Our veggie-packed Thai Salmon Salad is built around a bright miso-ginger marinade, fresh grated ginger, crisp vegetables, and irresistible sesame-maple roasted cashews.
This salad brings together a lot of favorites: flaky salmon for protein, a rainbow of crunchy vegetables, healthy fats, and a touch of sweet crunch from the cashews. It’s an ideal single-meal solution if you want something nourishing, colorful, and flavorful without a long ingredient list.
Why Make This Salad
- Healthy fats: Salmon delivers omega-3s while cashews add heart-healthy fats and satisfying crunch.
- One-pan roasting: Aside from a cutting board and a small mixing bowl, you only need one baking sheet to roast both the salmon and the cashews together.
- Fresh flavor: Bright, fresh vegetables and a miso-ginger marinade provide most of the taste, so you don’t need heavy dressing, excess sugar, or additives.
The Marinade
Marinating is an easy way to boost the flavor of fish or meat. A simple miso-based marinade—balanced with neutral oil, a touch of sesame oil, fresh grated ginger, and a splash of chili—adds umami and brightness without overpowering the salmon.
What you need
- grapeseed oil (or another neutral oil)
- sesame oil
- white miso paste
- water
- freshly grated ginger
- red chili sauce (or a small pinch of chili paste)
White miso paste is available at many grocery stores, health food markets, and Asian groceries. Buying a small tub or pouch will keep you stocked for marinades, dressings, and other savory recipes.
What else you need
Salmon
Salmon is the centerpiece of this salad. Choose the best salmon you can find and consider sustainable options when possible. This recipe is written for four 4-oz. fillets (about 1 lb. total), but you can use a single larger fillet if you prefer — just adjust roast time slightly.
Veggies
One reason this salad is so enjoyable is the variety of crisp vegetables. Use a leafy green base you like—baby kale, spinach, or arugula all work well—and add a colorful mix of the following:
- carrot sticks
- snow peas (chopped)
- English cucumber (sliced)
- red bell pepper (diced)
- red onion (minced)
- fresh cilantro (chopped)
Cashews
The sesame-maple cashews add sweet, nutty crunch and are the real highlight for many. They’re quick to prepare and roast alongside the salmon, delivering a warm, toasty texture and a hint of sweetness that complements the miso-ginger flavors.
More Salads to Try
- Avocado Tuna Salad
- Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
- Simple Asian Salad
- Browse all salads for more ideas
More Salmon Recipes
- Honey Sriracha Salmon
- Lemon Butter Seared Salmon
- Maple Ginger Baked Salmon
- Sous Vide Salmon
Thai Salmon Salad Recipe
A veggie-packed Thai Salmon Salad made with white miso paste, fresh ginger, a simple dressing, and sesame-maple roasted cashews.
By: Lee Funke
Prep: 20 mins • Cook: 20 mins • Total: 40 mins • Servings: 4
Ingredients
Salmon
- 4 x 4-oz. salmon fillets
- 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili sauce
Cashews
- 1/2 cup whole cashews
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds (or white sesame seeds)
Salad
- 1 cup carrot sticks
- 1 cup chopped snow peas
- 1 cup sliced English cucumber
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 small red onion, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 cups mixed greens (baby kale, spinach, arugula, or similar)
Salad Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon white miso paste
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1.5 teaspoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Whisk together the grapeseed oil, sesame oil, white miso paste, water, grated ginger, and red chili sauce in a small bowl to make the salmon marinade. Set aside.
- Pat each salmon fillet dry with paper towels. Place fillets skin-side up on a plate or shallow dish.
- Pour the marinade over the salmon and let marinate for at least 15 minutes. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it becomes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet with nonstick spray or a thin brush of oil.
- While the salmon marinates, prepare the salad ingredients and the dressing. Combine the salad vegetables and greens in a large bowl and toss gently. Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar, shake well, and lightly dress the salad—if meal prepping, wait to add dressing until serving.
- Place the marinated salmon fillets skin-side down on one half of the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- While the salmon bakes, toss the cashews with maple syrup and sesame seeds until evenly coated. Set aside.
- After the salmon has baked for 10 minutes, remove the sheet from the oven. Spread the coated cashews on the empty half of the baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake an additional 7–10 minutes, watching carefully so the cashews don’t burn. The cashews should be golden and fragrant.
- Remove the baking sheet and let the salmon rest for about 5 minutes, then flake the salmon into bite-sized pieces with two forks.
- Divide the dressed salad among four bowls, top with flaked salmon and sesame-maple cashews, and serve immediately.
Tips & Notes
- The longer you marinate the salmon, the deeper the flavor will be.
- If you’re prepping meals ahead of time, keep the greens and dressing separate and only dress the salad right before serving to prevent wilting.
Nutrition
Approximate per serving: Calories 569 kcal • Carbohydrates 23 g • Protein 38 g • Fat 36 g • Fiber 5 g • Sugar 11 g
Nutrition information is an approximation and should be used as a general guide.
Love this? Leave a comment below!
Tag your photos on social media with #fitfoodiefinds — we’d love to see how your salad turned out.