Salmon with Cilantro Sauce
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Fresh, bold, and fast, salmon with cilantro sauce checks every box for a winning weeknight meal. This dish brings juicy fish together with a zesty, Mexican-inspired sauce packed with cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, and lime.
You can have it all on the table in about 15 minutes, no complicated steps required. Serve with our steamed broccoli and some Instant Pot Spanish Rice or couscous.
This salmon is Whole30, Paleo, and Keto compliant and packed with Mexican flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick Preparation Means Less Stress
- Great for Your Health
- Big Flavors, Simple Ingredients
- Perfect for Busy Schedules Without Sacrificing Taste
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What is Cilantro Sauce Made of?
This tangy sauce is made with a combination of fresh cilantro, garlic cloves, olive oil, lime juice, jalapeno, sea salt, and green onions.
Ingredients
- Wild-caught salmon filet with the skin-on, that is approximately 2 pounds.
- Olive oil to help the cumin and smoked paprika stick to the salmon.
Check out the printable recipe card below for the complete recipe and detailed instructions.
Tools used to create
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper Sheets – white or natural, whichever you prefer
- Food Processor
- Chefs Knife
- Citrus Juicer
- Instant Read Thermometer
How to Make Roasted Salmon with Cilantro Sauce
Let the salmon rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Place the salmon skin-side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Mix the cumin and smoked paprika together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the salmon.
For 6-ounce fillets about 1-inch thick, bake for 12-14 minutes. Thicker pieces may need up to 15 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the salmon with an instant read thermometer. For soft, moist fish, aim for an internal temperature of 125°-130°F at the thickest part. You want the salmon to be a nice opaque pink color and flake easily with a fork.
Remove from the oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. It will continue cooking while resting.
While the salmon is cooking, place the cilantro, garlic cloves, olive oil, lime juice, green onions, and jalapeno in the bowl of a food processor.
Blend until well combined. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Drizzle sauce over the salmon before serving.
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Leftovers?
Store leftover salmon in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the cilantro sauce separately for up to 5 days.
Reheat in the microwave for 45 seconds on HIGH, just to bring it up to room temperature.
Recipe Tips
- Some limes are juicier than others, so buy extras.
- When measuring the cilantro, pack it down into the measuring cup. It is light and airy when just placed in the cup, we want the full, intense flavor for the sauce.
- Salmon dries out quickly if overcooked. Rely on a meat thermometer – aim for 125° -130°F at the thickest part for moist, flaky fish. Pull it from the oven just before it’s fully opaque; residual heat finishes the job.
- Let the salmon rest for a few minutes off the heat. This step keeps juices locked in, so every bite stays tender.
You’ll Also Love: Best Sides for Salmon
More Delicious Salmon Recipes
- Salmon Oscar – topped with lump crab meat, sitting on a bed of asparagus and drizzled with Béarnaise sauce.
- Crab Stuffed Salmon
- Baked Salmon in Parchment with Asparagus, Lemon, and Dill
- Orange Salmon with Roasted Vegetables
- Miso-Ginger Glazed Salmon
- Blackberry-Bourbon Glazed Salmon – serve with goat cheese whipped potatoes and sautéed zucchini and carrots.
- Japanese Hibachi Steak and Salmon – too good not to mention!
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Enjoy!!
Salmon with Cilantro Sauce Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Baked Salmon
- 2 pound salmon filet wild-caught, skin-on
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika
Cilantro Sauce
- .75 cup fresh cilantro one bunch, small stems included
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic cut in half
- .33 cup sliced green onions
- 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 to 2 limes depending on size
- 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
- .25 cup olive oil
Instructions
Baked Salmon
- Let the salmon rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Place the salmon skin-side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Mix the cumin and smoked paprika together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the salmon.
- For 6-ounce fillets about 1-inch thick, bake for 12-14 minutes. Thicker pieces may need up to 15 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the salmon with an instant read thermometer. For soft, moist fish, aim for an internal temperature of 125°-130°F at the thickest part. You want the salmon to be a nice opaque pink color and flake easily with a fork.
- Remove from the oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. It will continue cooking while resting.
Cilantro Sauce
- While the salmon is cooking, place the cilantro, garlic cloves, olive oil, lime juice, sea salt, green onions, and jalapeno in the bowl of a food processor.
- Blend until well combined. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Drizzle sauce over the salmon before serving.
Notes
- Some limes are juicier than others, so buy extras.
- When measuring the cilantro, pack it down into the measuring cup. It is light and airy when just placed in the cup, we want the full, intense flavor for the sauce.
- Salmon dries out quickly if overcooked. Rely on a meat thermometer – aim for 125° -130°F at the thickest part for moist, flaky fish. Pull it from the oven just before it’s fully opaque; residual heat finishes the job.
- Let the salmon rest for a few minutes off the heat. This step keeps juices locked in, so every bite stays tender.
- Store leftover salmon in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the cilantro sauce separately for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 45 seconds on HIGH, just to bring it up to room temperature.
