Cold pizza is a popular breakfast in my household: My husband and I often munch on leftover slices as we brew our morning coffee. I have no problem eating leftover pizza as-is. Still, I’m always looking for fun, creative ways to liven up leftovers—and when I saw my friend June Kim, the head of video at Bon Appétit, turn pizza into croutons for her salad, I decided I had to try it, too.

Kim, whose favorite way to enjoy her pizza croutons is in a salad with ranch dressing, tells me this trick works with any type of pizza. “However, I do feel that a grandma pie or Detroit-style pizza is best for this,” she says, as its thick base is focaccia-like and makes for particularly delicious croutons. She doesn’t toss the cut-up pizza in oil, since most pizzas already have enough oil to help them crisp up in the oven; instead, she toasts pizza pieces in a 350°F (175°C) oven until they’re nice and crisp, about seven minutes.

With Kim’s instructions in mind, I took two slices of leftover thin-crust margherita pizza, cut them into 1/2-inch pieces, spread them on a sheet pan, and popped them into the oven at 350°F (175°C), stirring every few minutes. I didn’t have any Detroit-style pizza on hand, but my thin-crust pizza pieces crisped up nicely, with a texture similar to pita chips. Out of curiosity, I tossed some pizza pieces in olive oil to see if it would make them even crispier. I also tried air-frying a batch to test whether the method was effective.

While the oiled pizza croutons were ever so slightly crispier, the regular ones were wonderfully crunchy, and there’s really no need for extra oil if all you want is a bit of texture for your salad. The air-fried croutons were just as crunchy as the oven-baked ones, and they were done in about half the time (three to four minutes, versus five to seven minutes in the oven).

I was thrilled to find that making pizza croutons is as easy—if not easier—than making regular ones. As long as you check and stir them occasionally to prevent burning, they’re remarkably hard to mess up.

Tossed into my homemade Caesar salad, the pizza croutons offered a satisfying crunch with bright hits of salty-sweet tomato sauce. I also loved them on their own as a snack—think of them as mini pizza crackers.

How to Make Pizza Croutons

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). If using air fryer, preheat air fryer to 350°F. 
• Using a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut your pizza into 1/2-inch pieces. Place on a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet and bake until crisp and lightly golden, five to seven minutes in the oven or three to five minutes in the air fryer.
• Let cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Toss into your salad or enjoy as a snack.

Salmon Club Salad

Seasoned salmon – roasted or grilled! With smoked paprika, thyme, garlic, and onion. Served over crisp greens with homemade croutons, crispy bacon, avocado, cherry tomatoes, cheese, and the yummiest basil pesto dressing. Think of a classic club sandwich, minus the turkey, but with salmon and and turned into a fresh, yummy salad. It’s just as delicious and perfect for easy summer entertaining.

When I think of summer, I think of a lot of things. And if I’m being honest, I definitely romanticize it a bit—probably remembering past summers as more magical than they actually were. But that’s part of the fun, right?

I picture pool days and one-on-one girls’ trips to Florida with my Nonnie. We spent so much time together during the summer. I was out of school, and she was always up for a shopping day and a lunch out. Then we’d head home for a simple dinner, often kicking things off with cheese and crackers. Nonnie truly knew how to make summer feel special.

Nonnie inspired so much of what I do today

When Nonnie and I went out for lunch, I’d usually order a grilled chicken salad or one of my all-time favorites—a stacked turkey club sandwich. No matter what, one of us was always ordering the club. Funny enough, my younger brother Red is the same way. He loves a California-style club with grilled chicken and avocado—or sometimes, a salmon club.

Red’s go-to salmon club sandwich is what got me thinking. At first, I was going to make exactly that—but at the last minute, I was craving a big, summery salad instead. And honestly? I’m so glad I went that route.

This salad is so good—full of bold, fresh flavors from the salmon, juicy tomatoes, and herby basil pesto dressing. It’s become a new favorite, and I already know I’ll be making it on repeat all summer long.

These are the details

Ingredients – for the salmon

• salmon
• smoked paprika, dried thyme, onion powder, garlic powder
• olive oil

Ingredients – for the croutons and salad

• ciabatta bread
• garlic
• salted butter
• arugula and shredded romaine
• fresh basil
• cubed Gouda or Swiss cheese
• cherry tomatoes
• avocados
• crispy bacon

dressing

• olive oil
• basil pesto
• mayo or Greek yogurt
• apple cider or balsamic vinegar
• chili flakes

Special Tools

For this salad, you will need a sheet pan and a couple of mixing bowls. Or throw the salmon on the grill and skip the oven!

Steps

Step 1: Cook the salmon

I season the salmon simply with smoked paprika, dried thyme, onion powder, and garlic powder, then toss it with olive oil and roast until the top is crispy. That’s it! I wanted to keep the process easy and straightforward to make this quick for summer nights.

I roasted a whole fillet of salmon, but you could just as easily grill it—and honestly, it might be even more delicious. Either way works great!

Step 2: Make the homemade croutons

In my opinion, every salad is better with a homemade crouton—especially this one, since a key part of any club sandwich is the bread!

I love making mine with cubed ciabatta, garlic, flaky sea salt, and butter. They’re super simple: just toss everything together and bake until golden and crisp. It’s worth the extra step—homemade croutons are always better than store-bought!

Tip: If you’re grilling the salmon, you can leave the bread in whole slices and grill each piece until toasted. Then just break it up over the salad—so good!

Step 3: Mix the dressing

While everything is baking, whip up the dressing.

It’s a mix of olive oil, basil pesto (homemade is great if you’re growing basil!), mayo or plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.

Dairy-free tip: Use a cheese-free pesto and swap the mayo or yogurt for tahini. It’s a delicious option if you’re avoiding dairy or just want a plant-based twist.

Step 4: Toss the salad

Time to bring it all together! I like to use a mix of shredded romaine and arugula, plus a big handful of fresh basil—expect to see a lot of basil in my recipes this summer!

Add fresh cherry tomatoes and cubed Gouda or Swiss cheese. Drizzle over the dressing and toss everything together.

Top it off with the roasted (or grilled) salmon, avocado, and crispy bacon. Add an extra drizzle of dressing if you’d like!

Looking for other salad recipes? Here are a few ideas:

Tomato, Peach, and Burrata Salad

Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad

Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata

Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad

Melon Basil Burrata Salad

Pesto Chicken, Corn, and Avocado Bacon Pasta Salad

Lastly, if you make this salmon Club Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!