
This smoked salmon, walnut, and avocado salad is a fresh and flavorful dish that’s perfect for a light lunch or a quick dinner. The combination of creamy avocado, tender hot-smoked salmon, and crunchy walnuts on a bed of leafy greens creates a satisfying and nutrient-packed salad that’s ready in minutes.
Why is it so good?
Each and every ingredient contributes vitamins, minerals, proteins and good oils that support optimal brain and neurological functioning. All in a flavour combination, that tastes delicious!
This salad is loaded with wholesome ingredients like omega-3-rich smoked salmon, heart-healthy walnuts, and fibre-filled avocado, making it a nourishing option for any meal. The leafy greens add an extra dose of vitamins and minerals, and the tangy lemon dressing brings it all together.
Ingredients
To make this salad, you’ll need a base of leafy greens like rocket or baby spinach, a large avocado, hot-smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, red onion, and capers. The simple lemon and olive oil dressing with a touch of horseradish cream adds just the right amount of zing.
What is ‘Hot’ smoked salmon?
Hot smoked salmon is smoked at a higher temperature, cooking the fillets of fish fully, resulting in a firm, flaky texture and a rich, smoky flavour. It’s ready to eat and great in salads or cooked dishes. Cold smoked salmon, on the other hand, is smoked at a lower temperature, which doesn’t cook the fish but cures it instead. This gives it a softer, silky texture and a more delicate, mild smoky flavour. It comes in thin slices where as the hot smoked salmon is sold in fillets. Both are available in major supermarkets.
How to make this Smoked Salmon Salad
Start by placing the leafy greens into a bowl or onto a serving platter. Arrange the avocado, smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes, toasted walnuts, red onion, and capers on top. For the dressing, mix the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, horseradish cream, and seasoning in a jar or small bowl, then drizzle over the salad just before serving.
Serving suggestions and how to store
This salad is best served fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day. You can pair it with crusty bread or add some roasted sweet potato or boiled potatoes to make it a more substantial meal.
Vary this to suit your dietary needs
To make it dairy-free, swap the horseradish cream for Dijon mustard or fresh horseradish. If you’re nut-free, use toasted seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds instead of walnuts. For a vegan option, replace the smoked salmon with grilled mushrooms or tempeh. You can also bulk it up with some roasted veggies or a slice of sourdough bread.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many specific dietary requirements.
Ingredients
- 200 g leafy greens -I like rocket and baby spinach, but any kind will do
- 1 avocado/s (large) halved, peeled and cubed
- 200 g hot smoked salmon fillet/s
- 8 cherry tomatoes -halved
- 60 g walnuts (½ cup) lightly toasted
- 1 red onion/s -halved and sliced thinly
- 4 tbsp capers -drained
Dressing
- 1 lemon/s -zest and juice
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil (¼ cup) extra virgin
- 1 tsp horseradish cream
- Pinch sea salt
- ground black pepper -to taste
Method
- Place the leaves into a bowl or onto a platter. Arrange all of the other ingredients on top.
- For the dressing place, all of the ingredients into a jar and shake until combined or mix together well in a small bowl.
- Drizzle over the salad, just before serving.



Tracey says
Oooooohh this looks delicious! I think using Dijon mustard would be a yummy alternative, I’m not a fan of horseradish cream!
Georgia Harding says
Perfect alternative to horseradish and one of my favourite dressing ingredients. Swap away…G x
Jacqui says
Yummy, what a delicious dinner!
Georgia Harding says
Glad you enjoyed it Jacqui – love this too, G x
Mandy says
Hi
Just made the smoked salmon salad it’s absolutely delicious . Quick and easy to prepare and very tasty the next day . I added the dressing only when going to eat the salad . Thanks yum
Georgia Harding says
Thrilled you loved it Mandy. thanks for your feedback and star rating. Much appreciated G x
Penny says
Delicious!! My new favourite salad?I made this a few days ago to use up some salmon and I’d eaten the whole salad by myself by the following night! I’ve just made it again for lunch and intend on devouring the lot on my own again! Eating it certainly makes me happy, lol!
Georgia Harding says
Ha ha Penny, so glad you enjoyed it too. One of my personal favourites that’s for sure. Thank for rating it 5?s too G x