12 of Our Best Healthy and Easy Salmon Recipes

Salmon is a wonderfully versatile protein that tastes delicious any way you prepare it. It looks great plated with a simple garnish and can pair with a wide selection of flavor profiles.

Gram-worthy plates and yummy taste aside, it also checks all the boxes for nutrition. Salmon is brimming with omega-3s, a high-quality protein, and loaded with B vitamins. It’s also an easy fish to cook. Whether this is your first time cooking salmon or you’re a seasoned salmon chef, this collection will give you easy, healthy salmon recipe ideas for a nutritious, delicious salmon dish.

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Health Benefits of Salmon

It’s hard to think of salmon without using the word ‘superfood.’  We don’t like using that label very often, but we have to make an exception when it comes to sustainably-raised, wild-caught fresh salmon. 

It is well-known that salmon is an excellent source of high-quality omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA have been linked to many health benefits, including decreased inflammation, lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and better brain health.

Salmon is also an excellent source of protein. We need protein for overall body health. It builds and repairs muscles and bones and helps with hormone and enzyme production. Salmon is a great option for protein if you are looking to maintain muscle mass as you age.

B vitamins are also found in abundance in salmon. Your body needs B vitamins to turn food into energy and reduce harmful bodily inflammation. Salmon has more than 100% of your daily value of B12.

Salmon Nutrition Facts

A 4-ounce serving of salmon with the skin (a standard portion for salmon filets, and the amount called for in most of these recipes), contains:

• 180 calories
• 10 grams total fat
•  2grams saturated fat
• 4.4 grams polyunsaturated fat
• 4.3 grams monounsaturated fat
• 60 milligrams cholesterol
•  75 milligrams sodium
• 412 milligrams potassium
• 0 grams carbohydrate
• 0 grams dietary fiber
• 23 grams protein

Types of Salmon

Salmon can be fished or farmed and comes from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Wild-caught Pacific salmon, specifically wild-caught salmon from Alaska, is considered to be the gold standard of salmon. This status is due to more sustainable catching practices and perceived high-quality taste from those who love salmon. 

The sustainable Pacific salmon types you can often find at stores, at fish markets, or delivered right to your door from Butcher Box include:

• Chum Salmon: This salmon is smaller, only about 8 lbs, has lower fat content than other salmon, and has pale- to medium-colored pink flesh. It’s also called Keta salmon, Dog salmon, and Silverbrite salmon.
• Sockeye Salmon: This type has bright red-orange flesh and a richer flavor than other salmon types. It has a firmer texture that makes it great for any baked salmon recipe, especially if you like the skin on. Sockeye salmon is sometimes called Red salmon. Sockeye salmon is great for making grilled salmon kebabs thanks to its firm texture.
• King Salmon: King salmon is considered to be the best tasting because of its high-fat content. This gives the fish a buttery texture. Also called Chinook salmon, the flesh ranges from white to dark red. Gordon Ramsay is known for making his crispy pan-seared salmon with King salmon. 
• Silver Salmon: This salmon, also called Coho salmon, is named because of its silvery skin. It has bright red flesh, similar to some types of King salmon, but has a more delicate texture and flavor. This fish works well in a salmon salad because of its mild flavor.
• Pink Salmon: This is the most common type of salmon in the Pacific Northwest. It is sometimes referred to as Humpies or Humpback because of the distinctive hump on the salmons’ backs when they spawn. This salmon is lower in fat than other types of salmon and has a lighter color and flavor. Pink salmon is often used for canning and making salmon burgers or salmon patties. Try our 5-minute Salmon Salad recipe which features canned salmon. Not only is it quick and tasty, it is an affordable way to enjoy salmon.

There is only one type of salmon from the Atlantic Ocean, and most of the time it is farm-raised. Atlantic salmon is still a fatty, flavorful fish. It is also larger than most other salmon, yielding bigger pieces of salmon.

How to Choose Sustainable Salmon

We all want to make good choices when it comes to our food and what we put in our bodies. Buying sustainable salmon helps protect the fish population, the oceans, and the communities that rely on them.

Here are some tips for choosing the best salmon:

1. It’s okay to try some farm-raised varieties. Wild-caught salmon, particularly from Alaska, is often considered more sustainable because Alaskan salmon fisheries are well-managed and have stringent regulations. However, not all farmed salmon is bad. Look for farmed salmon from operations that use responsible farming practices, such as land-based closed containment systems or offshore deepwater net pens that have less environmental impact.
2. Look for sustainability certifications on the packaging. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification ensures the fishery has met rigorous sustainability standards. The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification are good indicators of responsibly farmed salmon.
3. Pay attention to the country of origin. Wild Alaskan salmon is usually a good choice (USA). Norway also has strict regulations for its fish farms, making it a more reliable choice for farmed salmon. Chile and Canada’s farmed salmon, on the other hand, have been criticized for their environmental impact.
4. Avoid endangered salmon species. Some species of salmon are more threatened than others. For example, Atlantic salmon is critically endangered in the wild, which is why almost all Atlantic salmon available are farmed.
5. You can get up-to-date recommendations. Resources like the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch can provide up-to-date recommendations on the most sustainable choices for salmon, as well as other seafood.

For more on selecting seafood that’s best for your health and the health of the oceans, read our post on How to Choose Safer Seafood.

Salmon Cooking Tips

Cooking salmon properly enhances its flavor and preserves its nutritional value, making your meal tasty and healthy.

• Before cooking, take the salmon out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. This helps ensure the salmon cooks evenly.
• Salmon has a wonderful natural flavor that shines through when simply seasoned. No need to make a garlic butter sauce — sometimes, a touch of salt, black pepper, and perhaps a squeeze of lemon are all you need.
• No matter which cooking method you’re using, preheating is important. A hot cooking surface sears the filet quickly, ensuring a crispy exterior while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
• Overcooked salmon becomes dry and loses its flavor. Be mindful of your cook time. How long do you cook salmon? A good rule of thumb is to cook salmon for 4-6 minutes per half-inch of thickness. If you’re unsure, it’s better to slightly undercook salmon, as it will continue to cook a bit more from the residual heat after you remove it from the heat source.
• Check for doneness. Salmon should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (62.8°C). To check, insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the filet. Alternatively, you can check by gently pressing down on the top of the fish with a fork. If the layers of the salmon flake apart easily and the inside looks slightly translucent, it’s done.

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