Light Healthy Salmon Recipe

You Will Love This Easy and Healthy Salmon Recipe

There is a reason why salmon is the most popular fish: smooth and mild flavor, hearty and flaky texture, a ton of health benefits, and ease of cooking, there is no fish like it. This is a very forgiving fish when it comes to cooking and versatile when it comes to flavors.

• It’s a no-fail recipe that you can easily whip up for dinner any time of the week. The ingredients are simple and you most likely already have everything you need on hand!
• Anytime you’re in doubt as to what flavors to use with seafood, you can always rely on lemon, garlic, and mild herbs like parsley, dill weed, and chives.
• I love eating and cooking salmon and I have so many salmon dinner recipes and more that I never published. But with all those different ways to cook salmon, this simple and light recipe is still my go-to way of cooking it and a similar way I cook my whole baked salmon.

Recipe Ingredients Notes

• Herbs, lemon, and garlic: These three simple ingredients are the perfect flavor for seafood in general, but are always perfect for fish. Use fresh herbs for the best flavor and zest your own lemon. It’s always best to use fresh garlic over prepared and pre-packaged because the flavor is quite different.
• Cooking oil– I like to cook with canola oil or light tasting olive oil. Both are healthy oils with a flavor that balances well and doesn’t overpower. Other healthy oil that would be good for this recipe include avocado oil. Be careful when using grapeseed oil because its smoke point is quite low.
• Salmon filets – Whenever possible, choose high-quality, responsibly/sustainably sourced salmon and keep the skin on for added flavor, moisture, and nutrients. Atlantic salmon is the most affordable but should be sourced carefully since it’s farm-raised.

Types of Salmon to Buy

There are actually different types of salmon. Before you choose your salmon, do some research and stay informed:

• Salmon either come from the wild or from a farm. Farmed fish are typically less expensive than wild caught, but they can come with potential health risks. The waters of fish farms often contain toxins and pollutants like PCBs. 
• Also, some consumers are leery of the antibiotics given to prevent disease in farmed fish. Ultimately, the decision as to which type to use is up to you.

These are some of the most common types you will see at the seafood counter:

• King salmon – this is going to be your most expensive and the most exquisite type of salmon to get. It’s rich in flavor, high in fats, and great for any type of cooking.
• Sockeye/red salmon – you’ll know this type by its bright red color and full flavor. This type of salmon is much more available and cheaper. It has a bolder salmon flavor and is leaner.
• Atlantic Salmon – you may be surprised to know that all Atlantic salmon is now farm raised. Wild Atlantic salmon is endangered and no longer commercially harvested so virtually all of it is now farm-raised. This type of salmon is the most affordable, has a mild flavor, and relatively good amount of fat. When choosing farm-raised salmon, consider its sources before purchasing, this will highly affect the quality.

Lyuba’s Tips For Best Results With Baking Salmon

I’ve gathered a lot of information from my years of working with salmon at restaurants and at home, here are a few tips I’d like to make sure to mention:

• Before cooking, run your fingers through the flesh to feel for any leftover bones. Use tweezers to pull out any bones that may have been left behind.
• Always line your baking sheet. I find that parchment paper is the best for this, as it protects the salmon from sticking, while also making your cleanup easier! You don’t need to use a lot of oil when baking on parchment paper.
• How to know when salmon is fully cooked: You’ll know salmon is ready when the flesh turns from translucent to opaque and flakes easily with a fork. It should feel firm in the center, if it’s still soft or squishy, it needs more time.
  • For best accuracy, use an instant-read thermometer: salmon is safe at 145°F, though many prefer it cooked to medium or medium well, which is at 125-130°F internal temperature.
• Allow the fish to rest. Be sure to let the salmon rest for about 5 minutes after you take it out of the oven. During this time, the juices that have been condensed during the cooking process will spread throughout the flesh.

Serving Suggestions

These simple flavors are complimentary of just about any vegetable and side dish so you ca pair this dish with almost anything.

• Vegetables like asparagus, roasted green beans and mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and so much more.
• Go for heartier sides like rice, baked potatoes, russet mashed potatoes, and even mac and cheese.
• Salads are great as a side too, like a simple kale salad or Caesar salad.
• For a bit of additional protein and healthy nutrients, try Shirazi salad! It’s a chopped vegetable salad with a refreshing citrus dressing.

Easy Light Salmon Recipe FAQs

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