Hoisin Glazed Grilled Salmon Salad is a vibrant, flavor-packed dish that combines the richness of grilled salmon with the sweet and savory notes of hoisin sauce, all balanced by a bed of crisp, refreshing vegetables. It’s perfect for a light lunch or a satisfying dinner that doesn’t feel heavy but still delivers bold, complex flavor.
The star of this salad is the salmon, which is brushed with a glaze made from hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and a touch of honey or rice vinegar. As it grills, the glaze caramelizes slightly, creating a sticky, flavorful coating that complements the natural fattiness of the fish. The key is to grill the salmon just until it flakes easily with a fork, keeping it juicy and tender inside.
For the base of the salad, a mix of leafy greens like romaine, baby spinach, or arugula works well. Crunchy vegetables such as shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, red bell peppers, and snap peas add both texture and color. Thinly sliced red cabbage or radishes can offer extra crunch and a mild bite.
Once the salmon is cooked, it’s placed on top of the salad either whole or flaked into bite-sized pieces. The warm salmon gently softens the greens and makes each bite a satisfying mix of temperatures and textures. A handful of chopped scallions, fresh cilantro, or Thai basil adds an herbaceous layer that ties everything together.
A sesame or ginger-lime vinaigrette works beautifully as a dressing. It enhances the Asian-inspired flavors without overpowering the salmon. A light drizzle is enough to bring all the components together, though a squeeze of lime over the top can brighten things up even more.
Optional toppings like toasted sesame seeds, crispy wonton strips, or crushed peanuts can add extra texture. If you want to turn this into a heartier meal, consider serving it with a side of jasmine rice or chilled soba noodles.
This salad is a great way to enjoy grilled salmon in a lighter, refreshing form that still feels indulgent thanks to the umami-rich hoisin glaze.
Ingredients
- 4 fillets salmon fillets
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 4 cups mixed salad greens
- 1/2 cup cucumber sliced
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup red onion sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped fresh
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar.
- Brush the salmon fillets with the hoisin glaze.
- Grill the salmon for 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked to your desired level of doneness.
- In a large bowl, combine the mixed salad greens, sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro.
- Drizzle the salad with some of the remaining hoisin glaze and toss to coat.
- Divide the salad among 4 plates and top each plate with a grilled salmon fillet.
- Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top of each salad.
- Serve the hoisin glazed grilled salmon salad immediately.
Nutrition
Just saying… hoisin on fish? Seems weird but I guess it’s okay. Salad was fine. I might try with salmon again though.
Hoisin? Eww. This is wack. I like my salmon with lemon and pepper only.
But hoisin adds a nice sweet flavor! You should give it a try!
Y’all, is it really only 4 grilled minutes for salmon?! I did 10 and still felt unsure…
I always do mine for longer too! I thought it was better to make sure it ain’t raw, ya know? 😅
Yeah, 4 minutes seems low, but salmon cooks fast on the grill! Did it flake apart? That’s how to tell if it’s done.
I think the salad needed more dressing. Kind of dry for my liking.
Tried making this for a date night, and it was wonderful! We both loved it!
Yum! Gonna make this for the family weekend dinner! Can’t wait!
This was such a delightful twist on salmon! Loved the glaze!
Hoisin sauce on salmon? Seems weird to me. Is that even a thing?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! The glaze really elevates the salmon, doesn’t it?
The salad part is simple (which I like), but I kinda wish the instructions said how much of the glaze to drizzle. I ended up using most of it and it got a bit heavy.
Totally get that—“drizzle some” is vague. I usually use about half the leftover glaze for the salad, and then just add more at the table if people want it. Makes it flavorful without getting heavy.
So simple to make! I felt like a gourmet chef. 😍
You don’t really grill salmon, right? It is more like broilin’! Just saying.
Sounds complicated… can’t I just throw it in the oven? 🤷♂️
I totally disagree! Grilling salmon is the real deal! Broiling is just not the same. 🐟🔥
I didn’t have rice vinegar, so I used apple cider vinegar. It still tasted okay, but I can tell it would be better the right way.
Yum! I didn’t have sesame seeds so I used crushed peanuts, still tasty.
Crushed peanuts? Isn’t that kinda weird? I thought sesame was key.
Sounds delicious! Peanuts are a great idea. Love getting creative with recipes.
Very easy to make. My kids even ate it, which is rare with fish! 😅 Thanks for the recipe!
Yum! I loved the sesame seeds on top, they made it pop! Also used some avocado. So good! Five stars from me! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I absolutely agree! The sesame seeds really add texture. Did you try it with a bit of lime? That’s a great twist too!
Not sure if I would like that combo, salmon and salad? Seems weird to me. Give me fried fish any day!
This was WAY too sweet for my taste. Honey and hoisin together is just too much. Wont make again.
Easy recipe but I didn’t have hoisin sauce. I used teriyaki instead and it still turned out pretty good.
I tried this with tin salmon and it was not good. Fresh fish next time, but idk if im gonna try again.
The directions are kinda confusing, I wasn’t sure how much sauce to use on the salad. It was ok but not great.
I totally get what you mean! The sauce amount wasn’t clear. Maybe just use a bit at first and add more if needed? It turned out okay for me too.
Really tasty and healthy. I added avocado instead of cucumbers since I’m not a fan.
I tried it but my salmon stuck to the grill… and I think I overglazed it. Also, I only had ketchup so I used that in place of honey (bad idea lol). Still, the crunch of the veggies saved it.