For those following the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, incorporating salmon is a great way to boost your intake of omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein. Salmon is rich in omega-3 DHA fatty acid, which reduces oxidative stress and slows plaque buildup. It’s also high in often under consumed minerals, like potassium and selenium. Here are a few simple and delicious salmon recipes that align with the DASH diet principles, emphasizing fresh ingredients and minimal added salt.
Mediterranean Baked Salmon Fillets
This recipe brings together the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean with the health benefits of salmon. You'll love the simplicity of these healthy and delicious Mediterranean baked salmon fillets with rosemary, garlic and a touch of chilli. For a quick and easy dinner meal, make these simple yet delicious Mediterranean baked salmon fillets with rosemary, garlic, chili and tomato paste. Ready in 30 minutes, this salmon dish is nutritious and healthy.
Ingredients:
- 4 medium salmon fillets with skin on (150-170 g / 5-7 oz)
- Tomato paste
- Salt
- Chopped rosemary
- Garlic
- Chili (optional)
- Olive oil or butter/ghee
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Place a piece of parchment paper on a flat baking tray or prepare a lightly greased oven tray.
- Brush the fleshy side of the salmon fillets with a thin layer of tomato paste.
- Sprinkle evenly with salt, rosemary, garlic, and a little chili (if using).
- Drizzle each fillet with a little olive oil or place a piece of butter or ghee on top for extra richness.
- Place salmon fillets skin side down on the tray.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked to your liking.
Tips:
- Use super fresh, wild salmon if possible. If you can’t afford wild fish, then get the best quality you can afford.
- Ocean trout or white fish fillets can also be used in this recipe.
Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies
This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, offering an easy clean-up and a nutrient-dense meal. This easy Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies recipe is sure to become one of your new favorite sheet pan meals! Like many people, I try to include salmon in our meal plan as often as I can, aiming for about once per week. Easy clean-up. Nutrient dense. Perfect for busy weeknights. Versatile. Swap out the suggested veggies for those of your choice, or swap the salmon for chicken. This sheet pan salmon recipe is SO easy to make, and packed with fiber and protein.
Ingredients:
- 4 salmon fillets (thawed if frozen), skin on or off
- 2 cups of broccoli florets
- 1 bell pepper (red recommended), chopped
- 1-2 small zucchini, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to broil setting on high heat and line a broiler-safe sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Brush about half of the seasoned oil mixture on top using a pastry brush
- Add the prepared vegetables (broccoli, onion, bell pepper, and zucchini) to the bowl with the remaining seasoning and oil.
- Stir well until the vegetables are lightly coated.
- Transfer the seasoned vegetables to the baking sheet, spreading them out in between the pieces of salmon, and into an even layer.
- Broil in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes, or until the thickest part of each salmon fillet reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145ºF (63ºC).
Variations:
- Vegetables: Swap out the suggested veggies for those of your choice. With sweet potatoes and green beans: Swap the vegetables for 4-5 cups of small cubed sweet potatoes (about 1") and green beans (I like to do about half and half).
- Seasoning: Swap out the seasonings for lemon pepper seasoning.
- Protein: Swap the salmon fillets for roughly 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 1-1 ½ pounds of medium-large peeled shrimp, or Trade the salmon for 1-1 ½ pounds of finely sliced beef strips (the kind used for stir-fry).
Tips:
- For extra color and flavor, top the sheet pan dinner with lemon slices before or after baking.
- Instead of leaving the fillets whole, slice your salmon into 1 ½" pieces and cook in the air fryer at 400ºF (204ºC) for 10 minutes, shaking the basket and turning the salmon pieces halfway through.
- If you have frozen salmon, it is recommended that you thaw it first.
Sheet Pan Chili-Lemon Salmon with Potatoes and Green Beans
This sheet pan salmon dinner is a healthy, easy weeknight dinner option. Truly, what’s better than an all-in-one sheet pan salmon and potatoes recipe? Both kids and adults will love this baked salmon recipe. Between the crispy, oven-roasted potatoes, snappy green beans, and flaky salmon, it’s what weeknight dreams are made of.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. small to medium Yukon Gold or red potatoes, halved or quartered
- 4 (6-oz.) skin-on salmon fillets
- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (or avocado oil), divided
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. granulated garlic
- 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided
- 1 (8-oz.) pkg. French green beans (haricots verts), trimmed
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Garlic Herb Sauce
- 1/4 cup sour cream or mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange potatoes, cut side down, on a large rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Add 1 1/4 cups water (just enough to coat the baking sheet), and place in the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and water has evaporated.
- While the potatoes bake, begin preparing salmon. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel, and brush 1 Tbsp. of the oil evenly over flesh and skin. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Sprinkle seasoning mixture evenly over salmon flesh, and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
- Push potatoes to one half of the baking sheet and toss with 1 1/2 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Arrange salmon fillets in the center of the baking sheet, and transfer back to the oven. Bake for 5 minutes.
- Add green beans to the open side of the pan, and toss with remaining 1/2 Tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Place pan back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Turn on broiler to high; broil until salmon is golden, about 2 minutes.
- During the final bake, prepare Garlic Herb Sauce by combining sour cream (or mayo), lemon juice, parsley, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. Stir with a whisk, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 to 2 tsp. water if you prefer the sauce a little thinner.
- Garnish salmon with lemon zest, and potatoes with additional chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Serve with Garlic Herb Sauce.
Tips:
- The key to cooking buttery, flaky salmon is to go fast and HOT.
- The quickest way to check for doneness is to gently press down on the top of the fillet with your finger. The most reliable way is to check the internal temperature of the fish, which the FDA recommends is 145 degrees F.
Baked Teriyaki Salmon
This easy baked teriyaki salmon is simple to prepare and has tons of great flavor! Teriyaki salmon has a homemade teriyaki sauce using tamari making this dish gluten-free! On the table in under an hour, you'll love this easy baked salmon recipe perfect for quick weeknight meals.
Read also: Delicious DASH Diet Treats
Ingredients:
- Salmon fillets
- Tamari
- Water
- Honey
- Ground ginger
- Garlic powder
- Cornstarch
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine tamari, water, honey, ground ginger, and garlic powder and stir to combine.
- Pour half of the sauce into a small sauce pan. Leave the other half in the bowl. Add the salmon pieces to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 20 minutes or so to marinate.
- In the meantime, heat the sauce in the sauce pan until it comes to a boil.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water until the cornstarch is no longer lumpy. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the sauce and stir.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and let cook for about 5 minutes until it is thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Place the salmon on the baking sheet lined in foil.
- Bake until salmon is cooked through.
Tips:
- My favorite way to cook salmon is with some homemade teriyaki sauce. I thicken the rest of the sauce with some cornstarch and it makes a really great glaze as soon as the fish comes out of the oven.
- I like my salmon a little sweet, a little spicy, a little crunchy, but always super juicy and flaky on the inside.
Skillet Salmon with Blistered Tomatoes
Meet your new favorite 20-minute method to make a flavorful salmon dinner in one pan on busy weeknights: tender salmon finished in the oven with blistery tomatoes and aromatics! This is a light and easy dish but not lacking in flavor. You'll taste tangy, savory, and bright flavor notes from fresh produce like baby tomatoes, lemon, and garlic. Seafood cooks up quickly in comparison to other proteins such as poultry and meat and salmon is no exception.
Ingredients:
- Salmon fillets
- Baby tomatoes
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Crushed red pepper
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to the broil setting (about 500 degrees). Mince garlic cloves and cut tomatoes into halves then set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat (about one minute. Add garlic, tomatoes, and crushed red pepper to skillet and cook until tomatoes begin to break down and garlic becomes fragrant (about three minutes).
- While tomatoes and garlic cook, season salmon with sea salt, black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Push tomatoes to the perimeter of the skillet, leaving space in the center. Add butter to center of pan and allow to melt (about 45 seconds).
- Add salmon to pan on top of melted butter and cook until edges start to become opaque (about 3 minutes).
- Transfer pan to preheated oven and roast salmon for about eight minutes or until salmon is opaque and cooked through, and tomatoes are blistered. For safe consumption, the internal temperature of the salmon should reach 145 degrees. If you don't have a meat thermometer and are unsure, use a knife to separate one filet in the center.
Tips:
- Lemon accompanies seafood for a good reason: it finishes off the dish with brightness and cuts down on any potential fishy taste or smell.
- Why use both olive oil and butter? Each one serves the same purpose but has a different flavor profile. So, when combined, there's no impact on the cooking experience but the flavor is enhanced. The result is rich, aromatic, and slightly earthy.
- You can toss in other veggies with the tomatoes and even pair your skillet salmon filets with rice to make it a more substantial meal.
Read also: Which Diet is Right for You?
Read also: The DASH Diet and Blood Sugar