This fresh seared salmon tataki salad is perfect for the warm, summer weather. Packed with tons of fresh veggies from the garden (or your farmers market) it's nutritious, tasty and surprisingly easy to make. Served with a sesame miso dressing it strikes a perfect balance of savoury, sweet and a little spicy, should you choose to add jalapeño to the salad.

If you've ever made tuna tataki at home, or had it at your favourite restaurant, salmon tataki is much the same. To be honest, I prefer the taste of salmon over tuna so I like swapping it in for tuna. I love how quick salmon tataki is to make, only requiring a quick sear on all sides for less than 30 seconds. Because of the quick cook time, this is also an ideal summer recipe to make when it's too hot to be standing over the stove.

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make this salmon tataki salad. Feel free to swap in other veggies as you wish, this is a very versatile salad.

• miso paste (white)
• rice vinegar
• tamari (low sodium)
• honey
• extra virgin olive oil
• sesame oil
• sushi grade salmon
• black sesame seeds
• white sesame seeds
• mixed greens (arugula, mizuna, chicory greens mix)
• watermelon radish
• peas from the pod (tender, fresh young peas)
• jalapeño
• red onion
• avocado, cubed
• cilantro (roughly torn, tough stems removed)

How to Make Salmon Tataki

Making salmon tataki at home is incredibly easy to do. Be sure you have sourced high quality sushi grade salmon (see below for more info) and have a hot cast iron skillet ready.

Pour the black and white sesame seeds in a shallow bowl big enough for the salmon. Place the salmon in the bowl and press down to make the seeds adhere to the salmon, turn to coat all sides, until all of the salmon is covered.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Drizzle a small amount of avocado oil.

Carefully transfer the salmon to the skillet and sear for 20 to 25 seconds per side, depending on thickness. Remove and set aside on a plate and transfer to the fridge to cool for about 15 to 30 minutes.

Once the salmon is cool, use a sharp knife to carefully slice the salmon into slabs.

Which Type of Salmon to Use

Choose sushi-grade or sashimi type of salmon for this salmon tataki salad bowl. Always be sure to ask if you are unsure.

You can find sushi grade salmon at most well stocked fish shops, I get mine from a fish shop here in Toronto at St. Lawrence market because it's super close to me and always really fresh and delicious.

Tips

• Hot skillet: be sure to heat up the cast iron skillet until it's almost smoking. This is necessary to sear the outside with the sesame seeds and to get a nice crust.
• Don't overcook: because we're using sushi grade salmon, it's best to not overcook the fish, as you still want the inside to be raw. Searing shouldn't take longer than 30 seconds per side.
• Let it cool: the salmon tataki should be served cold, so it's best to let the salmon cool in the fridge after cooking. This will also make slicing the tataki a lot easier after.

Substitutions

This salmon tataki is quite versatile, use any other fresh veggies you have on hand that you think would pair well. Below are some suggestions.

• No salmon: if you don't want to make salmon tataki, you can swap the salmon for sushi grade tuna instead. It would be cooked and prepared the same way.
• Veggies: Opt for edamame, shredded carrot, green onion, or another type of mixed green for the base.
• Miso dressing: use another type of dressing instead. I'd recommend something similar to this one and nothing too heavy.

Ingredients & Products I Recommend:

I share these products to show you what I choose to use in my kitchen as staple ingredients I use daily (or weekly). So if you opened up my fridge (or pantry), here's what you'll find!

Kosher salt:

I exclusively use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for all of my recipes. I prefer the texture, taste and consistency of this brand and highly recommend it for everyday cooking.

Avocado Oil:

I prefer using avocado oil for high heat cooking. I love using Chosen Foods avocado oil and their avocado oil spray.

Other Salmon Recipes to try

• Salmon Tacos with Mango Salsa
• Slow Baked Salmon with Oregano
• Harissa Salmon and Orzo with Tahini Dressing
• Healthy Salmon Sushi Bowls
• Sweet and Spicy Broiled Salmon
• Healthy Salmon Burgers with Wasabi Aioli
• Smoked Salmon Dip
• Slow Roasted Salmon and Fennel with Citrus
• Jerk Salmon Skewers with Mango Coleslaw

Are you ready to make this? Let's get to it!

If you make this salmon tataki salad please share with me, by tagging me on Instagram or leave a comment and/or review below. I truly love seeing and hearing form you!‍

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