Lomi Lomi Salmon (Hawaiian Salmon Salad)

Method

1. Cure the salmon. Cut the salmon into 1/4-inch dice — small, uniform cubes. Place in a bowl, toss with the coarse salt, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. The salt draws moisture from the fish through osmosis, firming the texture and concentrating the flavor. This is a light cure — the same principle used in gravlax, but shorter and with smaller pieces.

2. After curing, rinse the salmon under cold running water to remove excess salt. Taste a piece — it should be pleasantly salty but not overwhelming. If it's too salty, soak in cold water for 10 minutes and taste again. Pat dry with paper towels.

3. Dice the tomatoes and onion into pieces roughly the same size as the salmon — about 1/4 inch. Seed the tomatoes first by cutting them in half and scooping out the seeds and gel with a spoon. The seeds add unwanted moisture. Uniform cuts ensure every bite has the same balance of fish, tomato, and onion.

4. Combine the cured salmon, tomatoes, onion, scallions, and chile (if using) in a bowl. Using your hands, gently massage the mixture — squeeze and fold, squeeze and fold — for about 1 minute. This "lomi lomi" technique slightly breaks down the salmon and releases its oils, creating a cohesive salad where the flavors meld together. Don't overwork it — you want distinct pieces, not a paste.

5. Taste and adjust. The salad should be salty from the cured salmon, sweet from the onion and tomato, and refreshing from the raw vegetables. Add more salt if needed, or a squeeze of lime if you want brightness (not traditional but some modern versions include it).

6. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Serve ice-cold, ideally on a bed of crushed ice. Lomi Lomi Salmon is one of the most important dishes in Hawaiian cuisine — it appears at every luau, plate lunch, and family gathering. It's traditionally served alongside poi, kalua pork, and haupia.

Equipment

• Mixing bowls Recommended: Vollrath Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls Set
• Sharp knife Recommended: Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef's Knife · Also good: Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef's Knife
• Cutting board Recommended: John Boos Maple Edge-Grain Cutting Board 18x12
• Plastic wrap

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: The salmon must be sushi-grade or previously frozen to -4°F for 7 days (which kills parasites). Ask your fishmonger for sushi-grade salmon, or buy frozen salmon and thaw it — frozen salmon is actually safer for raw preparations than fresh.
• "Lomi lomi" means "to massage" in Hawaiian. The traditional preparation involves gently massaging the salted salmon with your hands to break it down slightly and mix it with the vegetables. Use a gentle squeezing motion, not aggressive mashing.
• Salt the salmon at least 4 hours ahead, ideally overnight. The salt partially cures the fish, firming the texture and seasoning it throughout.
• Maui onion is traditional — it's exceptionally sweet and mild. Vidalia or Walla Walla onions are the closest mainland substitutes. Regular yellow onion is too sharp.
• Serve ice-cold, traditionally on a bed of crushed ice. The cold temperature is essential — this is a raw fish preparation.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Fresh salmon	Smoked salmon (lox)	Skip the curing step — lox is already cured. Dice and proceed from step 3
Maui/sweet onion	Vidalia or Walla Walla onion	Any sweet onion works — avoid regular yellow onion
Roma tomatoes	Vine-ripened tomatoes	Use firm tomatoes — soft ones turn the salad mushy
Hawaiian chile	Serrano or jalapeño (seeded)	Less fruity heat but similar intensity

What You're Practicing

Lomi Lomi Salmon teaches salt curing — using salt to transform raw fish by drawing out moisture and firming the texture. This same principle is the foundation of gravlax, salt cod (bacalao), and bresaola. Understanding how salt concentration and time affect protein texture is fundamental to charcuterie and preservation. Visit Brines, Cures & Marinades for more on curing techniques.

The knife work here — dicing raw fish and vegetables into uniform 1/4-inch cubes — is a precision skill that transfers to tartare, ceviche, poke, and any raw preparation where consistent size affects both presentation and the eating experience. Explore more at Techniques.