Easy Balsamic Salmon with Strawberry Salsa

This easy balsamic salmon with a quick strawberry salsa is perfect for summer weeknights! Ready in under 30 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.

this recipe

When you think about classic flavor combinations, salmon and strawberry may not be the first things that come to mind. But I need you to trust me when I tell you that salmon and strawberries? They BELONG together.

This easy roasted balsamic salmon with strawberry salsa is ready in less than half an hour with almost no prep. (Pro tip: If you're firmly in too-hot-to-use-the-oven weather, you can grill the salmon instead of roasting!)

How to buy sustainable salmon:

As always, we're working with sustainable Wild Alaskan Salmon for this recipe!

Our top choice for sustainability: Wild Alaskan Salmon.

Alaska has strict rules in place to control everything from what gear is permitted to boat size to how many fish you're allowed to catch. The state is serious about ensuring its wild salmon fisheries are sustainably managed. Learn more about sustainable salmon on this episode of our podcast!

In these photos, we're using a wild Sockeye Salmon fillet caught by our friend Captain Steve Kurian of the F/V Ava Jane for Wild For Salmon (not sponsored! We're just superfans).

Sockeye, Coho, or Chinook Salmon are all good choices here. If you can find it and feel like splurging, you can also use King Salmon: its rich, buttery texture makes this healthy recipe feel ultra-decadent.

Buying sustainable salmon at the store:

Look for Wild Alaskan Salmon at the store when you shop. And don't worry too much about finding it fresh: we actually almost always buy frozen!

Wild salmon is typically flash-frozen almost immediately after it's caught to preserve quality. Frozen salmon will keep for many months in the freezer and is quick and easy to defrost for a last-minute salmon dinner.

Buying salmon directly from fishermen:

Many fishermen have adopted a dock-to-doorstep model to help you order sustainable salmon directly from them! Two of our favorites:

• East Coast: Wild for Salmon
• Midwest: Sitka Salmon Shares

Both companies work directly with fishermen to catch, flash-freeze, and ship sustainable Alaskan salmon right to your door.

West Coast-ers typically have quite a few options available for sustainable wild salmon, especially if you're in Oregon or Washington. Find wild salmon wherever you live with this handy fish finder from Bristol Bay Salmon or this Seafood Map from Local Catch!

Note: We prefer Wild Alaskan Salmon for many reasons (check out our podcast for more), but it isn't the *only* sustainable salmon choice - several salmon aquaculture (fish farming) companies are now also certified "Best Choice" by Monterey Bay Seafood Watch. When in doubt, check Monterey Bay Seafood Watch for up-to-date recommendations on sustainable seafood.

Let's talk about this strawberry salsa.

This easy salsa is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy! Make it up to a day in advance and keep it in the fridge, or prep and mix the salsa while the balsamic salmon roasts.

Strawberries tend to be at their peak in late spring/early summer, and peak-season strawberries can be MUCH sweeter than store-bought strawberries other times of year. So don't forget to taste and adjust this salsa as you go!

If your strawberries are especially sweet, you can add a bit of extra salt, lime, and/or jalapeño to balance out the sweetness.

If you're using out-of-season strawberries without as much flavor, you can dial back the lime juice a bit or even add a small drizzle of honey to bring out the natural sweetness of the berries.

Don't be afraid to trust your taste buds!

Video: How to make salmon with strawberry salsa

📖 Recipe

Balsamic Glazed Salmon with Strawberry Salsa

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Jessie
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

An easy balsamic glazed salmon with quick strawberry salsa - a perfect simple, healthy meal for busy weeknights!

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Ingredients

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FOR THE SALMON:

• 1 large salmon fillet (about 1 ½ pounds) 
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt, to taste

FOR THE STRAWBERRY SALSA:

• 1 ½ cups diced strawberries (about ½ pint of strawberries)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon diced jalapeño
• 2 Tablespoons diced green onion
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

FOR THE SALMON:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place salmon fillet on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use tweezers to remove any remaining pin bones.
3. Use a pastry brush to brush half of the balsamic vinegar over the salmon fillet. Reserve the rest of the balsamic for later.
4. Season salmon with a pinch of Kosher salt to taste.
5. Bake salmon for 5 minutes, then use oven mitts to pull the pan out of the oven. Brush salmon with remaining balsamic vinegar, then return fish to oven.
6. Bake salmon an additional 5-10 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork (see recipe notes for some tips on adjusting the cook time).
7. Top salmon with strawberry salsa and serve immediately.

FOR THE STRAWBERRY SALSA:

1. Combine strawberries, cilantro, jalapeño, green onion, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
2. Taste salsa and add seasoning if necessary. 
3. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.

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Notes

What kind of salmon should I use? We prefer using Wild Alaskan Salmon in all of our cooking for its taste, quality, and sustainability. In these photos, we're using a 1 ½ pound sockeye salmon fillet from our friends at Wild For Salmon. Sockeye, Coho, or Chinook/King Salmon are all good choices for this recipe. Use pre-portioned salmon pieces instead of a full fillet if you prefer (you may need to shorten the bake time). You can use skin-on or -off salmon: if you bake with the skin on, just use a spatula to slide the skin off the fish after baking (we don't recommend eating the skin here). 

You may need to adjust the cook time depending on the size/shape of your salmon fillet and your preferred level of doneness. This recipe is written to bake a 1 ½ pound, 1" thick salmon fillet until not quite well done. Salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork. The USDA recommends cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, which typically results in quite well-done salmon. If you prefer your salmon less than well done, you may want to cook it to an internal temperature of 120-130 degrees F. A kitchen thermometer is very helpful here! 

Make-Ahead Tip: Make this strawberry salsa up to a day in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to use it.

What to do with leftovers. Salmon doesn't reheat especially well, so we recommend eating the fish as soon as it's cooked! If you do have leftover salmon, we recommend serving it cold as part of a salad. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Serve leftover cold salmon and strawberry salsa over arugula or spinach with a handful of chopped walnuts and a balsamic vinaigrette!

Serve this salmon with some parmesan spinach gnocchi, easy crusty French bread, or a quick lemon herb pasta!

This recipe was originally published in 2015. It was updated in 2020 with additional photos and notes.

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 258
• Sugar: 5.4 g
• Sodium: 138.2 mg
• Fat: 8.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 7.7 g
• Protein: 38.5 g
• Cholesterol: 86.9 mg

Keywords: sustainability, glaze, sockeye