Baked Salmon with Mango Salsa

Treat yourself to this delicious meal today… What if I tell you it’s healthy and easy (“under 30 minutes meal” easy), yet it would make you feel like you are on a date night or celebrating in some fancy restaurant. This moist, tender salmon has so many different layers of flavors. Tangy, lemony, buttery salmon flakes with a slight kick from our spice mix rub, combined with vibrant refreshing mango salsa. Every single bite, a salmon bliss!

I am always on the lookout for light, refreshing meals. If they happen to be easy and colorful they come on my plate quite often. I am not your typical “butter and lime” salmon person. That’s why you will see this fish going through a lot of delicious experiments at the Beiser kitchen. You may have seen that in our maple pecan salmon, which I absolutely love. But when summer is in full swing, and I keep on spotting those juicy ripe mangoes in the market, I tend to cook my salmon complemented with tangy mango salsa.

In case you haven’t noticed, I adore mangoes. You can check out my post of 30 favorites mango recipes!

You will love this way of cooking salmon because:

1. It’s quick and easy. Salmon cooks very fast in the oven. We are baking it in an open foil, making for easy clean up… win win #1
2. It’s healthy. All the goodness of salmon with rich omega -3 fatty acid along with vitamins and antioxidants from the mangoes… win win #2
3. The novelty. Something different than the regular salmon you cook a million times… win win #3
4. No extra prep time. You can make mango salsa in minutes, when salmon is baking. And then it’s so much flavor in every single salmon + salsa bite! Mmm… win win #4
5. You will spoil your loved ones. The looks you will get after one bite, with minimum effort in the kitchen… win win #5

Here are some TIPS for perfect baked salmon, every single time

1. Cook whole fillets. We found that for moist, tender salmon this works better than individual salmon portions. Cooking a larger portion prevents it from drying out before it’s done.
2. You don’t need to wash salmon before baking.
3. Bring salmon to room temperature before baking. The best way is to apply the rub and let it rest on the counter for 15 minutes. By the time it goes in the oven it’s at room temperature and marinated in lovely flavors.
4. Don’t overcook the salmon. The FDA recommends salmon should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. By using a good meat thermometer, you can bake till 135°F. Take it out of the oven and let it rest 10 minutes, as the heat inside will continue to cook it for some more time.
5. Bake the salmon in a foil pouch. You can create a foil pouch by lining your baking pan with foil and folding the sides up. This way, when it’s baking the possible liquids won’t leak out. Spray the foil with cooking spray and place the salmon skin side down. We won’t close the pouch, the salmon will bake uncovered. The foil lining also makes for easier clean up.

You will need:

For the salmon

• Salmon – A large fillet.
• Butter – To amp up the buttery flavor of the salmon.
• Lemon – Fresh lime or lemon juice adds freshness and tang that is so great with seafood.
• Honey – Honey compliments the tang of lemon and sublime heat of the rub.
• Spice rub – Paprika, chili powder, cayenne powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

For mango salsa

1. Mango – Ripe and juicy. Avoid stringy flavorless mangoes.
2. Red bell pepper – Great crunch in salsa.
3. Cilantro – Personally, I feel any salsa is incomplete without this herb.
4. Lime
5. Jalapeño
6. Salt – To taste.

This is how quick this gourmet dish is

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the baking sheet with foil and fold the sides to create a pouch. Spray it with cooking spray.

In a bowl, make your rub by combining paprika, chili powder, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Make lemon honey butter. Melt butter and mix with lemon juice and honey.

Bring the salmon out of the refrigerator and place the skin side down on the prepared baking pan. Rub the salmon with dry spice rub. Pour the butter mixture over the salmon and spread well.

Place the salmon in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Set the oven to broil and and cook an additional for 3-5 minutes to nicely brown the top of the salmon. As ovens vary, keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

While your salmon is baking, chop mangoes, red bell pepper, jalapen&771;os, cilantro and mix well in a bowl with lime juice and salt. Refrigerate till ready to serve. You can add in chopped onion if you like (I am avoiding today for the love of my life, as he picks out every single one of them). For a more detailed recipe, check out our mango salsa.

Once the salmon is cooked, rest it for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve it on a plate and top it with heaps of mango salsa.

What can I serve with this lovely dish?

The basic recipe is a treat in itself, but you can serve this up with following sides:

Vegetables: Roasted veggies like asparagus, green beans or broccoli are great. If you want to keep the sweet & savory theme going, try our crispy roast Brussels sprouts recipe. A big bowl of salad is also great. Imagine how pretty our zucchini carrot salad would look next to this salmon!

Grains & starches: Try it with grits, brown rice or quinoa. It’s excellent with a side of our Isreali couscous salad or rainbow pasta salad. Or, while you have the oven fired up, some baked sweet potato fries sound great!

How to use leftovers in other meals

Salmon Salad: All you have to do is chop some kind of lettuce along with some corn kernels, some cherry tomatoes and leftover salmon with heaps of mango salsa for a quick salad lunch.

You can also use leftover salmon in tacos, burrito bowls, salmon bowls… be creative!!

You can store salmon in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can freeze the salmon up to 4-6 months, but be sure it is tightly wrapped in cling wrap and stored in a ziploc with all air removed to prevent the quality from degrading. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge and heat it up back again in the oven.

Leftover salsa can be enjoyed with other meals like chili lime shrimp tacos. Or even with some other grilled or baked meats. It’s a great cool side to something a bit spicy, like our Cajun shrimp and grits, jollof rice or kedjenou chicken.

You can even puree leftover salsa if it’s a little watered down and have that like a sauce over some fish or meats, or as a dressing over salad.

Can I grill the salmon instead of baking?

Why not? Some people love grilled salmon. Preheat the grill on medium heat. Prepare the salmon the same as above, except cover the top of the salmon with foil. Then carefully transfer the aluminium foil packet to the grill. Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until salmon is fully cooked. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of salmon. At the end, carefully open up the foil and completely expose the top of the salmon and grill for another 3-5 minutes.

Alternately, you can cook it directly on the grill. Place skin side down and grill 6-8 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.

Well folks, if you are looking to cook your salmon a new way, you have come to the right post. Take those mild flavors to the next level and enjoy this tropical looking, vibrant colorful salmon tonight. Cheers all the way from Florida! Healthy can be tasty! Gourmet tasty!!

While you’re here, check out my roundup of the 30 BEST Salmon Recipes!

Baked Salmon with Mango Salsa, on my Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

We love our seafood dishes at GypsyPlate, here are some favorites!
Caribbean Coconut Mussel Curry
Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)
Cajun Shrimp Scampi
Bahamian Boiled Fish
Salmon Patties
Psari Plaki (Greek Baked Fish)
Portuguese Mussels
Pesto Shrimp and Grits