Knowing which seafood works well with salad is important because poor pairing can ruin a perfectly good seafood dish. The greatest challenge in pairing seafood with salad is balancing the flavors. Essentially, you want a salad that doesn’t overpower the seafood flavor but doesn’t get diluted and lost in the seafood flavor, either. It can be a bit like walking a tightrope if you don’t know what to choose. With this list, you can make simple pairings of your seafood and salad that make your dishes die for.
Tuna
Tuna is a versatile seafood with various taste profiles based on different types, whether cooked, raw, fresh, or canned. Tuna is an oily fish with a mild flavor, and your preparation method impacts its taste profile. The relevance of tuna here is that it has one of the most diverse pairings with salad. You can pair your tuna with salad regardless of the preparation method. Some of the recipes include the classic tuna salad and its variations, such as keto tuna salad and zesty tuna salad, and adventurous options, such as tuna pasta/macaroni salad and tuna salad with pairings such as cranberries and apples, among many other recipes.
Shrimp
Shrimp has a mild, buttery, sweet, and salty flavor and often lacks the distinct fishy flavor of seafood. Although not by much, the flavor of shrimp varies based on its species and preparation method. Shrimp also pairs well with salad, with recipes ranging from classic shrimp salad dishes to more wholesome recipes such as shrimp pasta salad dishes and adventurous pairings such as crab and shrimp salad dishes.
Crab
Although they are both shellfish, the taste of crab differs significantly from that of shrimp. It is known for its slight but pronounced fishy flavor but also has a sweet and tender texture. It also has a mildly salty flavor, which is better described as saline than salty. The crab’s environment significantly influences the flavor of crab meat, which is an important consideration to make when pairing it with salad. That said, crab pairs well with salad, and recipes range from classic crab salad to crab ceviche salads and crab Louis salads.
Salmon
Salmon is a seafood with a very varied flavor based on its preparation method, whether it’s eaten cooked or raw, its species, and even its environment. The flavor of salmon is affected by its fat content, with a more potent flavor in salmon with a higher fat content. Similar to tuna, salmon pairs significantly well with salad, from classic and variant salmon salads to salmon pasta salads and salmon poke bowl salads.
The Bottomline
Pairing seafood with salad, while challenging, is not difficult if you know what you are doing. Salmon, tuna, shrimp, and crab are some of the best seafood to match with salad. Nevertheless, the art of cooking should include innovation, so you should always try to find more seafood to match your salad. Trattoria Il Panino can provide you with the best options if you’re looking for some delicious seafood, salad, and Italian options without the hassle of cooking them! Make a reservation with us today to experience our mouth-watering flavors!