Tender and moist broiled salmon covered in a light and refreshing chimichurri sauce, this chimichurri salmon comes together in under 15 minutes and is amazing for meal prep or quick last-minute dinners. Enjoy it on its own, in tacos, or as a salmon bowl–here’s everything you need to know about salmon chimichurri!
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What is Chimichurri Sauce Made of?
Every chimichurri sauce recipe is slightly different–this is my tried and true variation. The key is fresh oregano, an underused fresh herb with a delicious and peppery flavor. Also the amount of liquid added, many chimi sauces are drier, which we don’t love.
Here’s what to collect:
- The herbs: Fresh parsley and oregano.
- The pantry ingredients: Red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- The fridge ingredients: Yellow onion and garlic.
How to Modify Chimichurri Sauce to Your Taste
Looking for something slightly different? No problem, chimichurri is easy to tweak to suit your preferences. Here are a few ways to switch things up:
- Heat – It’s easy to add more/fewer red pepper flakes based on whether you’d prefer spicy salmon or not.
- Different herbs – Common chimichurri ingredients include cilantro, mint, etc. Swap and adjust the amount added to your liking.
- Liquid added – We like our chimichurri salmon to be saucy, but if you’d like less liquid, reduce the amount of olive oil and red wine vinegar equally.
How to Make Chimichurri Salmon
To get this salmon chimichurri on the table as quickly as possible, broil your salmon while you whip up your sauce, and this tasty dish will be ready in no time!
- Place salmon on a baking sheet, brush with oil, season, and broil. I use simple salmon seasoning here because the chimichurri is so flavorful, feel free to switch it up if you’d like.
- Make your chimichurri sauce. I prefer to chop everything by hand, but a food processor works to save time. Keep in mind, that you don’t want to over-process the herbs.
Storing + Reheating
If you’ve made many salmon recipes, you know that salmon is best enjoyed right after it has been cooked, as salmon dries out easily especially when it has been reheated. That said, you can do it (we always do!) here’s how to get the best results:
- Store your salmon and chimichurri sauce separately.
- Reheat your salmon in the microwave with a damp paper towel over the top; only reheat it as much as needed to get your filets warm. You can also eat this chimichurri salmon cold. Allow your sauce to come to room temp on the counter.
How to Serve Salmon Chimichurri
Chimichurri salmon is truly incredible on its own, but if you want to make it part of a bigger meal, here are a few ways:
- Serve it alongside grains, like rice, quinoa, cauliflower, or broccoli rice.
- Or over a bed of roasted vegetables, roasted broccolini is our favorite for this dish.
- Tossed into tacos with shredded cabbage.
- Over a bed of greens for a delicious salmon salad.
- Flaked into eggs, with chimichurri on top. We LOVE salmon and eggs, see my salmon frittata for more ways to marry these ingredients.
How to Use Leftover Chimichurri
If you have a little extra chimichurri, then you’re in luck! This versatile sauce is incredible on just about everything. Some of our favorite ways to put it to use include:
- Over fish, like chimichurri shrimp, baked sea bass, blackened tilapia, or leftover pan seared salmon recipe.
- Meats like grilled steak, sous vide pork tenderloin or simple chicken dishes.
- Eggs! Sprinkle some over baked eggs like these sheet pan eggs or any frittata.
- Level up your vegetables, like roasted cauliflower or roasted broccoli.
More Salmon Recipes You’ll Love
Chimichuri Salmon
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Salmon:
- 1 pound salmon skin removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt + black pepper
Chimichurri:
- 1/2 cup yellow onion minced
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven broiler to high, and prep the top rack of your oven so it's 8" from the bottom of the broiler. Option to line a baking sheet with foil for easier clean up.
- Place salmon on baking sheet and brush with oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated oven until the salmon is almost cooked through–this will depend on how thick your salmon is but usually between 7-9 minutes. I typically pull my salmon a little before it is cooked through fully, and allow it to come to temp as it rests on the counter.
- Meanwhile, make the chimichurri sauce by combining all chimichurri ingredients together. I prefer to chop everything by hand, as you definitely don't want to get the herbs too small in the food processor.
- Spoon sauce over salmon before serving, and enjoy!
