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52 Salmon Recipes Even Picky Eaters Will Devour

Updated on December 20, 2025

Dive into a world of flavor with options for every palate.

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Our Best Ideas for Salmon

There are so many reasons to love salmon. Not only is this healthy fish versatile (we're just as likely to toss it on the grill as we are to throw it in the oven), but it cooks up quick—in a matter of minutes—and taste great. When you need a simple and satisfying meal, one of these salmon recipes is sure to do the trick. The one you'll reach for again and again? This family-friendly, honey-baked salmon recipe. It comes together in 30 minutes and only requires a few ingredients. Oh, and that honey-lime drizzle at the end is to die for—no one will judge you for slurping it down! Pro tip: Baking the salmon at a high heat not only quickens the cooking time, but also helps to crisp up the honey glaze and spice mixture that coats the fish. Win-win!

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Air Fryer Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon

Pomegranate lends its sweet-tart essence and ruby hue to this impressive weeknight dinner or special-occasion main dish in two ways: First, pomegranate molasses is the base of a fruity glaze for the salmon fillets, resulting in perfectly caramelized exteriors. While the fish cooks, we toss together a bold and colorful relish of pomegranate arils, cilantro and spicy serrano chiles to cut through the richness of the salmon. And since it's ready in just about 20 minutes, you'll have plenty of time for your guests or family.

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Photo: Matt Armendariz
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Green Goddess Salmon Bowl 

Fresh herbs and creamy yogurt come together in a vibrant green goddess sauce that tops this nourishing salmon bowl loaded with greens, grains and veggies.

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Photo: Matt Armendariz
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Air Fryer Salmon Bites

Crispy on the outside and tender inside, these air fryer salmon bites are a quick, flavorful way to enjoy salmon — perfect for bowls, salads or snacking.

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Salmon Cakes

Ina uses onion, celery, and red and yellow bell peppers to boost the flavor of these salmon cakes. Each one is coated in breadcrumbs and then fried just before it's served.

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Photo: Matt Armendariz
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Rice Cooker Salmon and Rice Bowls

Your rice cooker can do a lot more than just steam rice, and enjoying a bowl of this light, flavorful salmon dish is a delicious way to prove it. Adding the ingredients to the cooker takes just minutes, and when the cycle is finished, you’ll be rewarded with silky soy-marinated salmon, tender mushrooms and super-flavorful rice that gets a boost from dashi powder. We suggested selecting about five toppings like sliced cucumber, scallions, seaweed salad, avocado and kimchi for your bowls, but feel free to use whatever combination you’d like.

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Grilled Salmon Tacos

Flaky, grilled salmon and colorful veggies make the perfect fillings when you want to shake up your Taco Tuesday routine!

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Creamy Salmon Scampi

This one-skillet salmon dish comes together in less than 30 minutes and features classic scampi flavors and a creamy sauce.

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Pan-Fried Salmon

Cook up crispy, delicious salmon with only three additional ingredients: olive oil, salt and pepper.

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Salmon Croquettes with Remoulade Sauce

Most likely you have most, if not all, of the ingredients to make this surprisingly easy, budget-friendly and deliciously crispy dish sitting in your pantry right now. We tested the recipe using both cornmeal and panko for the breading and found panko produced a much better crunch and that golden crust croquettes are known for. Serve them on their own as a delicious appetizer or along with a salad for a light dinner.

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The Best Baked Salmon

This simple baked salmon really hits all the right notes: tangy, sweet, savory, a little spicy and crunchy. Cooking a larger piece makes for a nice presentation. Topped with buttery golden breadcrumbs and parsley, it's perfect for a weeknight dinner yet fancy enough to serve to guests.

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Photo: Renee Comet
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Whole Grilled Side of Salmon with Herb Butter

Summertime entertaining just got easier with this delicious salmon recipe. Coated in a bright herb butter and cooked gently over indirect heat, the salmon comes out moist and flavorful every time. Cooking it on foil ensures there is no sticking or flare-ups and best of all, there's plenty for a crowd.

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Grilled Salmon Sandwiches

Ina Garten builds her sandwiches high by stacking a bed of mesclun greens and a thick cut of grilled salmon between two brioche buns. For a creamy finish, coat each side of the bun with her homemade sour cream-dill sauce.
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Salmon Kushiyaki

This rendition of kushiyaki (the catch-all term for the popular Japanese technique of grilling skewered foods) is a play on a surf and turf, combining salmon with earthy shiitake mushrooms, for a dose of umami. Here the fish is first marinated in a mirin, sake, and miso mixture; the same mixture is also brushed on the skewers during cooking for a burnished glaze. Finish the skewers in the traditional way with a generous shake of furikake or shichimi togarashi, take your pick!

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Sweet and Spicy Grilled Salmon

The decadent-tasting "good" fat in salmon complements the sweet-spicy Buffalo glaze. The skin gets caramelized and crisp on the grill; it’s delicious, but can be discarded to save fat and calories.
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Instant Pot Soy-Ginger Salmon

Short on time? Frozen salmon will cook very quickly (and beautifully) in the Instant Pot®. Just be sure to use fattier, thicker fish fillets (preferably center cut) as they hold up to pressure cooking best.

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Grilled Salmon with Citrus Salsa Verde

Brushing the salmon with agave nectar before grilling is an easy way to elevate its subtle, natural sweetness.

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Dijon Balsamic Salmon Cakes

A mustard based balsamic vinaigrette does double duty as a flavoring for moist salmon cakes and a dressing for mixed greens that's served alongside.

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Asian Grilled Salmon

Salmon only takes a couple minutes to cook on the grill, so keep an eye on it. It will also continue to cook a bit as it rests so make sure you take it off the grill as soon as it's ready.

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Salmon-Fennel Salad

This salmon is brined in the refrigerator for two hours before cooking, so it's packed with flavor. Atop a simple salad of arugula, fennel and some herbs, it's the perfect warm-weather meal.

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Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze

Giada uses fresh herbs and mustard to make a flavorful-yet-light glaze for topping broiled salmon fillets.
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Flaxseed-Crusted Salmon with a Grape and Walnut Salsa

Add an extra crunch to your fish with a healthy flaxseed crust and toasted walnut salsa.

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Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze

Bobby treats grilled salmon fillets to his sweet ginger glaze with Dijon mustard for some heat.
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Smoked Salmon

Smoking isn't just for ribs. Follow Alton's lead to make fantastic smoked salmon at home.
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Triple Citrus Glazed Salmon

Brighten up salmon by brushing it with a triple-citrus glaze during and after grilling. A little bit of chicken stock in the citrus glaze helps to round out the flavors.

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Salmon Cakes

It's fine to use canned wild salmon instead of fresh salmon in a flavorful recipe like this — it's a fraction of the cost and you won't be able to tell the difference.
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Salmon Burgers with Lemon-Caper Aioli and Kale Slaw

Take a break from red meat and replace it with these hearty fish patties. A creamy lemony aioli sauce is the perfect topping!

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Grilled Salmon and Pineapple with Avocado Dressing

Looking for a new way to serve grilled fish? Giada pairs tender salmon fillets with sweet grilled pineapple for a simple side. The tangy avocado dressing adds an element of creaminess.
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Salmon with Lemon, Capers and Rosemary

Foil packets keep Giada’s salmon fillets moist as they take on the flavors of lemon, rosemary and wine.
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Healthy Honey-Mustard Roasted Salmon

Slather on a delicious Dijon mustard-and-honey marinade for a juicy and flavorful piece of fish.

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Grilled Salmon with Sherry Vinegar-Honey Glaze and Spicy Tomato Relish

The components of this recipe are easy: Make an ancho chile- and honey-spiced glaze for marinating fresh salmon fillets, and top the grilled fish with a simple chopped tomato relish.
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Ginger-Glazed Salmon

An Asian-inspired salmon dish calls for fresh ginger, sesame seeds, soy sauce and chopped scallions — and this one does not disappoint!

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Blackened Salmon

When you can prep and cook dinner in less than 15 minutes, you know it's going to be one of your go-tos. And when you're cooking with spices like paprika, cayenne and thyme, less time definitely doesn't mean less flavor.
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Everything Salmon Burgers with Scallion Sour Cream-Cream Cheese Sauce

Skip basic burgers and serve these salmon patties — topped with a tangy sauce — for a sandwich everyone is sure to enjoy.

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Oven-Baked Salmon

This salmon dinner couldn't be simpler. Season the fish with with salt and pepper, and then pop it in the oven to bake to perfection in 15 minutes. An easy-to-make parsley and almond salsa goes on top.
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Grilled Salmon with Herb and Meyer Lemon Compound Butter

By the looks of it, you'd think this dish takes an entire afternoon to make. But in about 30 minutes — including prep time — it's ready to serve. The secret is Anne's herbed butter, which adds zesty flavor.
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Mustard-Maple Roasted Salmon

Made with just five ingredients (plus salt and pepper), this salmon recipe is primed for weeknight cooking. Just spread the mustard-maple sauce over each fillet, and then bake until the fish is cooked through. The dish will be ready in just 20 minutes.
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Grilled Salmon with Chinese Barbeque Sauce

Brush meaty grilled salmon with a homemade Chinese barbecue sauce (flavored with orange juice, hoisin, soy sauce and honey) for a truly memorable meal.

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Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon

For an elegant breakfast in a flash, Rachael folds smoked salmon into her 6-minute scrambled eggs. Crisp, fresh chives add bright color and a subtle onion flavor.
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Spanish Baked Salmon

Ree says, “Salmon is particularly wonderful because it cooks really, really quickly". And, we couldn't agree more — it's the perfect choice for a speedy, sheet pan meal like this one.

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Honey Soy Grilled Salmon with Edamame

The natural omega-3 fats in salmon makes it a great choice for a healthy meal that doesn't need much added fat. Stuff a mixture of fresh herbs into the salmon to infuse the fish with bright flavor.
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Roasted Salmon with Shallot Grapefruit Sauce

Use the natural essences of ginger, ruby-red grapefruit juice, honey and cayenne pepper to bring roasted salmon to new, healthy heights.
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Cedar Plank Salmon

Barbecue planks add a unique flavor to food, combining the earthiness of wood and smokiness of the grill. When buying them, be sure to choose untreated wood or planks marked specifically for cooking.
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Smoked Salmon Dip

This is the perfect make-ahead party dip. Ina says it tastes even better the day after.
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Grilled Salmon Steaks

Salmon steaks have different shapes, so that can make them cook unevenly. Alton takes a cue from filet mignon and turns his salmon steaks into rounds. Butchers twine will keep them from unravelling on the grill.
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Herb-Roasted Salmon with Tomato-Avocado Salsa

Valerie sure knows how to pack a ton of flavor into simple, roasted salmon — and her method couldn’t be easier. She tops her fillets with a blend of fresh herbs so that they can flavor the fish as it cooks.

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Crispy Skin Salmon with Minced Herb Butter

For extra texture, cook the salmon skin-side down until the edges turn to a beautiful golden-brown.

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Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

Ina doubles down on salmon with these deviled eggs by adding smoked salmon to the egg mixture and salmon roe on top of the finished bites.
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Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Lemon, Basil and Salmon

Giada prefers whole-wheat spaghetti for its nutty flavor; she loads it up with fresh vegetables and fish flavored with lemon and herbs for a light, healthy meal.
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Salmon Baked in Foil

Tuck salmon fillets, tomato, shallots, lemon and herbs into foil packets and bake for a super-flavorful, no-mess meal.
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Soy-Glazed Salmon With Cucumber-Avocado Salad

Top salmon filets wtih an easy soy glaze and pair it with a fresh cucumber-and-avocado salad for a restaurant-worthy, Asian-inspired meal that's ready in 25 minutes.
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20-Minute Hoisin Skillet Salmon

Salmon is a great source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and looks beautiful on a bed of vitamin C-rich broccoli. Topped off with colorful red pepper flakes and fresh cilantro, this bright, low-calorie meal takes under 20 minutes.
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