Salmon is one of the most versatile and delicious fish to cook at home. Its meaty texture and rich omega-3 fatty acid content make it a satisfying option for everything from weeknight dinners to elegant entrees. While salmon tastes great on its own the right condiments and sauces can take your meal to the next level. The flavors of salmon pair well with a wide variety of flavors, so you have plenty of options to consider.
When choosing a condiment or sauce for salmon, think about complementary flavors that will enhance the fish rather than overpower it Tart, bright, herby, spicy, and creamy sauces all work well with salmon’s rich and delicate flavor. Consider the preparation method too – baked, grilled, or pan seared salmon may pair better with certain condiments.
Here are some of the best condiment and sauce ideas to serve with salmon fillets, patties, or burgers:
Creamy Condiments
Creamy condiments like sour cream, mayonnaise, and yogurt-based sauces add moisture and richness to complement salmon’s texture. They also help balance stronger flavors like spices, citrus, and heat. Some easy options include:
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Dill sauce: Mix sour cream with lemon juice, dill, and minced shallots. The tangy, herby flavor is perfect with simply seasoned grilled or baked salmon.
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Chipotle mayo: Stir canned chipotle peppers into mayonnaise with lime juice and cilantro. Spread on salmon burgers or tacos.
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Tzatziki: This yogurt-based Greek sauce also features cucumber, garlic, lemon, and herbs. It’s excellent with salmon, whether as a condiment or marinade.
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Horseradish cream: Fold prepared horseradish and lemon juice into sour cream or Greek yogurt for a kick of flavor.
Sweet and Spicy Sauces
The natural sugars and spices in these sauces caramelize beautifully when salmon is pan-seared, roasted, or grilled. The sweet and spicy balance keeps the fish moist while adding tons of flavor. Try:
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Honey mustard: Whisk stoneground mustard with honey, lemon juice, and salt. Brush onto salmon before broiling or baking.
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Sweet chili sauce: Find this sauce made with chilies, vinegar, garlic, and sugar in the Asian foods aisle. Drizzle over grilled or baked salmon.
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Hot honey: Mix honey with chili garlic sauce or hot sauce. Delicious paired with blackened or broiled salmon.
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Spicy maple glaze: Melt maple syrup with cayenne and black pepper. Use as a glaze for salmon on the grill or in the oven.
Herby Condiments
Fresh herbs are a natural pairing with salmon, adding grassy, bright flavors. Chives, dill, parsley, basil, and cilantro all complement salmon wonderfully. Whip up one of these herby sauces:
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Chimichurri: Mince Italian parsley, oregano, garlic, shallots, olive oil, vinegar, and red pepper flakes for this zesty Argentinian green sauce.
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Cilantro lime crema: Purée cilantro, lime juice, sour cream, and jalapeño. Serve with salmon tacos or burgers.
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Basil pesto: Blend basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil. Top grilled or baked salmon with a spoonful.
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Dill pickle remoulade: Stir minced dill pickles into mayonnaise with whole grain mustard, lemon juice, and celery seed.
Savory Umami-Packed Sauces
Complex savory flavors like soy sauce, fish sauce, miso, and mushrooms are delicious with salmon. They add depth and savoriness that complements the fish. Good options include:
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Teriyaki: Make an easy homemade teriyaki sauce with soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger to brush on grilled or broiled salmon.
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Miso butter: Whisk white or yellow miso paste into melted butter. Drizzle over seared or baked salmon fillets.
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Hoisin sauce: Find this thick, aromatic Chinese sauce made with soybean, garlic, chilies, and spices in the Asian foods aisle. Use as a glaze or dipping sauce.
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Mushroom gravy: Sauté mushrooms, make a roux, and add broth for an earthy mushroom gravy to serve over salmon.
Tangy, Bright Condiments
The acidity in citrus and vinegars cuts through salmon’s richness perfectly. Liven up your fish with:
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Lemon dill sauce: Mix Greek yogurt with lemon juice, zest, dill, and garlic.
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Caper relish: Chop capers, red onion, parsley, lemon zest and juice for a quick relish to sprinkle on salmon.
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Orange ginger glaze: Simmer orange juice, rice vinegar, ginger, and chili flakes, then glaze onto roasted salmon.
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Red wine gastrique: Reduce red wine, vinegar, shallots, and herbs into a syrupy sauce for salmon.
With so many easy homemade sauce options, there’s no need to rely on boring plain salmon night after night. Exploring different condiment and sauce pairings will let you enjoy the fish in new, exciting ways. Just be sure to buy high-quality wild salmon so you can enjoy the full flavor – online retailers like Wild Alaskan Company offer fresh salmon delivered right to your door. Armed with a variety of sauces, you’ll look forward to salmon for dinner any night of the week.
Benefits of Using Sauces With Salmon
There are a few culinary benefits to pairing salmon with a sauce:
- Moisture: Cooking salmon with any sauce can help keep the salmon juicy and tender as it cooks. A sauce can also help add moisture to salmon after it has been cooked, which can help you enjoy your meal even when the fish is a little more well done than you prefer.
- Color: Sauce can add color to your meals, which can enhance your overall experience with cooking at home.
- Variety: While a perfectly cooked fillet of salmon is delicious on its own, its always nice to have different recipe options to consider throughout the week. Adding a sauce to salmon allows you to explore a variety of flavors, ingredients, and cuisines, night after night.
Sauces are not the only way to add flavor and variety to salmon. You might enjoy enhancing salmon with spice rubs and seasonings. If youre making Pacific halibut, Pacific cod, or rockfish, check out the best sauces for white fish.
The Best Sauce for Salmon, Any Day of the Week
It’s easy to enjoy wild-caught salmon as your go-to protein when you serve this flavorful fish with a variety of delicious sauces. They can help to keep each bite of salmon moist and tender, whether youre cooking the fish with the sauce or serving it alongside the finished dish.
Sauces can also be a great way to keep your weeknight meal rotation colorful, varied, and full of flavor. The best part is that some of the easiest sauces for salmon are made with a mix of basics and pantry staples — and oftentimes take less than 10 minutes to make. Whether you prefer something herby, creamy, spicy, or glazy, there are plenty of options to consider.
Here are 7 easy sauce recipes to try when you want to enjoy wild-caught salmon in a new way any day of the week:
Salmon and dill is a classic flavor combination, so this is a great pairing to start with youre exploring your options. Mayo is the base of this creamy dill sauce for salmon. It’s transformed into a sauce with basic ingredients like shallots, lemon, and herbs. To make it special, the addition of freshly grated horseradish root adds a refreshing element of spice. Substitute prepared horseradish, if you want to skip the grating and streamline the prepartion of this sauce recipe.
English mustard and American maple syrup melt into a spicy-glazy mustard sauce for salmon. It’s one of the most flavorful sauces you can make with pantry staples — and it only takes a few minutes of prep time. This is an excellent choice when you want to bake or broil any variety of salmon with a sauce, as the sugars will develop a delicious, sticky char as it cooks.
This easy sauce for salmon brings sweet heat to weeknight dinners. Sriracha, honey, and garlic are whisked into melted butter and become a fiery, syrupy glaze to pour over broiled salmon. The sugars in the honey caramelize under the heat, adding delicious texture and color to the meal.
Brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce melt into a zesty teriyaki sauce for salmon. Resist the urge to use store-bought sauce. This homemade version only takes 10 minutes to make — which is faster than making a run to the store. Brush it onto fillets or skewers, mix it into stir-fries, and drizzle it over veggie side dishes.
Miso butter, brightened with a hint of lemon zest, is the star of this keto salmon sauce recipe. Its umami richness adds deep, savory flavor to a simple plate of seared salmon and low-carb steamed veggies. One of the best parts about this lemon butter sauce for salmon is that it only requires three basic ingredients: miso, lemon zest, and butter.
A red pepper infused oil brings a dose of heat to this homemade hot honey ranch. Its easy and fun to make, using a mix of dried and fresh herbs. For the base of the ranch, youll use cool, tangy buttermilk — the perfect addition to help balance out the spice. Enjoy this as a dip for baked salmon cakes or as a condiment for salmon burgers.
A tangy splash of vinegar balances the flavors in this sweet and savory honey miso sauce. It’s an easy sauce for salmon to make when you have five extra minutes to prep. Honey and miso are caramelized on the stove, then whisked into a zesty topping to pour over salmon and vegetables.
The Best Salmon Seasoning for Baking Searing or Grilling!
FAQ
What condiment goes best with fish?
- Creamy Lemon Herb Pan Sauce.
- Easy Lemon-Pepper Aioli.
- Tangy Salsa Verde.
- Romesco Sauce.
- Dead-Simple Tartar Sauce.
- Chimichurri Sauce.
- Classic Basil Pesto.
- Thai Peanut Sauce.
What is good to mix with salmon?
Some good sides that pair well with salmon include roasted vegetables, grilled asparagus, a green salad, roasted potatoes, grilled corn, quinoa, couscous, wild rice, and sautéed spinach.
Do salmon and mayo go together?
A coating of tangy mayonnaise keeps your salmon from drying out with no need for any other sauce. Mayo is thick, so it sticks to the fish easily. Plus, the condiment is already seasoned, so it replaces the olive oil, lemon, and other ingredients you would mix up for a marinade, saving time and money.
What flavors go well with salmon?
What is a good condiment for salmon patties?
This family-friendly sauce is a blend of sweet and tangy mustard with a hint of honey. It’s the perfect condiment for salmon patties, as it enhances the natural flavors of the fish. For a more savory flavor, try adding some chopped fresh herbs, such as dill or tarragon.
What sauce goes well with salmon patties?
There are many different types of sauces that go well with salmon patties. If you want something light and refreshing, you can try a yogurt or cucumber dill sauce. For something a little bit more hearty, you can go for a tartar sauce or even a simple ketchup or mustard. Still looking for ideas? Don’t even sweat it. I’ve got you covered.
What is the best sauce for salmon?
Here’s 20+ of the best sauces for salmon for a quick, easy, and healthy lunch or dinner. One of my favorite recipes is this lemon butter sauce. Boil wine, shallot and lemon juice in a small saucepan over high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 6 minutes.
What can I add to salmon patties?
It’s the perfect condiment for salmon patties, as it enhances the natural flavors of the fish. For a more savory flavor, try adding some chopped fresh herbs, such as dill or tarragon. You could also add a pinch of smoked paprika or cayenne pepper for a bit of heat.
What to serve with salmon patties?
If you’re interested in serving your salmon patties with a side dish or two: rice is an excellent option because it pairs well with both sauces and fish flavors alike. Or try pairing them with sauteed spinach leaves seasoned with salt & pepper plus lots of garlic powder while they’re still hot off the stovetop!
What sauce should I use for salmon burgers?
Since salmon burgers already have a lot of flavor, you don’t need to use a sauce that is too heavy or overpowering. A light mayonnaise or yogurt-based sauce would be a good choice. You could also try something with a bit of acidity, like a lemon vinaigrette or apple cider vinegar.