Salmon with Strawberry Salsa
This easy roast Salmon with Strawberry Salsa feels elegant but takes just 20 minutes and minimal effort. Perfect for summer weeknights and entertaining!
This salsa has kick from jalapeño, onion, and lime. Prefer something sweeter? Top salmon with this balsamic strawberry pineapple salsa instead.
When you want to change up your usual dinner routine, whether it’s because you’re just bored of the same menu or because you want something special to serve to guests, this is the ticket! Roasted salmon with a hint of honey and lime is so simple to make, but when paired with an unexpected yet perfectly balanced strawberry jalapeño salsa, it feels elevated with minimal effort.
Ingredients & Common Substitutions
A few notes and shopping tips on the key ingredients for this dish:
- Salmon: Use individual salmon filets, which are sometimes sold as “BBQ-cut,” for easy serving, or for a very impressive presentation, purchase one large side of salmon. The recipe works exactly the same either way. You can read about the differences between farm-raised and wild-caught salmon here.
- Honey: To brush on the salmon, and to sweeten the salsa if desired.
- Strawberries: A key ingredient! This is perfect to make in the spring when strawberries burst onto the scene and, if you frequent a farmers market or a you-pick farm, you’ll have more than you know what to do with.
- Jalapeño: To add heat and offset the strawberries’ natural sweetness.
- Red onion: More kick.
- Cilantro, lime juice, and kosher salt.
How To Make Salmon with Strawberry Salsa
- Prep salmon by brushing with honey and sprinkling with lime juice and salt.
- Roast salmon to tender, flaky perfection.
- While salmon bakes, combine salsa ingredients in a bowl. Resist the urge to snack on it with tortilla chips (or don’t!).
- Top salmon with salsa and serve!
How to tell when salmon is done?
There are several ways to tell when salmon is cooked through. Firstly, the color will change from translucent, raw red, to a more opaque pink. Another easy test is to press gently on the filet with a fork or your finger — cooked salmon will flake easily, meaning it separates along the white lines that criss-cross the filet. These lines are strips of fat.
If you have an instant read thermometer, which I highly recommend, you can eliminate the guesswork by taking your salmon’s temperature! The FDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F. However, many chefs prefer to cook salmon to medium — between 125°F and 135°F — for a flakier, more tender result.
Can I grill the salmon instead?
Yes, absolutely! If you prefer not to turn on the oven, you can absolutely grill the salmon for this recipe.
Can I make the salsa more spicy or sweet?
This is a case where you should definitely trust your tastebuds! Strawberries can vary widely in how sweet they are; they tend to be at their peak in late spring and early summer, and peak-season strawberries usually taste much sweeter than store-bought, shipped-in strawberries available in the rest of the year. Plus, you may simply want your salsa more or less sweet due to personal preference. So it’s imperative to taste and adjust for best results.
If the salsa is too sweet, add extra chopped jalapeño, lime, red onion, or salt to add heat or cut the sugary effect.
If the salsa is not sweet enough, add a drizzle of honey to the mixture and stir well to combine.
Prefer a really sweet salsa from the get go? Try topping salmon with my balsamic strawberry pineapple salsa instead. It’s delicious and almost dessert-like!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this for dinner over white rice or cilantro lime rice, with bread, and alongside a simple spinach salad. Cumin or oregano-spiced potato wedges or smashed potatoes make a nice pairing, as well.
More Salmon Recipes
Love salmon for a quick, healthy dinner? Me too! Next, try this pesto salmon pasta, honey garlic or rosemary garlic salmon, or these loaded Greek salmon salads.
If you try this Salmon with Strawberry Salsa, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
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Salmon with Strawberry Salsa
Ingredients
For the Salmon:
- 3-4 salmon filets about 1 pound
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- pinch kosher salt
For the Salsa:
- 1 and 1/2 cups diced strawberries about 12 ounces
- 1/2 jalapeño stem and seeds removed, finely diced
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- 1-2 teaspoons lime juice to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place the salmon on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil.
- Brush salmon very lightly with honey, then squeeze lime juice and sprinkle kosher salt on top of each piece. Roast salmon for 10-12 minutes, just until cooked through. (It should reach at least 130 degrees F and flake easily when touched with a fork.) Remove salmon when done and set aside.
- While salmon cooks, make the salsa. Combine strawberries, jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Taste and add more pepper, lime, or salt to taste. If the salsa needs more sweetness, add 1/2 teaspoon or more of honey.
- Top roasted salmon with generous spoonfuls of salsa and serve right away.
Notes
- This salsa has kick from jalapeño, onion, and lime. Prefer something sweeter? Top salmon with this balsamic strawberry pineapple salsa instead.
