This Mango Salmon Salad is packed with fresh flavor! This salad is loaded with fresh cilantro, greens, cucumber, ripe mango, avocado, a creamy avocado cilantro lime dressing and topped with the perfect baked salmon. A perfect healthy meal ready in 30 minutes!
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This Mango Salmon Salad is so fresh and flavorful. Ripe mango paired with creamy avocado is a winning combo, then throw in some crisp greens, tender salmon and the best Creamy Avocado Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing... it's hard to beat. This salad is loaded with healthy fats, nutrients, and fresh ingredients, making it a nutritious summer favorite.
Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions
Romaine Lettuce
For the fresh flavors in this salad, romaine lettuce will work best or another type of crunchy greens. Spring mix and baby greens will wilt under all the dense ingredients and the salmon.
Mango
Picking a mango is similar to picking an avocado. You want to press lightly into the flesh and it should have some give. Color is not always a good indicator with mangos as there are a lot of varieties and a ripe mango can be a range of colors depending on the variety.
Avocado
A perfectly ripe avocado is key! Look for avocados with a dark green color (not quite black) and press your thumb lightly into the skin. It should have a little give but not complete indent when you press into it. If your avocado is too hard, you can place it in a brown paper bag along with some ethylene producing fruit (like mangos, bananas, apples or peaches). Fold the bag over and let it ripen on the counter for a few days. Store ripe avocados in the fridge to prolong their life.
English Cucumber
For this recipe, I prefer to dice the cucumber fairly small (about ¼-inch cubes). This allows you to distribute it more evenly so it adds a nice crunch through the salad. You can also cut into thin half moons like I did for the photos. English cucumbers are my favorite because they have a tender skin and are not super watery. Regular cucumber can be used but should be peeled and seeded before dicing.
Red Onion
If you're not big on red onion but like pickled onions, try using about a ½ cup of these Balsamic Pickled Onions!
Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
This dressing is easy to make and so creamy and delicious. It can be made with dairy-free yogurt, regular whole milk yogurt, or the yogurt can be omitted. It yields about 1 cup, so you will likely have leftovers. The dressing saves well for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Baked Salmon
I prefer using salmon with the skin when baking it. It prevents the salmon from drying out and gives it so much flavor. I will leave the skin on when I serve the salad, and just flake it off the skin into the salad as I eat.
How to Make the Cilantro Lime Dressing
This Creamy Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing is phenomenal and the perfect pairing for this salad. It only takes about 5 minutes to make, and yields about 1 cup so you will likely have leftovers. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge and use it within 3-4 days! Here is how to make it:
- Simply place all ingredients in a food processor (cilantro stems can go in, but peel the garlic and avocado). Process until the cilantro is finely chopped and everything is well incorporated.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Dressing Notes:
- You can repurpose extra dressing as a topping for fish tacos or taco bowls!
- Use dairy-free yogurt if needed. I recommend using Harmless Harvest coconut yogurt as a dairy-free and paleo-friendly option.
How to Cut a Mango
There are so many ways to cut a mango. It can be kind of tricky because the pit is not symmetrical. This is my favorite way to do it, it's easy and avoids waste:
- Start by peeling the mango with a veggie peeler.
- Place the peeled mango with the stem side up.
- Cut the "cheeks" off by lining your knife up so the cut is on the long side about ¼ inch from the stem. Cut and if you feel the pit, move slightly further from the stem. You should be able to cut the two largest pieces of the mango off.
- Next lay the part of the mango with the pit flat on the cutting board. Now make two vertical cuts about 1-inch wide. Again, if you feel the pit, move the knife just slightly away from the center and try again.
- Now you have the majority of the flesh. You can take your knife and run it along the pit to get a little more, but it won't yield much. Simply dice the flesh and toss the pit.
What I Love about this Mango Salmon Salad
This salad is a sensational summer meal. Here is why I think you’ll love it too:
- Fresh, Fresh, Fresh - The sweet, tangy, crunchy ingredients of this salad just taste like summer in a bowl. The high water content of the salad paired with the mango and lime is exactly what I crave on a summer night.
- Nutrient Powerhouse - This salad has it all. It is loaded with omega-3's from the salmon and additional healthy monounsaturated fats from the avocado and EVOO. The fruits and veggies make it rich in vitamins and minerals, and it contains almost 40 grams of protein per serving.
Storage
You can prep this salad ahead of time, but store the salmon in a separate airtight container so that it can be reheated. The dressing should also be stored separate so that the salad stays crisp. Consume within 1 day for best quality.
Dressing Storage - Store dressing in an airtight container in the fridge and consume with 3-4 days for best quality.
Dietitian Notes
- This recipe is naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly. No substitutions needed!
- With 39 grams of protein per serving and a plate full of nutrient and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, this salad is something you can feel good about feeding your family or enjoying for lunch.
Recipe Tips
- When chopping your produce, make sure everything is bite-sized so that it is easier to eat.
- You won't need the full recipe of dressing for this salad, but it can be repurposed for fish tacos or a taco bowl!
Related Recipes
- Vietnamese Cucumber Salad
- Paleo Apple Pecan Salad
- Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad
- Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
Other Great Recipes
Looking for other tasty recipes? Here are a few you might like:
📖 Recipe
Mango Salmon Salad
Equipment
- Small bowl
- Basting brush
- Baking sheet
- Tin foil or parchment paper
- Food processor
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Veggie peeler
- 2 Large salad bowls or plates
Ingredients
Salmon
- 2 6-oz Salmon filets with or without skin *see ingredient notes
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Lime juice fresh
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp Garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Black pepper
Cilantro Lime Dressing
- 1 cup Cilantro stems and all
- ½ cup Ripe avocado about ½ large avocado or 1 small avocado
- 5 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Dairy-free yogurt or plain whole milk yogurt (I like Harmless Harvest coconut yogurt)
- 3 tablespoon Lime juice fresh
- 1 Garlic clove peeled
- 1 tablespoon Agave or honey
- ½ teaspoon Sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
Salad
- 6 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped about 2 large heads of romaine or 1 9-ounce packages of chopped romaine
- 1 cup Mango, peeled and diced about 1 medium mango
- 1 Large ripe avocado Peeled and diced
- ½ English cucumber about 1 cup diced into ¼ inch cubes or sliced into half moons
- ½ cup Red bell pepper, diced about ½ medium bell pepper
- ¼ Small red onion thinly sliced (pickled red onions also work great!)
- ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped leaves and tender stems only
Instructions
Baked Salmon
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil. Place salmon skin side down.
- Line a baking sheet with tinfoil. Place salmon skin side down. Note: I prefer skin-on salmon for this recipe because it is more flavorful and doesn't dry out as easily. If salmon with the skin removed, use parchment paper to line your pan rather than foil, so the filets can be removed cleanly.
- Mix olive oil and lime juice in a small bowl. Brush the salmon with a basting brush and sprinkle evenly with kosher salt, garlic powder and pepper.
- Place salmon in preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and can easily be flaked with a fork.
Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Remove the pit and peel the avocado and place half of it in a food processor along with all the other dressing ingredients. Process until the cilantro is finely chopped and the dressing is smooth. Scrape the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula as needed. Set aside.
Salad
- Chop the romaine into bite sized pieces, peel and dice the mango and avocado, thinly slice or dice the cucumber, dice the bell pepper removing the stem and seeds, thinly slice the red onion, and chop the cilantro.
- In two large salad bowls or plates, divide the lettuce, mango, avocado, cucumber, bell pepper and red onion. Add the baked salmon and add as much dressing as you would like (you likely will not use it all). Top with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
Notes
- Scroll up for ingredient notes, possible substitutions, and tips for cutting a mango (with images).
- I prefer skin-on salmon for this recipe because it is more flavorful and doesn't dry out as easily. If salmon with the skin removed, use parchment paper to line your pan rather than foil, so the filets can be removed cleanly.
- Nutrition information is calculated without dressing.
Sam says
Love the cilantro dressing! Such a great combination of flavors.