The Mediterranean diet, celebrated for its health benefits and vibrant flavors, emphasizes fresh, whole foods, including a generous serving of seafood. Among the many fish that grace Mediterranean tables, salmon stands out as a particularly versatile and nutritious choice. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, salmon offers a wealth of culinary possibilities. This article explores a variety of Mediterranean salmon recipes, each designed to bring the taste of the sunny Mediterranean to your kitchen.
Embracing the Mediterranean Diet with Salmon
If you're aiming to incorporate more seafood into your diet, salmon is an excellent starting point. Salmon fillets are easy to prepare and can be cooked in various ways: baked, broiled, poached, pan-seared, or grilled. Baking salmon in the oven is a simple and efficient method for a quick and healthy dinner.
Key Considerations for Mediterranean Salmon
Opt for Wild Salmon When Possible: While the debate between wild and farm-raised salmon continues, wild salmon is often preferred for its firmer texture and richer flavor. Wild-caught salmon swim freely and consume a natural diet, contributing to a more flavorful flesh compared to farmed salmon.
Avoid Overcooking: Salmon cooks relatively quickly, regardless of the cooking method. Keep a close watch to prevent it from becoming dry.
Complement with Mediterranean Sides: Pair your salmon with a fresh salad, such as fattoush, balela, or a simple Mediterranean salad. Consider adding roasted vegetables like Italian roasted veggies, Greek green beans, or herb-tossed sweet potatoes for a complete and balanced meal.
Read also: A Review of the Mediterranean Diet in Kidney Disease
Mediterranean Salmon Recipes: A Diverse Selection
Baked Mediterranean Salmon with Lemon, Garlic, and Oregano
This recipe delivers a big Greek flavor with just a handful of ingredients and is baked in under 25 minutes until the salmon is flaky. The lemon, oregano, and herbs melt right into the salmon as it roasts.
Ingredients:
- Salmon fillet or individual portions (wild-caught preferred)
- Lemon
- Garlic
- Dried oregano (or Italian seasoning or Za'atar seasoning)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Feta cheese
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
- Place the salmon on the baking sheet, skin side down. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Spread the herb mixture over the salmon, including the sides.
- Bake until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 8-12 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part should register between 120°F and 130°F (49-54°C) for medium-rare.
- Remove the salmon and place it on a plate.
- Prepare the topping by combining olive oil, dried oregano, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce over the top of the salmon and serve.
- Let the fish rest for 5 minutes after roasting to allow for the juices to redistribute. Serve hot or cold.
Tips:
- You can top the salmon with feta cheese before or after baking to add more Greek flavor.
- If using fresh oregano, use 2 tablespoons instead of dried.
- To ensure the sauce sticks to the salmon, pat the salmon dry before applying the herbs.
- The salmon is ready when it flakes easily with a fork and looks opaque throughout.
One-Pan Mediterranean Salmon with Marinated Feta
This recipe transforms into a one-pan meal with the salmon taking on fantastic big flavor from the marinade and cooks alongside delicious and healthy fresh vegetables. The top of the fish is covered with the most irresistible marinated feta! The feta topping takes this salmon to the next level and is packed with flavor.
Ingredients:
- 2 Mowi skin-on Atlantic Salmon filets (or a large salmon fillet cut into individual portions)
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Zest of one lemon (about 1 Tablespoon)
- Juice of half of a lemon (about 1 Tablespoon)
- 2 Garlic cloves, minced
- 3-4 Sprigs of Fresh Greek oregano, de-stemmed and chopped
- 3-4 Sprigs of Fresh dill, de-stemmed and chopped
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2-4 thinly sliced lemon slices
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- Feta cheese
- Lemon zest, to finish
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, dill, oregano, salt and pepper. This will make a coarse marinade that will go on top of the salmon as well as the herbaceous seasoning that will be mixed with the feta cheese.
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel, then season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper. Then, lay skin side down in a cold, oven safe skillet. Place the skillet on a burner on medium high heat for 4 minutes to start to crisp the skin.
- Then top each of the salmon filets with the 1/3 of the coarse marinade as well as the thinly sliced lemons. Reserve the final third of the marinade for the feta topper.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and sliced shallot to the pan.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. The baking time will vary depending on the thickness of your salmon.
- Meanwhile, In a separate small bowl, add the final third of the coarse marinade with the feta with the remaining 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Remove the pan from the oven, add on top of orzo or rice, and top with marinated feta.
Tips:
- Feel free to add in additional vegetables to your skillet or baking dish when roasting the salmon.
- For a kiss of extra saltiness, add Greek kalamata olives or capers.
- For a touch of sweetness, use sun-dried tomatoes.
- To pack in more veggies, throw in additional bell peppers, artichoke hearts, or even asparagus, which are also tasty additions.
Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon in Foil
This recipe ensures perfectly cooked, flaky fish infused with flavor all the way through. Baking salmon wrapped in foil traps the steam.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds salmon fillet, skin on
- 3 lemons
- Garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Oregano
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Position one oven rack in the center and one rack about 6 inches from the broiler. Line a sheet pan longways with a large piece of foil, large enough to fold over the salmon. Brush the foil with extra virgin olive oil.
- Zest one of the lemons into a small bowl or measuring cup, then add the juice from 2 lemons. Add the extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, paprika, and black pepper and whisk to combine.
- Pat the salmon dry and season well on both sides with salt. Place it on the foil, skin side down.
- Carefully pour the lemon garlic sauce on top, bending the foil upwards around the fish to contain the liquid. Use a spoon or a pastry brush to spread the sauce evenly across the surface of the fish. Slice half of the remaining lemon into rounds and the other half into wedges, and place the rounds on top of the salmon.
- Fold the loose end of the foil up and over the salmon, tenting it high enough so there’s an air pocket between the foil and the lemons on top of the salmon. Crimp the foil closed at the top and sides to encase the fish and trap the steam.
- Bake in the hot oven until the salmon is almost cooked through at the thickest part, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and open the foil, folding it out to reveal the top of the salmon. Turn your broiler to high and place the salmon under the broiler briefly, until the top is lightly browned and the salmon is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Watch closely as it broils to make sure it doesn’t overcook and the lemons and garlic do not burn.
- Remove the salmon from the oven. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
Tips:
- Look for salmon that has a vibrant pink hue and smells clean and not too fishy.
- If your salmon fillet is thinner, or from the tail end, check several minutes early to ensure it doesn’t overcook.
- When your fish is ready, it should flake at the touch of a fork.
One-Pan Mediterranean Salmon Dinner
This easy one-pan Mediterranean salmon dinner comes together in just 30 minutes. It features staples of Mediterranean cuisine: rice, chickpeas, tomatoes, olives, lemon, oregano, and feta cheese.
Ingredients:
- Salmon fillets with skin-on or individual salmon fillets
- Olive oil
- Smoked paprika
- Dried oregano
- Dried parsley
- Red chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooked rice (jasmine rice recommended)
- Chickpeas
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sliced olives
- Lemon juice
- Feta cheese
Instructions:
- Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat for about 4 minutes to heat it up.
- Season the top of the salmon with smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried parsley, red chili flakes, and salt, using 1 tablespoon of olive oil to rub the spices on top of the fish.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot skillet. Add salmon skin side up and cook on medium-high heat for 4 minutes, undisturbed.
- Flip the salmon to the other side, skin side down. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.
- Carefully slide a wide spatula between each salmon fillet and the skin to carefully separate the flesh from the skin. Remove salmon (without skin) to a plate.
- Remove skins from the skillet. You can eat them later or discard them if you don't like them.
- Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.
- Add cooked rice, drained chickpeas, sliced cherry tomatoes, and sliced olives, to the same, now empty, skillet. Add 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and reheat on medium heat, stirring everything to combine. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, if you like. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
- In a medium bowl, combine cubed Feta cheese with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon of dried oregano (add more to taste), 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh oregano (if using). Mix so that the herbs and olive oil coat the cubed Feta cheese.
- Add half of the feta cheese mixture to the skillet with rice and mix thoroughly.
- Add cooked salmon to the skillet with rice and reheat on medium heat.
- Top the rice with the remaining feta mixture. Sprinkle fresh oregano on top of the Mediterranean salmon and rice.
Tips:
- This recipe will work with many types of fish, such as trout, halibut, sea bass, cod, mahi-mahi, and other similar fish.
- If you're looking for other popular Mediterranean diet choices in place of rice, I recommend couscous or orzo.
Mediterranean Salmon Bowls
These Mediterranean Salmon Bowls are full of bright, fresh flavors.
Read also: Delicious Mediterranean Recipes
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups dry Israeli / pearl couscous
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 large salmon fillet, cut into individual portions
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tbsp. oregano
- ½ lemon
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayo
- 2 tsp. dried dill
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- Fresh arugula
- Olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper
- Lemon wedges
Instructions:
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the couscous, olive oil, and salt. Reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes until the water is gone. Turn off the heat and add the lid to the saucepan.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel, then drizzle with the olive oil. Mix together the smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and oregano together in a bowl and rub this over the salmon.
- Place the salmon on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 13-16 minutes until the salmon can be cut with a fork. When it’s done cooking, squeeze lemon juice over the cooked salmon.
- While the salmon is cooking, make your creamy sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon, yogurt, sour cream, mayo, dill, salt, pepper, and lemon juice
- Assemble your salmon bowls with couscous and the fresh vegetables as a base. Add the salmon and creamy sauce. Drizzle with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper if desired. Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!
Mediterranean Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, and Capers
This Mediterranean Salmon Recipe with cherry tomatoes, olives, capers and lemon zest is so tender and flavorful and takes under 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
- Salmon fillet
- Cherry tomatoes
- Kalamata olives
- Capers
- Lemon zest
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven and set, uncovered, on the middle rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes - depending on your preferred level of doneness. If you like your salmon medium rare - I recommend 20 minutes.
- After the Salmon is in the oven you have enough time to cook some white rice (or cauliflower rice) or pasta to serve with the dish as well as a simple salad if you choose.
Read also: Mediterranean Diet, Instant Pot Style
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