Salmon Skin Salad Recipe

Prepare skin

If your salmon skin is still attached to flesh, carefully separate as much flesh as possible with a sharp knife. Trim to roughly 1.5–2 inch wide strips. Pat skin thoroughly dry with paper towels — moisture prevents crisping.

Season both sides of the skin lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Rub in the 2 tsp neutral oil to help browning.

Preheat your broiler (or oven set to highest broil) and position the rack 6–8 inches from the heat source. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top if available (for even air flow).

Arrange skin pieces skin-side up on the rack. Broil for 4–6 minutes, watching closely, until skin bubbles and becomes deeply crisp and browned at the edges. Time will vary by broiler; rotate pan halfway if needed for even color.

Remove from broiler and transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. If you prefer bite-size pieces, let cool slightly and cut into 1–1.5 inch strips or crumble into shards. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over shards while warm (optional).

Slice the cucumber thinly (use a mandoline or sharp knife) and place in a medium bowl. Toss cucumber with a pinch of salt and let sit 5 minutes, then gently squeeze to remove excess water using a clean towel or paper towels. This prevents dressing dilution.

In a large mixing bowl combine the mixed salad greens and sliced scallions. Add the drained cucumber and gently toss to combine.

In a small bowl whisk together the eel sauce, rice vinegar, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and lime juice (if using). Taste and adjust: add a little more eel sauce for sweetness or a touch more vinegar for brightness.

Dress the salad: drizzle about 2 tablespoons of the dressing over the greens, cucumber, and scallions and toss lightly to coat. Reserve about 1 tablespoon for finishing if you want extra glaze on the salmon skin.

Plate the salad onto individual plates or a shared platter. Arrange crisp salmon skin shards on top of the greens. Sprinkle masago evenly over the salad and add any remaining dressing as a light glaze over the salmon skin for shine.

Finish with an extra pinch of toasted sesame seeds and a few more thinly sliced scallions if desired. Serve immediately so the salmon skin stays crisp.