Sometimes it seems like the ratio of time spent cooking to time spent eating just isn’t fair. After all that labor — shopping, chopping, cooking, setting the table — it’s hard to believe a dish can get gobbled up in a mere 15 minutes.
Then again, not all dinners have to be a meal prep Olympics. It’s possible to skimp on time without sacrificing taste, especially when you make one of these easy salmon recipes for a delicious and quick dinner.
Cook a simple pot of rice or another grain and steam some veggies (or just add a salad for an easy side) and get ready for healthy and delicious options that won’t leave you exhausted at the end of a long day.
11 swimmingly simple salmon recipes
This foil-wrapped salmon provides a sweet and savory lemon-garlic-honey-butter combo — and takes only 10 minutes to prepare. What do you have to lose? (For an easy-peasy side dish, consider serving it with these simple baked asparagus fries.)
This zesty take on salmon uses chili powder and lime juice for an extra jolt (along with a quick sauce of sour cream, lime, and cilantro). If you don’t have a grill, take out your cast-iron griddle. In 15 minutes, you’ll have yourself a delicious meal.
White wine, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs — need we say more? This filling recipe takes 10 minutes to prep and 15 to cook, so there’s no excuse not to get cookin’. Naturally, whatever wine you don’t use while cooking can accompany your salmon supper, so make sure your glasses are ready.
Thanks to jarred teriyaki sauce and pineapple juice, salmon gets an island treatment with this easy 25-minute recipe. Top with pineapple slices to enhance the luau effect (and the juicy taste).
Add Asian-inspired flavors to your salmon with this dish packed with ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and fresh orange juice and zest. Though it’ll only take about 15 minutes to prepare, you’ll have to marinate the fish for about 20 minutes. While your fish soaks in the delicious sauce, prep some rice or veggies to round out your meal.
Raid your pantry for a few staple herbs and spices and voila! You’ve got all you need for a tempting Cajun fish dinner. For extra convenience, you’ll saute the sliced zucchini in the same skillet as the salmon. This is the one-dish meal your busy weeknight never knew it needed.
Southern-inspired and easy as can be, this bourbon-infused salmon might just become your new go-to. It’s a simple dish that doesn’t even take 20 minutes to prepare. (Plus, it uses bourbon, and who can argue with that?) When you’ve had one of those days at work, come home to a delectable supper without the hassle.
This 15-minute salmon recipe is a great reason to keep dukkah in your spice cabinet. (What’s dukkah? It’s an Egyptian condiment made of nuts, seeds, and spices.) Then again, if you don’t have a Middle Eastern market close by, it’s easy enough to make your own version with a spice grinder at home before you start the salmon.
Whether you grill or broil your salmon, this glaze of whole-grain mustard, maple syrup, and cider vinegar is effortless and perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy. Make things even easier by whipping up the glaze in advance. Then fire up the grill and enjoy a tender, saucy salmon meal in just minutes.
Red miso paste adds a deep umami savor to this easy glaze that also features fresh ginger, brown sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. This recipe details cooking a whole side of salmon, but the glaze is just as good on smaller steaks or fillets.
One more awesome (and unique) way to cook salmon: Cut it into meaty chunks, thread it onto skewers with vegetables like asparagus or zucchini, and then brush with a simple glaze and grill. Here, the fish and veggies get slathered with a combo of soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and lemon juice. (Try using a Meyer lemon if you can find one!)
Quick-cooking, full of flavor, and packed with protein and healthy fats, salmon is a perennial superstar of weeknight meals. With just a handful of ingredients, you can turn a basic fillet into a dinner that exudes elegance — even if it only took a few minutes.
