15+ Easy Salmon Dinners to Make on Busy Nights

Whether it’s grilled, baked, or pan fried, everyone can agree that you can never have too many salmon dinner ideas tucked up your sleeve. Here are 15+ ways you can prepare everyone’s favorite flaky fish, plus some practical tips for telling when it’s done.

Endless Recipe Ideas Using Just 1 Fish!

From the Mediterranean Diet, to WW, paleo, keto and beyond, salmon is one of the best protein choices that works for just about any diet plan. 

What makes eating salmon such a good idea? Alaskan salmon, pink, chinook, coho, and sockeye salmon are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, promoting brain and heart health while being low in fat, calories, and cholesterol. Yep, salmon is a certified super food that tastes delicious too.

These easy salmon dishes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all of the ways you can prepare this flaky fish.

Enjoy! Heidi

1

Best Ever Grilled Salmon

This simple salmon recipe works every time, and is a delicious, blank canvas for sauces, toppings, and salsas to serve along with it.

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2

Baked Salmon with Creme Fraiche

Salmon recipes can be cooked many ways, but in my book, there’s nothing as easy as oven baked salmon in white wine and lemon for a healthy dinner, or to make and use for meal prep all week long.

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3

Salmon Cakes

Leftover or canned salmon made into these crispy salmon cakes creates a whole new meal with tons of flavor made extra delicious thanks to a super simple, creamy roasted red pepper sauce.

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4

Maple Crusted Salmon

FoodieCrush reader Vivian said the following about this quick, 10-minute recipe: “Made this for my family tonight when I was pressed for time to get dinner on the table. It was a big hit Thanks for a great recipe!”

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5

Thai Salmon Chowder

This thick and creamy, perfectly chunky, and easy to make fish chowder made with the best Copper River salmon gets a Thai makeover with flavors of coconut milk, fresh lemongrass, ginger, and kaffir lime, for a unique spin on a comfort food favorite.

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6

Poached Salmon with Mustard Dill Sauce

While poached salmon may seem complicated to some home cooks, poaching is one of the simplest ways to cook this popular fish once you know the poaching secrets, and it’s even better topped with this deliciously easy mustard dill sauce that’s ready to serve in under 30 minutes.

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7

Creamy Salmon and Asparagus Pasta

Leftover salmon gets a recipe remake with bowtie pasta, fresh asparagus, and dill in this super simple Parmesan cream sauce that makes meal prep a breeze. This salmon pasta couldn’t be easier to make!

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8

Orange Spiced Salmon with Spaghetti Squash

Both the squash and the salmon are accented with a mix of brown sugar, orange zest and Chinese five-spice powder and brown sugar that caramelizes in the oven.

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9

Blackened Salmon

This easy salmon recipe with homemade blackened seasoning is seared in a cast-iron skillet to make the best flaky fish with a crisp Cajun-spiced crust.

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10

Sheet-Pan Mustard Salmon Dinner

A tangy mustard sauce flavors this sheet-pan baked salmon recipe with caramelized asparagus and potatoes for a super simple dinner with minimal clean-up.

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11

Salmon Superfood Salad

Kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, quinoa, and salmon are just a few of the ingredients in this superfood salad that packs a nutritious punch in just one bowl.

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12

Salmon Stir-Fry

This salmon stir fry starts with chunks of marinated salmon that become sweetly caramelized in the oven or air fryer before being added to a stir fry of kale, zucchini, and mushrooms for a quick and healthy lunch or dinner idea.

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13

Salmon with Basil Gremolata

Crisp on the outside, buttery and tender on the inside, this golden-crusted pan-seared salmon is drizzled with a bright and flavorful lemon basil gremolata and the whole dish takes just 20 minutes to make.

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14

Salmon Piccata

Seared salmon filets are coated in a lemony, buttery, caper-studded sauce to create the rich and creamy salmon piccata of your dreams. Skip dining out this week and make this Italian staple at home in 20 minutes flat.

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15

Mediterranean Salmon Bowls

These Mediterranean salmon bowls with couscous and tzatziki are easy and customizable based on your taste and what you have on hand.

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16

Chili Crisp Salmon

A simple marinade makes this Chili Crisp Salmon silky and buttery with a caramelized crust for a main dish that cooks in under 10 minutes.

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My Favorite Sides to Serve with Salmon

• Asian Ramen Noodle Salad
• Classic Macaroni Salad
• Caprese Pasta Salad
• 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini
• Mixed Roasted Vegetables (Or Grilled Vegetables)
• THE BEST Potato Salad (And here’s a No-Mayo Version!)

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