This is a recipe for a full meal but it’s really more of a sauce recipe because it will work with just about any protein and veggie combo. So choose your own adventure!
A simple plate of grilled or baked salmon and veggies gets smothered in a creamy green sauce that’s packed with fresh herbs and spiked with tangy pickled jalapeños. It’s all about that punchy sauce!
P.S. This sauce would be good on anything (tacos, fajitas, bowls, etc..)!
Ingredient highlight
Salmon! the fish we all love because it’s flaky, fatty and a lot harder to overcook/mess up than other fish. It also happens to be packed with more nutrients than I have space to talk about here. It’s one of the most nutritious fish because of it’s super high omega-3 fat content (DHA and EPA). It’s also a great source of protein, potassium, selenium, and vitamin B12.
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 25 minutes Ingredients
- 6-7 cups chopped veggies or 2 zucchini (1.5-2 lbs) and 2 bell peppers (1 lb), cut into slabs*
- 2 bell peppers (1 lb), cut into slabs (for grilling) or cut into bite-sized pieces (for baking)*
- 1 tbsp olive oil + more for the salmon
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 16-24 oz salmon, cut into 4 fillets
- Black pepper, for topping
- Lemon wedges, for topping (optional)
- Crumbled feta, for topping (optional)
For the sauce:
- 2 cups loosely packed cilantro (from about ½ large bunch)**
- ¼ cup toasted or sprouted pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup pickled jalapeños (about 10)***
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 clove garlic
- 3-4 tbsp water
- *You can use any mix of veggies here depending on the season. In summer or spring, grill zucchini, bell pepper, or any other veg you like to grill (either kept whole or cut into slabs). In fall/winter, roast a combo of potatoes, cauliflower, etc…chopped smaller so they bake quickly. For the oven method, use a total of about 6-7 cups of veggies.
- **If you have a bunch of random herbs you need to use up, throw them in the sauce. You can use parsley, dill, mint, basil, etc…
- ***You can leave these out if you’d like or you could even replace them with dill pickle slices. If you do leave them out, you may want to add a little bit more vinegar (taste and add it if you think it needs more acidity).
- Bulk it up! ~ Serve with cooked grains or buttered toast.
Instructions
Grilling instructions:
- Heat your grill on high for at least 10 minutes.
- Toss the veggies with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Season the salmon flesh with ½-1 teaspoon salt (depending on how much salmon you’re using), pepper, and a light drizzle of olive oil. Use your hands to rub the oil all over the flesh.
- Place the veggies on one side of the grill and the salmon (skin-side-down) on the other side. Cover and grill for 3-5 minutes or until you have nice grill marks on the veggies, then flip the veggies over and repeat. Transfer to a cutting board.
- The salmon will take anywhere from 6-12 minutes, depending on the thickness and how hot your grill is. Once the salmon flakes easily with a fork, transfer the fillets to a cutting board or large plate.
- Cut up the veggies and add them back to whatever bowl or vessel you tossed them in.
Oven instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425F convection. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the veggies (about 6-7 cups worth) to the baking sheet along with the oil and ½ teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Spread out into an even layer and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through and starting to brown.
- Add the salmon and drizzle with a bit more oil and sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and rub around the flesh to coat. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through.
To finish and make the sauce:
- Add all ingredients (starting with 3 tbsp water) to a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth. If it’s not blending easily and needs more liquid, add a tablespoon or two of water and blend again. Taste and add more salt, or vinegar if needed.
- Remove the skin from the salmon and keep the fillets whole or flake into chunks.
- Serve the veggies with the salmon and drizzle the sauce all over. If the sauce is too thick, just stir in a splash of water. Top with feta cheese (if using), black pepper, and squeeze of lemon (if using).
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make the sauce
- Prep veggies for baking or grilling
- Bake or grill veggies and salmon
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian/vegan, use any protein you want. You could grill or bake tofu or vegetarian sausages, etc…
- Use any protein in place of salmon – another fish you like to grill or bake, cubed chicken, etc…
- Use any veggies you like to grill or bake
- See recipe notes for other substitutions
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge:
- Salmon: up to 4 days
- Veggies: up to 6 days
- Sauce: up to 6 days
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover salmon and veggies in the microwave until just barely warm. Top with sauce, cheese, etc…
- Thin the sauce out with some water, if needed.
- Make it a salad or bowl – toss some lettuce or grains in a little bit of lemon or vinegar and salt. Top with the gently warmed veggies, salmon, and drizzle with that sauce, etc…
Another easy delicious recipe. Thanks so much.