Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8oz (weighed) uncooked macaroni or pasta of choice
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 celery stalk, halved and diced
- 1 large ripe avocado, diced
- 10oz smoked salmon, flaked
- Note: to reduce sodium per serving use baked salmon
- Sauce
- 1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup (spicy) yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup low sodium tamari (or more/less to taste)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon freshly cracked pepper
- Garnish
- diced chives
- cracked pepper
Steps
Step 1
Cook the Pasta
Start by cooking 8 ounces of macaroni or your pasta of choice according to the package directions. Once it’s done, drain the pasta and let it cool. This helps prevent the veggies from getting too soft when you mix everything together.
Step 2
Prep the Veggies
Dice one medium red bell pepper, one medium green bell pepper, and one celery stalk. Don’t forget to dice a large, ripe avocado too—this will add a nice, creamy element to your salad.
Step 3
Flake the Salmon
Whether you’re using fresh smoked salmon or canned salmon, flake it into bite-sized pieces. If you’re using baked salmon, you can season it with a bit of salt and smoked paprika to mimic that classic smoky flavor.
Add all ingredients for the salad in a large mixing bowl.
Step 4
Make the Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise, 1/4 cup (spicy) yellow mustard, 1/4 cup low-sodium tamari, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, and 1 tablespoon freshly cracked pepper. Adjust the tamari to taste depending on how salty you like your dressing.
Step 5
Mix It All Together
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced veggies, flaked salmon, and dressing. Use a spatula to gently toss everything until the dressing is evenly distributed.
Step 6
Garnish and Serve
Top the salad with diced chives and a bit more cracked pepper. Serve it chilled, and enjoy! If you’re making it ahead of time, let it sit in the fridge overnight to really let the flavors meld.
