Hawaiian Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Lomi Lomi Salmon
Tender salted salmon hand-massaged with ripe tomatoes, sweet onions, and green onion — a refreshing, bright side dish that's a luau staple.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
8 steps- 1
Rinse the salted salmon under cold water, then soak it in a bowl of fresh cold water for 1 to 2 hours, changing the water once or twice, to draw out excess salt.
- 2
Pat the salmon dry, remove any skin and pin bones, and dice it into small, even cubes.
- 3
Combine the diced salmon, tomatoes, sweet onion, and half the green onion in a large bowl.
- 4
Using clean hands, gently massage and squeeze the mixture together for a minute or two, the traditional lomi lomi technique that softens the ingredients and blends their juices.
- 5
Taste a small piece of salmon and adjust; if it is still too salty, rinse the cubes briefly under cold water before mixing back in.
- 6
Stir in the chili pepper if using, and fold in the ice cubes just before serving to keep everything cold.
- 7
Chill the mixture briefly in the refrigerator if not serving immediately.
- 8
Garnish with the remaining green onion and serve very cold, spooned into a small dish.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
62/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving265
Calories
24 g
Protein
7 g
Carbs
15 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Lomi lomi salmon is one of the few dishes in the traditional Hawaiian luau feast that was not part of the original Native Hawaiian diet — salmon is not native to Hawaiian waters. It arrived through contact with American and European traders in the early 19th century, and Native Hawaiians discovered they loved the salted fish. The word 'lomi' means 'to massage' or 'to knead' in Hawaiian, referring to the technique of working the salt-cured fish and fresh tomatoes together with one's hands until they break down into a juicy, refreshing salad. It became a permanent fixture of the luau table as a cooling counterpoint to the richer dishes.
Listahan note
This version leans on quality salted salmon and very ripe tomatoes — the freshness of those two ingredients is where the dish succeeds or fails.
Technique cues
- Salt the salmon aggressively and refrigerate it uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight; the cure firms the flesh, intensifies the flavor, and draws out excess moisture so the final salad is not watery.
- Massage the ingredients gently with your hands rather than mixing with a spoon — the warmth of your hands softens the tomatoes and integrates the salt in a way that tools cannot replicate.
- Serve very cold: chill the finished salad for at least 30 minutes before serving, as the temperature contrast with the rich pork and starchy poi on the plate is part of what makes it work.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Start the salmon cure the night before; everything else (dicing tomatoes and green onions) takes 10 minutes the day of serving.
- Make-ahead
- Lomi lomi is best made 1 to 2 hours ahead of serving; the ingredients meld together beautifully as they chill. Do not make more than 4 hours ahead or it turns watery.
- Leftover move
- Leftovers become a taco filling the next day — spoon over tostadas with avocado or use as a topping for rice bowls.
- Cleanup rhythm
- All prep happens on one cutting board; the mixing is done by hand in the serving bowl itself, eliminating extra dishes entirely.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
salted salmon
main protein and flavor base
Purpose: The salt cure concentrates the salmon's natural richness and seasons the other ingredients as they are massaged together.
Handling: If starting from fresh salmon, coat fillets in 2 tablespoons of salt per pound, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours; rinse, then dice into small pieces before massaging.
Adaptation: Smoked salmon (not hot-smoked, which is too soft) can substitute and requires no curing time, though it adds a smoke note not traditional to the dish.
ripe tomatoes
acid and juice provider
Purpose: Fresh tomato juice forms the liquid base of the salad and its acidity brightens and balances the salt of the cured fish.
Handling: Dice roughly and include the seeds and juice — lomi lomi needs that liquid to bring the salad together.
Adaptation: Cherry tomatoes halved work equally well; avoid roma tomatoes, which are too dry and mealy for this preparation.
green onions
fresh aromatic
Purpose: Add a mild grassy bite that keeps the salad lively and prevents it from tasting flat and one-dimensional.
Handling: Slice thinly on the bias and include both the white and green parts for flavor range.
Adaptation: Chives for a milder flavor; red onion for a sharper bite (rinse briefly in cold water first to remove harshness).
crushed ice
serving temperature regulator
Purpose: Traditional lomi lomi is served directly on crushed ice at a luau to keep it cold and fresh for extended periods during an outdoor feast.
Handling: Spread crushed ice in the serving bowl, then pile the lomi lomi on top just before guests arrive.
Adaptation: Omit for home serving as long as the dish is well-chilled beforehand and served promptly.
Technique notes
- Use the ripest, most fragrant tomatoes you can find — at peak season, ripe heirlooms transform this dish; out-of-season grocery tomatoes make it flat.
- The salt level of the finished dish entirely depends on how salty your cured salmon is; always taste before adding any additional seasoning after massaging.
- For large gatherings, lomi lomi scales beautifully — just multiply every ingredient proportionally, as no technique changes at larger volumes.
Ingredient swaps
- Lower-sodium direction
- Use less salt in the cure (1 tablespoon per pound instead of 2) and extend the cure time by 2 hours to still achieve the right texture with less sodium.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Buy pre-salted or gravlax salmon from a specialty grocer and skip the home curing step entirely — rinse lightly and dice straight from the package.
Serve alongside
- Poi
- Kalua pork
- Steamed white rice
- Pineapple juice
- Sparkling water with lime
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Lomi lomi keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, though the tomatoes continue to release liquid and it becomes progressively more watery.
- Do not freeze — freezing destroys the texture of both the tomatoes and the fish; this dish is always made fresh.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl (the hands are the primary tool)
- Sharp chef's knife for dicing salmon and tomatoes
- Airtight container for the overnight salmon cure
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