Salmon is a sure bet for a delicious dinner, and these date night salmon recipes are especially great for impressing a special someone
So, you’ve just volunteered to cook dinner for you and your significant other—perhaps for the first time—and now you’re officially freaking out (rightfully so). You want to impress them with your culinary finesse, but you also really don’t want to give anyone food poisoning because that’s a pretty big dealbreaker.
I’m here to let you know that cooking for date night doesn’t have to be complicated to be impressive and highly recommend one of these salmon dinners. Not only are they incredibly easy to master, but you’ll look way fancy serving a freshly cooked fish with a glass of white wine. Your date will be so impressed. But seriously, don’t forget the wine.
Salmon and lemon is a classic combination, so this makes for the perfectly elegant date night dinner. You’ll definitely get the salmon flavor and the lemony, peppery butter offers the perfect amount of citrus. Because the seasoning is so simple and light, you can really get creative with your side dishes. Add any extra butter you may have after you season the fish to a side of mashed potatoes, pasta, roasted vegetables (especially asparagus), or use it to whip up homemade garlic bread. Get our Grilled Salmon with Lemon-Pepper Compound Butter recipe.
I mean, come on. Even the name of this dish is impressive. If you freaked out like I did, wondering what the hell Coho salmon even is, do not be alarmed! Turns out it’s even less expensive than regular old salmon, so you can make this fancy-sounding dish even if you’re on a tighter budget. What I love about this recipe is that it’s not your typical salmon dish with lemon and asparagus. Though sweet potatoes seem like an odd side dish for salmon, the cinnamon sauce will really tie all those flavors together, and your date will admire your creativity! Get our Coho Salmon with Sweet Potato Salad and Cinnamon Sauce recipe.
If you and your S.O. find yourselves gravitating towards Asian-inspired food, you can so easily incorporate those flavors into your date night salmon dinner. Turns out salmon is a great vessel for experimenting with soy, rice vinegar, ginger, and other Asian staples. And, the side dishes here are a nice, light complement to all the flavors you’re pumping into that salmon. Get the Pan-Roasted Soy-Glazed Salmon recipe.
Sooo, you know chili is an aphrodisiac, right? Need I go on? The seasoning and grilling of the salmon is a cinch and then the best part, the lime, onion, and cilantro crema puts this dish firmly into the “oooh-ahhh” category. Serve over simple white rice with sliced avocado or a green vegetable of your choice. Get our Grilled Chili Salmon with Lime Crema recipe.
Ugh, I love a good burger. Show your date you’re a little more creative than the typical salmon fillet route. If you like a good sauce, see alternative toppings, but this bright mango salsa pairs really well with the fish and the rich slice of avocado that joins it on the bun. It’s a burger, so serve it with fries; swap in sweet potato fries for something a little different. Cutting carbs? Forget the fries and serve the burger and toppings on a salad instead. Get our Salmon Burgers with Mango Salsa recipe.
No need to wait for summer stone fruit season to return (it will, eventually!), because this light and sweet salmon recipe relies on good-quality peach jam instead of fresh peaches. It is perfect for eating on your back porch with a glass of hard iced tea or lemonade, but just as good at your cozy coffee table with a glass of wine. The recommended sides for this dish are super simple: some lightly seasoned green beans, broccoli, or asparagus. Although, I also think corn could go really well with this dish too. Get the Bourbon Peach Glazed Salmon recipe.
If you’re anything like me, you can’t go one day without either eating an avocado or eating something spicy. Luckily, with this delicious salmon taco recipe, you get both! These are really easy to assemble, but I recommend making it even more fun for date night by simply laying out the ingredients and the two of you putting your own dinners together, Taco Tuesday style. Get the Spicy Salmon Tacos recipe.
In the same vein as the salmon tacos, our Salmon and Asparagus Kebabs are the easiest things in the world, but they’re so fun and perfect for a night in! The brown sugar, ginger, and soy sauce (among other things) you’re using to coat the salmon give a tangy, yet sweet flavor you’ll definitely love. I’d recommend some simple roasted potatoes as a side. Get our Salmon and Asparagus Kebabs recipe.
Date night meets breakfast for dinner. The staple salmon dinner flavors (lemon, garlic, potatoes, and parsley) all make an appearance in this dish, but the hash makes for a fun presentation reminiscent of the breakfast hash you devour at a diner at breakfast time (or 3 a.m.). Get our Smoked Salmon Hash with Lemon-Parsley Vinaigrette recipe.
A classic salmon and asparagus dinner all wrapped up in one bowl and topped with parmesan cheese—it doesn’t get better. Pasta is always easy, but this dish will seem even fancier with your cooked salmon and vegetables tossed right in. As a side, I recommend garlic bread—either store-bought or homemade, but garlic bread seems like a necessity here. And to drink, I did mention white wine, right? Get the Creamy Salmon Asparagus Pasta recipe.
There’s nothing quite like getting a nice crust on a salmon, and feta makes everything fancier, right? Impress your date with this filling and flavorful recipe. Since there are a lot of flavors glazing the salmon, I’d definitely stick with one of the simpler staples as far as a side is concerned. Pan roast some potatoes or asparagus with lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Oh, and wine. Get the Feta and Herb Crusted Salmon recipe.
If you’re looking for something super fresh (and you can get really great-quality salmon), try making poke bowls at home instead of going out to the nearest trendy spot. They’re full of different flavors and textures, and they’re one-bowl meals—not to mention healthy, especially if you use brown rice. Get our Salmon Poke Bowls recipe.
If you can do breakfast for dinner, then why not brunch? Silky smoked salmon on a toasted English muffin with a perfect poached egg and rich hollandaise sauce is absolutely perfect. Serve with hash browns or diner-style potatoes, or go for steamed asparagus, which also goes great with hollandaise. Get our Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict recipe. (And try our Easy Blender Hollandaise recipe if you’re nervous about having to whisk just right.)
If you need a hands-off salmon recipe (say, if you’re busy making a romantic dessert), this Crock-Pot salmon recipe is perfect and cooks in just an hour. Serve with aioli and for sides, boil, steam or bake baby potatoes and lightly cook green beans (both traditionally served as part of a grand aioli dinner). Get our Slow Cooker Poached Salmon recipe.
And here’s another one-bowl meal that manages to be both comforting and refined, thanks to the combination of light but creamy broth, tender chunks of salmon and vegetables, and a bright cilantro pesto dolloped in the middle. If you hate cilantro, just use another herb. Serve with crusty bread for sopping up every last drop of soup. Get our Salmon Chowder with Cilantro Pesto recipe.
