped with chopped dill, lemon juice, and pomegranate. Beautiful and full of flavor!
As such, I made an easier version of this salmon salad sandwich recipe where the salmon is not smoked, but still equally as moist due to using the broiler pan. These toppings are what really elevates this dish from basic to swoon-worthy!
Key Ingredients – Salmon Salad Sandwich Recipe
Below are some key and optional ingredients for this recipe:
Salmon and Condiments
- Salmon: Salmon is so healthy for you and is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins B and D! We get the Fresh Atlantic salmon from Trader Joe’s. Please give your salmon a quick wash before cooking to remove any foreign particles.
- Mayonnaise: A ½ cup will be used to create that creamy texture and perfect spread for the rye bread. Light or Full-Fat mayo can be used.
- Dijon mustard: Used in our Nutritious Honey Baked Salmon with Dijon Mustard, we love the French’s Dijon Mustard with Chardonnay! It’s smooth, creamy, with just the right amount of zest that pairs perfectly with the honey and herbs!
Herbs and Vegetables
- Dill: Don’t you just love the smell of fresh dill? Literally smells a like a fresh, green forest… This salmon salad sandwich recipe incorporates chopped fresh dill into the mixture and will be further garnished with the dill when serving.
- Celery: Diced celery adds a level of freshness and gives a crunch to the salmon sandwich filling. You only need about one stalk, and it will give plenty!
- Red onion: We like using red onion for the robust flavor and freshness it gives to the salmon salad. Finely dice about a 1/3 cup to add to the smooth texture of the salmon.
Seasoning and Pomegranate
- Lemon juice: Lemon and salmon pair oh so well! The juice of lemon is also commonly used to cut the fishy taste of fish. Make sure to serve with extra lemon wedges on the side for guests that want extra!
- Paprika: For a smoky flavor, we add a pinch of paprika for a seasoned mixture in this salmon salad sandwich recipe. Smoked paprika will also work!
- Cayenne pepper: We love a bit of spice in ALL our food, so cayenne pepper works nicely in this dish! I tend to go a little heavier with this spice in my salmon salad!
- Pomegranate: The salmon with pomegranate takes a basic salmon dish to a truly elegant looking one! The red pomegranate combined with the orange of the salmon looks visually so appetizing and is a great garnish for the salmon salad!
Optional
- Rosemary: When I bake the salmon, I like to add a pinch of dried rosemary to bake with the salmon. Rosemary paired with the salmon gives a great freshness and is usually common in salmon recipes. Optional but definitely recommended.
- Rye bread: For the best salmon sandwich recipe, this recipe works beautifully on rye bread. The darker the rye, the better! By making this an open-faced sandwich as well, the emphasis will be on the salmon salad rather than the heaviness of the bread.
More Variations to this Salmon Salad Sandwich Recipe
There are a few ways you can variate this salmon salad sandwich recipe. Here’s how:
- Add avocado or hard-boiled eggs: Make this salmon salad sandwich recipe extra hearty by adding sliced avocado to top the salad or incorporate chopped hard-boiled eggs into the mixture. Nutritious and extremely satisfying!
- Do you have other salmon recipes? Yes! Check out our Filipino Baked Salmon Recipe with Mayonnaise or 20-Minute Chili Brown Sugar Salmon both baked in 20 minutes with the broiler pan that is so moist!
- What can I pair with this dish? No main dish is complete without a side! Use our Party Favorite Sriracha Deviled Eggs with Shredded Parmesan for a definite hit with this recipe! Or to really elevate this salmon sandwich filling, serve the salmon salad with our Herb Infused Oven Roasted Peppers in Olive Oil to spice up the sandwich! It won’t disappoint!
Looking for some awesome printables that are totally FREE? Our favorite! Check out our FREE LIBRARY for our Grocery Checklist or Top 5 Ingredients you Need for Filipino Cooking printables to help you on your cooking journey!
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Fresh Salmon Salad Sandwich Recipe with Pomegranate
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup chopped dill plus more for topping
- ⅓ cup celery finely diced
- ⅓ cup red onion finely diced
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice plus more for topping
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- dried rosemary to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- nonstick spray
Serving / Toppings
- pomegranate
- rye bread
- lemon wedges
- ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fill the bottom of the BROILER PAN with water and sprinkle dried rosemary leaves on top of water. Preheat oven to 400° F and put the bottom of the broiler pan with the water in the oven as it preheats.
- Spray the top part of the BROILER PAN with nonstick spray. Put the salmon, skin side down, on the top part of the BROILER PAN. Season with salt, pepper, and dried rosemary to taste. Optional – You can also season with additional lemon juice. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Bring the salmon to room temperature for 20 minutes. Once cooled, remove the skin and transfer the salmon to a large bowl. Fork the salmon until flaky with smaller pieces.
- Add the chopped dill, red onion, and celery. Mix well. Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Season to preference with additional lemon juice or other seasoning.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with rye bread, chopped dill, ground pepper, and lemon wedges. Top with pomegranate. Enjoy!
Notes
- For the best flavor, have the salmon salad sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours for the flavor to come together. I like to make this the night before if I plan to serve to guests for a lavish open-faced sandwich everyone will love!
- To save some time, you can buy the pomegranate already peeled to top the sandwiches.
- For more tips, refer to Sam’s Pro Tips for this Salmon Salad Sandwich Recipe for further discussion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature should you bake salmon?
Depending how you like your salmon cooked, we usually cook our salmon at 400 degrees for 20 minutes to keep the inside of the fish moist. Make sure to use the broiler pan with water to keep the fish moist.
Do you eat the skin on salmon?
This is a matter of personal preference. Generally, eating the skin of salmon after cooked is considered safe to eat.
What is the rule of thumb in regard to substituting fresh herbs for dried herbs?
Dry herbs are more potent compared to fresh herbs. A good rule of thumb is to use 3x the amount of fresh herbs compared to dried herbs. For example, 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley is equivalent to one teaspoon of dried parsley.
How long does salmon last in the fridge?
If stored properly, salmon should be consumed within 3 days for optimal flavor.
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I never imagined that salmon would go so well with pomegranates
The first time I tried it, I had the same thought!