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Christmas Fish Salad

Christmas fish salad combines chilled flakes of salmon, tender red potatoes, peas, and crisp vegetables in a creamy Dijon dressing. Make it ahead and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the flavors come together before serving.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 31 minutes
Chilling 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 6 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the salmon
  • 1.5 lb salmon fillet skinless
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the salad
  • 1.5 lb red potatoes small, quartered
  • 1 cup frozen peas thawed
  • 2 celery ribs, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp capers drained
  • 2 tbsp dill chopped fresh
For the dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice fresh
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt

Equipment

  • 1 rimmed baking sheet
  • 1 5-quart serving bowl

Method
 

Bake the salmon
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
  2. Set the salmon on the sheet, rub with olive oil, and sprinkle with black pepper.
  3. Bake for 12–16 minutes, until the thickest part registers 145°F.
  4. Transfer the salmon to a plate and refrigerate until cold.
Cook the potatoes
  1. Put the potatoes in a 3-quart saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch.
  2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10–15 minutes, until fork-tender.
  3. Drain the potatoes, cool for 15 minutes, and refrigerate until cold.
Make the dressing
  1. In a 5-quart serving bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and kosher salt.
Assemble the salad
  1. Add the cold potatoes, peas, celery, bell pepper, green onions, capers, and dill to the dressing and toss gently.
  2. Flake the chilled salmon into large pieces and fold it into the salad.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes

For the best texture, fold the chilled salmon in gently so it stays in large pieces. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days; freezing is not recommended. For a dairy-free option, use dairy-free sour cream.