Salmon is one of the most versatile fish available. Its rich, fatty texture allows the flavors of herbs and spices to penetrate the flesh and really come through when cooked Salmon takes well to a wide variety of seasonings, allowing home chefs ample opportunity for creativity in the kitchen
When determining what seasonings to pair with salmon, consider the method of preparation. The cooking technique brings out salmon’s natural flavors in different ways. Baked salmon shows off the fish’s inherent richness. Grilled salmon develops a lovely char. Poached salmon accentuates the delicate texture. Factor this into your seasoning choices.
Beyond cooking method, flavor combinations matter too Think about balance Salmon is an oily, fatty fish so it can handle assertive seasonings. However, you don’t want to overwhelm the wonderful natural salmon taste either. Tart, acidic elements like lemon or vinegar brighten the fish. Spicy seasonings add zing. Fresh herbs impart vibrancy. Sweet ingredients give a lovely contrast. Umami flavors enhance the savoriness of salmon.
With all this in mind, here is an overview of some of the best seasonings to use with salmon:
Fresh Herbs
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Dill – This cooling, grassy herb is a classic with salmon. The delicate anise notes don’t overpower the fish. Use chopped fresh dill or sprinkle with dried.
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Parsley – Fresh parsley has a clean, refreshing taste. Chop and mix into compound butter to melt over salmon. Or use as a finishing garnish.
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Basil – Sweet basil complements salmon’s richness. Mix with olive oil as a drizzle or fold into the fish if baking.
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Thyme – Lemony thyme accentuates salmon’s flavor. Sprinkle dried thyme over the fish before baking.
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Tarragon – Licorice-like tarragon works well with salmon. Make a tarragon vinegar dressing to drizzle over grilled salmon.
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Chives – Subtly oniony chives add a pop of color and flavor as a garnish over seared or poached salmon.
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Cilantro – The freshness of cilantro balances the fattiness of salmon. Chop and use as a topping or mix into a salsa-style relish to serve alongside.
Spices and Seasonings
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Lemon – Bright, acidic lemon juice or zest cuts through salmon’s oiliness. Use lemon pepper or add lemon slices to bake with the fish.
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Dill – Cooling, anise-scented dill complements salmon perfectly. Use fresh or dried.
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Brown Sugar – A small amount of sweet brown sugar makes a tasty salmon glaze when mixed with mustard and vinegar.
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Soy Sauce – Umami-rich soy sauce enhances flavors when brushing over grilled or broiled salmon. Mix with brown sugar too.
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Garlic – Pungent garlic packs a flavor punch when rubbed over salmon before baking or roasting.
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Ginger – Spicy, zingy ginger makes an impact. Blend into a teriyaki glaze for salmon.
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Paprika – Sweet paprika lends a touch of warmth and vibrancy. Coat salmon in smoked paprika before searing.
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Chili Powder – A little chili powder brings mild heat. Make a spicy rub with brown sugar and lime.
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Curry Powder – Curry’s blend of spices pairs well with salmon. Make a quick curry mayo sauce for dipping.
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Pepper – Fresh cracked black pepper adds flavor and kick. Lemon pepper gives great seasoning too.
Blends and Rubs
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Italian Herbs – Classic Italian spice blend including basil, oregano, thyme. Mix with olive oil and brush over salmon before baking.
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Herbes de Provence – This French blend includes thyme, rosemary, and lavender notes. Coat salmon fillets before broiling or grilling.
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Ras el Hanout – The exotic Moroccan spice mix works well with salmon’s richness. Crust salmon fillets with it before searing.
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Japanese Seven Spice – Japanese shichimi togarashi offers a tasty umami kick. Sprinkle over grilled salmon.
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Cajun Spices – Fiery Cajun seasoning including cayenne, garlic, and paprika gives salmon excitement. Blacken salmon with this rub.
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Jerk Spices – Jamaican jerk spices like allspice, thyme, chili peppers lend bold flavor to salmon.
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Barbecue Rub – Sweet and smoky barbecue rub makes salmon extra savory. Bake salmon coated with rub.
Sauces and Condiments
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Pesto – Herby basil pesto makes a quick sauce for salmon. Simply spread over the cooked fish.
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Salsa – Fresh tomato salsa adds flavor and moisture when baked with salmon. Spoon extra over the top.
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Tapenade – Briny olive tapenade provides contrasting flavor to rich salmon when served as a condiment.
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Honey Mustard – Sweet honey and tangy mustard makes a simple glaze for broiled or baked salmon.
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Teriyaki Sauce – Sweet, salty teriyaki sauce tastes delicious with salmon. Brush over grilled salmon.
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Hoisin Sauce – Similar to teriyaki, thick hoisin sauce makes a tasty salmon marinade and glaze.
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Tzatziki – Cooling yogurt-based tzatziki sauce complements salmon when served alongside or used as a marinade.
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Chimichurri – Herby green chimichurri sauce brightens up simply cooked salmon.
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Mango Salsa – Fruity mango salsa brings a summery vibe when spooned over salmon.
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Soy Ginger Sauce – Punchy soy ginger glaze adds big flavor to roasted or broiled salmon fillets.
The possibilities for seasoning salmon are endless. Start with some basics like lemon, fresh herbs, olive oil and build from there. Adding spices, zesty sauces and rubs can really take your salmon to the next level. Play around with different flavor combinations to find your favorites and you may never have a bland salmon fillet again.
Brown sugar, maple syrup, and honey
This “seasoning” is actually a three-for-one. All three of these ingredients are inimitable, delicious, and capable of taking salmon to the next level. Because salmon is naturally sweet, it pairs quite well with sweet-and-salty marinades, rubs, and dressings. You can take this in numerous directions, too, most of which are determined by the other ingredients youre using in the recipe.
For instance, while brown sugar might seem the same as white, it isnt. Brown is the one you want to go for if youre glazing salmon or making a smoky marinade or teriyaki-inspired dish, because the molasses in brown sugar already has that rich, smoked flavor. Plus, maple syrup is better for you than sugar, as its lower on the glycemic index and contains antioxidants.
Like maple syrup? Youll love salmon candy. Some of my happiest memories are stopping at South Beach Fish Market and getting salmon candy (also called candied salmon) on the way to the Oregon Coast. Trust that if youve never had salmon candy, then you have not truly experienced life. All you need to make it yourself is salt, sugar, maple syrup, and some good salmon with the skin still on, because it adds tons of moisture and flavor.
Honey is also delicious, healthy, and integral to many salmon recipes enjoyed here in the PNW. It pairs especially well with mustard, cider vinegar, and dill. (Though frankly, people should really put mustard in everything.)
One of the biggest mistakes to avoid when cooking salmon is to forget about the power of citrus. Seriously, lemon and salmon are like bagels and lox. If youre only going to use two ingredients when baking a fillet, it should be lemon and salt, period. All you have to do is generously salt the top of the fillet (skin-on is best so you dont have to add extra fat to the pan), then drape the entire fish with overlapping lemon slices. Like, yum. Thats not to say garlic, pepper, and butter ever killed anyone, of course, and all three of these ingredients also work well with lemon.
Other citrus work well with salmon, too. Lime with honey and garlic butter is a great combo, but you can sub in oranges for limes if thats more to your liking. If you are particularly brave, you can even try recipes that call for grapefruit, though that would not (repeat, not) go over well in this household.
Dill is sweet, herbal, and a bit citrusy, perfect for brightening up fresh fish. This is especially true for salmon, which already pairs well with one of dills best friends: lemon. The good thing about dill is how readily available it is. While other herbs can be difficult to find fresh at the grocery store or farmers market, dill is available for much of the year in big, green bunches. You can also grow it in your backyard, but make sure to harvest it before it bolts (develops flowers), because after that it gets bitter.
When adding dill to your salmon, you have a few options. You can either put it directly on the fish during cooking or make a sauce to pour on afterward. Its hard to say which is better, but they do involve different steps.
If youre making a sauce, you will either cook it in a pan or in the oven and remove it to a plate, then dress it with a dill sauce. Common ingredients include sour cream, lemon, and yes, sugar. It also works to braise the fish in the sauce, stovetop-style.
Rosemary is a common culinary herb and one that many of us grow in our backyards. It is amazing on salmon, especially with garlic, lemon, and sea salt. Chop it fine so that it will blend in with the rest of your ingredients and avoid that woody chew.
Many people lose out on flavor value, however, because they dont take enough care when stocking the herb cupboard. While you can buy rosemary dried and it does impart a nice flavor, fresh is best if you can get it. The herby flavor comes out much more strongly but is, at the same time, more delicate. Its dead easy to grow in the backyard, so if you can, plant a bush. If not, buy a new stash of dried rosemary every few years.
Either way, when using rosemary or any other herb, make sure not to substitute fresh and dried straight across, since dried herbs are much more pungent than fresh. Instead, look up the ratio. Otherwise, your salmon could come out more like salmon-scented rosemary than the other way around.
Garlic is O-M-G good with almost any cut or preparation of salmon. Indeed, garlic is pretty much good with anything. Why? Because it contains chemical compounds that not only taste great on their own, but also make our taste buds more receptive to other flavors (e.g., for our purposes, things like fish, salt, lemon, and herbs). Salmon and garlic are paired in many, many recipes for a reason: because they belong together.
You can use fresh garlic cloves, jarred chopped garlic, or garlic powder with equally tasty results. However, make sure to proceed with caution with high-heat situations, such as searing pans, grills, and broilers. When garlic burns, its not just ruined — its straight nasty, becoming bitter and almost chemical. If youre going to sauté it, do so over low heat, and dont add the garlic until the end. If youre going to put it in a marinade, make sure theres lots of liquid to protect it from drying out and getting burnt.
While curry most often makes its appearance in dishes from India or Southeast Asia (and sometimes Africa), its a food crime of the highest order to confine its presence to those areas of the world. Curry works incredibly well with salmon, as a matter of fact, and you can turn it into so many different recipes.
If you want to take the lazy route, just mix curry and salt in a 1:1 ratio and rub it lightly on your salmon. Dont overdo it, or both the salmon and the curry will quickly overpower the delicate flavor of the fish. You can also use it to make curried salmon salad, a personal favorite, or a traditional coconut curry with rice. (Grab a napkin, theres gonna be drool.)
If you really want to take a deep dive, make your own curry powder, which is a great thing to have on hand. Recipes vary from place to place and color to color; red, green, and yellow curry all have different ingredients. However, when Americans think of curry, they typically envisage the yellow-orange powder you can buy in a jar, which includes a variation on the combination of turmeric, cumin, ginger, mustard, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon … give or take a few spices.
The Only Way You Should Cook Your Salmon
FAQ
What should I season my salmon with?
Which spices are good for salmon?
Common spices include paprika, chilli, ginger and garlic, adding a punch of flavour. A standout in Asian cooking is teriyaki sauce, combining soy sauce, rice wine (mirin) and brown sugar for a delicious glaze. Alternatively, a honey and soy sauce marinade offers the perfect balance of sweet and savoury.
What flavours go well with salmon?
Dill: A classic pairing with salmon, offering a fresh, slightly tangy flavor. Parsley: Adds brightness and freshness. Thyme: Earthy and aromatic, complementing the richness of the fish. Chives: Mild onion flavor that works well in combination with other herbs. Paprika: Adds a subtle sweetness and a beautiful color.
What does salmon taste best with?
Like other types of fish, salmon pairs well with sides like potato salad, roasted cauliflower, mashed butternut squash, Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes, risotto, and even pasta. It’s best to avoid heavy, starchy dishes like mashed potatoes.