This Easy Smoked Salmon Salad Will Be Your New Favorite Way To Brunch at Home

You might automatically associate smoked salmon with cream cheese and an everything bagel—especially if you’re a New Yorker. But there are a world of other delicious ways to enjoy the healthy protein if you’re ever looking for yet another reason to buy it. Need proof? Check out chef and Well+Good Council member Candice Kumai’s super easy smoked salmon salad recipe. It screams Saturday brunch, with only of the effort of a Tuesday night dinner required. 

Delicious Alaskan smoked salmon is lean, mean, and mega flavorful. It’s loaded with omega-3s, protein, and an arsenal of other health benefits. Its delicious smoky flavor also makes it one of the perfect brunch foods, but it can also get pretty pricey. Thankfully, you can enjoy it without going bankrupt by using it as a strategic accent rather than the main focal point of what you’re eating. Here, I top it on a light green salad made of peppery rocket (aka arugula). Tying together the flavors is a caper-lemon dressing that adds the perfect amount of tanginess to the meal. It makes for a perfect full meal that feels like brunch, without having to spend tons of time in the kitchen.

Smoked salmon and arugula salad

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

For the caper-lemon dressing:
1/4 cup caper brine (from the caper jar)1 teaspoon oregano2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 tablespoon lemon juice1/4 teaspoon sea salt1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup

For the salad:
4 cups wild arugula1/3 cup capers1 cup cannellini beans1/4 cup chèvre (goat cheese), crumbled12 thin slices wild Alaskan smoked salmon

1. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the caper brine, oregano, olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt. Add a touch of honey or maple syrup, if desired.

2. In a large bowl, combine the wild arugula, capers, and cannellini beans. Toss with the dressing. Top with the chèvre and smoked salmon. Serve additional dressing on the side, if desired.