A perfectly cooked salmon needs an incredible side dish. Luckily, there are so many amazing foods to choose from when you’re deciding on what to serve with salmon. We have found 27 delicious recipes that go with salmon that will help complete your meal.
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Best Side Dish Recipe for Salmon
When deciding what to serve with salmon, you need to consider the flavor of the fish. Salmon is a mild-flavored, slightly sweet fish. It does not have a strong fishy taste and is quite refreshing to eat. Not to mention all the health benefits of salmon.
Grilled Salmon
You can prepare a fillet of salmon in many ways. You can grill salmon in tin foil, saute it, or even bake it. You really can’t go wrong! Thinking about how to cook the fish helps decide which side to choose. The herbs and spices in the sides should mimic or complement the flavor of the fish.
Salmon is an incredibly healthy fish, and it is a good protein to serve your family a couple of times a week. You don’t want your salmon dinners to get boring, so you’ll need some great sides to switch up your meals. We even have recipes for salmon leftovers you can make for lunch the next day. But first, let’s get started on some amazing sides to serve with your salmon meal.
27 Best Side Dishes For Salmon
We have found the absolute best sides to serve alongside your favorite salmon meal. There is something here for everyone and for every time of year. Keep your salmon dinners fresh and exciting with any of these tasty sides. Try everything on our list and you will never grow tired of eating healthy, nutritious seafood entrees.
1. Roasted Asparagus
Simple roasted asparagus may be one of the best side dishes to serve with fish. Our recipe for parmesan roasted asparagus only takes a few minutes to put together. The salty parmesan cheese is delicious baked onto the tender vegetable. Try serving roasted parmesan asparagus with your baked salmon filet for a tasty, complete meal.
2. Bok Choy
Pan-seared bok choy is a fantastic side for any fish dish. We love this recipe from Downshiftology, which uses simple seasonings. Fresh minced ginger and chopped garlic are perfect for the bok choy, and you can also use the same spices on your salmon filet.
Image Source: Downshiftology
3. Chipotle Rice (Copy Cat)
A nice rice dish always goes great with salmon. We have an amazing lime and cilantro rice that is very easy to make. Choose this hearty side when you make a lemon or lime-flavored fish. The flavors of the fish and rice will pair perfectly together.
4. Mashed Potatoes
Make mashed potatoes if you are looking for a more filling side dish to serve with your salmon. Mashed potatoes are perfect in the winter when you want a heartier entree. We love these decadent mashed potatoes from Gimme Some Oven. The starch is cooked and then mixed with cream cheese and butter to make a rich side dish you won’t be able to resist.
Image Source: Gimme Some Oven
5. Roasted Carrots and Potatoes
Our recipe for roasted carrots and potatoes gives you vegetables and starches with just one dish. Baby carrots and small, red potatoes are tossed in olive oil and then seasoned. This simple dish bakes for just 30 minutes. Make a foil-wrapped baked salmon and cook it at the same time. Your whole dinner will be ready with very little time spent in the kitchen.
6. Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash
This dish from Well Plated By Erin is full of wonderful, fall-inspired seasonings. The sprinkle of cinnamon really brings out the flavor of the butternut squash. Add a touch of cinnamon to your salmon fillet to make a perfect marriage of flavors. Make pan-seared fish which will have a nice caramel taste. It will go great with this squash side!
Image Source: Well Plated By Erin
7. Brussel Sprouts
Simple, sauteed Brussels sprouts go wonderfully with fish. Our sprouts are made with coconut oil, garlic, and lime juice. The Brussels sprouts have a lovely tropical taste that would go great with a lime-marinated salmon fillet. Add some garlic to the pan-seared salmon dish as it cooks for even more flavor. Serving fish alongside a vegetable is always a great dinner idea.
8. Lemon Parsley Pasta
If you are looking for easy side dish recipes, then lemon parsley pasta from Budget Bytes is the perfect recipe. Long pasta noodles are mixed with lemon zest, fresh chopped parsley, garlic, and some fresh cracked black pepper. A little olive oil and some freshly squeezed lemon juice top it all off! This makes any salmon dinner complete.
Image Source: Budget Bytes
9. Asian Noodle Salad
Salmon is often prepared using Asian-inspired ingredients. You can marinate the fillets in soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and fresh ginger for an incredible, delicious meal. Serve your fish next to a big plate of Asian noodle salad. Simply Recipes shows how to use creative ingredients to make an irresistible side dish.
Image Source: Simply Recipes
10. Cucumber Tomato and Feta Salad
Give this cucumber, tomato, and feta salad a try if you choose to make a salmon that has Greek flavors. The crunchy cucumbers are delicious next to a tender piece of fish. The salty, creamy feta makes the salad come together perfectly. Add some feta cheese crumbles on top of your salmon for an even more cheesy taste. This appetizer from Natasha’s Kitchen will make wonderful salads for you and your guests.
Image Source: Natasha’s Kitchen
11. Garlic Butter Rice with Kale
This is another side dish that really has it all. It has tender brown rice and perfectly cooked kale which makes your seafood meal complete. Recipe Tin Eats will show you how easy it is to make a wonderful, garlicky brown rice side. You will enjoy this dish any time of year. It is always good!
Image Source: Recipe Tin Eats
12. Roasted Green Beans
Roasted green beans with lemon, garlic, and pine nuts from Once Upon a Chef make an amazing side for your salmon fillets. Make this dish when you already have the oven turned on to cook the seafood. Salmon cooks in about the same amount of time as the green beans. Your whole meal will be ready at once! The lemon and garlic give the beans a powerful flavor, while the pine nuts add a nice crunch.
Image Source: Once Upon a Chef
13. Homemade Fries
French fries go with just about anything. Lil Luna’s homemade fries are perfect for serving with your seafood. The russet potatoes are sliced and soaked to remove excess starch. The potatoes are fried in peanut oil then sprinkled with just a little salt and pepper. This recipe may seem basic, but it will bring your salmon entree to the next level.
Image Source: Lil Luna
14. Green Bean Fries
Disguising vegetables as fries is one of the best ways to get kids to eat their veggies. These crispy oven-baked green bean fries from I Heart Vegetables are amazing. They are crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. The green beans are salty but a little sweet too. They will go fantastically with any seafood dish.
Image Source: I Heart Vegetables
15. Spinach Pesto Pasta
Our recipe for spinach pesto pasta is filling, flavorful, and pairs great with salmon. Use the pesto to marinate the salmon fillets too. Serve your roasted salmon filet right on top of the pasta or on the side. Add a little extra garlic to the pesto for an even spicier taste.
16. Garlic Broccolini
This ten-minute garlic broccolini is the perfect recipe if you want easy side dishes for salmon. Broccolini is baby broccoli that is quite tender and sweet. It is less bitter than mature broccoli. A little olive oil, some garlic, and some red pepper flakes make this vegetable dish complete. The Kitchn will show you exactly how to make tasty broccolini in no time.
Image Source: The Kitchn
17. Mushroom Risotto
Rich mushroom risotto is a perfect side dish to serve with salmon. The strong flavors of garlic, parmesan cheese, and white wine make the rice taste incredible. Savory mushrooms are the perfect way to make this dish complete. Salmon would be a fantastic fish to serve with this recipe from SkinnyTaste.
Image Source: SkinnyTaste
18. Roasted Garlic and Herb Couscous
Couscous is a lovely, light side dish that is a great match for almost any dinner ideas. It may be a basic recipe, but Joyful Healthy Eats creates a perfect side dish. A little olive oil, garlic, and fresh chopped basil flavor the couscous. Try using large, pearled couscous in place of the small whole wheat grains. Either version will be delicious with salmon.
Image Source: Joyful Healthy Eats
19. Sugar Snap Peas
Fresh peas are a wonderful side for salmon. Sugar snap peas are nice and crunchy and add a sweet, tasty flavor. Diethood’s garlic parmesan peas are truly incredible. Try this side dish in the spring when peas are in their peak season.
Image Source: Diethood
20. Lemon Roasted Potatoes
Any potato recipes are a great appetizer for salmon. We love these light, zesty lemon roasted potatoes from Cooking Classy. The fresh lemon makes the starchy vegetable less heavy and dense. The lemon flavor also goes great with almost any kind of fish. Fresh chopped herbs are the perfect finishing touch.
Image Source: Cooking Classy
21. Roasted Broccoli
Soft tender broccoli is always tasty but crispy, crunchy broccoli is even better! Crunchy Creamy Sweet makes fantastic crunchy broccoli. The veggie is tossed in olive oil, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese and then roasted in the oven. This may be one of the best vegetables out there to serve with your fish dinner.
Image Source: Crunchy Creamy Sweet
22. Brown Sugar Baked Beans
Just a few simple ingredients go into these brown sugar baked beans from Pinch of Yum. The sweet beans are a perfect complement to your salty fish. You can serve the beans on the side or right on top of your salmon steaks. It’s a delicious side and a great sauce!
Image Source: Pinch of Yum
23. Creamed Spinach
Creamed spinach is an incredible, rich dish to serve with your salmon. It might be a vegetable but the decadent sauce tastes like a special treat. Dinner, Then Dessert has an easy, straightforward way of making this classic dish. Use milk in place of cream to make the spinach a little bit lighter. You can pair this spinach with almost anything!
Image Source: Dinner, Then Dessert
24. Oven Roasted Green Beans
Quick and easy side dishes are often the way to go. Oven-roasted lemon pepper green beans are fast to put together and also quite healthy. The strong taste of lemon and spicy kick of pepper is amazing. It’s incredible how one simple ingredient like green beans can make a meal complete! Try this recipe from Culinary Hill for pure bean perfection.
Image Source: Culinary Hill
25. Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes served alongside salmon is a wonderful weeknight meal. Both the fish and the side are easy to make. You can have a complete meal on the table in just a matter of minutes. No one will be able to resist these soft, sweet vegetables from Mom on Timeout. Simple recipes like this are a home cook’s dream and sure to be one of the family favorites.
Image Source: Mom on Timeout
26. Cucumber Dill Salad
Creamy cucumber dill salad from Lemon Tree Dwelling will add so many complex flavors to your meal. The herby dill and the sour cream dressing are unbelievable. Crunchy cucumbers are perfect next to soft, tender salmon. Be sure to serve this dish cold for the most flavor.
Image Source: Lemon Tree Dwelling
27. Zucchini Noodles with Pesto
Making fresh zucchini into crunchy noodles is very easy. Two Peas and Their Pod has a great method of making perfect zucchini spirals. Fresh zucchini noodle salad with pesto sauce is a great addition to any menu. Place a big piece of salmon right on top of the salad and enjoy the cold veggie noodles and tender, healthy fish.
Image Source: Two Peas and Their Pod
With so many different dishes to choose from, it may be hard to decide what to make first! No matter which side dishes for salmon you pick, anything on this list is sure to please. From light, tender salads to hearty rice dishes, there is something here for everyone.
Be sure to think about how you are cooking your fish, the time of year, and the tastes in your main course when choosing your side. With these things in mind and this amazing list, your salmon meals will taste delicious.
Let us know which of these amazing dishes you add to your home menus. We love to hear from you and which of our picks become your family favorites. Don’t forget to play around with these recipes at home and use your own, customized ideas.
If you have a favorite appetizer that you like to serve with your salmon, let us know! We can update our list with your suggestions, making it better and better. Send a message to our email address or leave a note in the comments below. Enjoy!
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