31 Salmon Recipes for Quick Dinners, Easy Brunches, and Quality Date Nights
There’s nothing easier (or speedier) than a salmon dinner. Most of our favorite salmon recipes take less than 30 minutes to prepare—and the ones that take a bit longer, like Roasted Salmon With Citrus Salsa Verde, are almost entirely hands off. Plus, this flaky pink fish is chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids, making it a nutritious choice for weeknight dinners, Sunday brunches, or elegant date nights. Complete these salmon meals with your choice of carbohydrate and other side dishes: Glossy Salmon Teriyaki pairs well with white rice and roasted broccoli, and steaming bowls of Thai-inspired Salmon Coconut Soup can only be improved with a twirl of rice noodles and a shower of fresh herbs. Grilled salmon? It’s potatoes and chimichurri all the way…except for when it’s hush puppies and tartar sauce.
And let’s not forget about brunch: This savory smoked salmon Dutch baby is the easiest way to impress a crowd. No matter how you play them, these salmon recipes are worth keeping on repeat.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman1/31Spiced Salmon With Potatoes and Corn
Yearning for summertime seafood boils? Bring all those flavors to the baking sheet in this one-dish, weeknight-friendly salmon recipe that cooks way faster than a chicken roast.
Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophia Pappas2/31Roast Salmon With Citrus and Coconut-Chile Crunch
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime5/31Lemony Salmon and Spiced Chickpeas
Photo by Caleb Adams, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone and Jennifer Ophir6/31Crispy-Skin Salmon With Miso-Honey Sauce
If you’re going to buy skin-on salmon, you must crisp the skin. Sorry, we don’t make the rules. This recipe’s got it all: Crispy skin, sticky-sweet sauce, and a shower of scallions.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D'mytrek Brown7/31Salmon Coconut Soup
Inspired by the classic Thai coconut soup tom kha gai, this version is gussied up with salmon instead of chicken. The soup itself only cooks for around 20 minutes, making this one of our easiest, big-flavor fish recipes.
Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski8/31Slow-Roasted Salmon With Harissa
Photography by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jamie9/31Skillet Salmon With Pickle-y Salad
Pan-fried salmon is one of our easiest dinner shortcuts and this one-skillet recipe will help you master the technique and achieve the crispy skin of your dreams. A confetti of pickled veggies brings an extra boost of color to the plate.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Amy Wilson10/31Grilled Crispy-Skinned Salmon With Whole Lemon-Sesame Sauce
If you thought you could only achieve crispy-skinned glory by pan-searing, think again. This recipe—which includes a puckery sauce made from a whole lemon—is reason enough to fire up your grill. This lemony salmon would also taste great over garlic butter spaghetti; shower the whole thing with Parmesan to make the salmon pasta dinner of your dreams.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio11/31Turmeric Salmon With Coconut Crisp
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca12/31Salmon Rice Bowl With Green Curry Creamed Spinach
Simply prepared skinless salmon plays a supporting role in this recipe, where the real centerpiece is a pot of green curry-glossed creamed spinach. Don’t skip the garnish of fried shallots—you can make your own, but store-bought is fine.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca13/31Crackly–Chewy Rice Paper Salmon Rolls
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio14/31Salmon Tacos With Pineapple-Chile Salsa
Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li16/31Salmon Burgers With Pickled Cucumbers
Trade the beef for flavorful, juicy salmon patties that will delight at your next barbecue. Best of all, these salmon cakes cook in a skillet on the stovetop—no grilling required. Slather those buns with our favorite mayonnaise or Dijon mustard, and don’t forget the special sauce.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski17/31Salmon and Broccolini With Citrus-Chile Sauce
We love salsa verde, but if that bushel of herbs has already wilted in your fridge, make like test kitchen director Chris Morocco and sub in finely chopped jalapeños. They form the base of a vibrant green chile kosho you can serve over just about anything; here, it’s spooned over seared salmon fillets.
Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou18/31Golden Fried Rice With Salmon and Furikake
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott19/31Broiled Salmon With Scallions and Sesame
After soaking in a honey-garlic marinade, salmon fillets cook lightning-fast under the broiler. This method gives the fish a deeply charred finish that you don’t even have to turn on the grill to achieve.
Photograph by Jaida Grey Eagle, prop and food styling by Rose Daniels20/31Crispy Salmon With Tomatillo Salsa
Photograph by Allie Holloway, food styling by Taneka Mooris.22/31Herby Dutch Baby With Smoked Salmon
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Emily Eisen23/31Ponzu Roasted Salmon for Two
For this week’s date night, forget the fillet in favor of this sneaky-delicious roasted salmon dinner for two. If you struggle to tell when your fish is cooked through, a cake tester (yes, cake tester) will help you gauge its doneness.
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Amy Wilson24/31Cold Roast Salmon With Smashed Green Bean Salad
This salmon is meant to be served chilled, making it a great make-ahead option for your weekend brunch. Allow the green beans to sit at room temperature before serving.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Amy Wilson25/31Grilled Salmon Steaks With Cilantro-and-Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Sure, you’ve had salmon fillets, but what about salmon steaks? This bone-in cut is sturdy enough to hold its own on the grill—and it cooks in just eight minutes.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou27/31Sushi Rice With Miso-Caramel Glazed Salmon
Seasoned sushi rice meets sticky, tender salmon in these dream dinner bowls, also known as one of our best salmon recipes.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Chris Morocco, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen28/31Sheet-Pan Salmon and Squash With Miso Mojo
This recipe takes the sheet-pan dinner approach to salmon, leaving you with a full meal and minimal dishes. Feel free to substitute sweet potato for delicata squash.
Marcus Nilsson29/31Salmon Niçoise
With briny capers, oil-packed anchovy fillets, and Niçoise olives, this salmon salad leans into fishy flavor in the best way. It’s a French staple that you’ll find yourself returning to over and over again.
Alex Lau30/31Smoked Salmon 7-Layer Dip
Layers of zingy cream cheese spread, hot-smoked salmon, radishes and onion combine the best parts of classic 7-layer dip with the flavors of lox and cream cheese. Serve with bagel chips to channel chill brunch vibes.
Peden + Munk31/31Roasted Salmon With Celery and Bulgur Salad
Consider this salmon recipe a formula that you can riff on: Swap the bulgur for quinoa or the yogurt sauce for pesto. The possibilities are endless.