Salmon with Avocado Salsa

There’s no need to visit an upscale restaurant for a delicious grilled salmon dish when it’s just as easy, and far less expensive, to make it at home. Fire up the grill, because this salmon with avocado salsa recipe takes only 25 minutes total for prep and cook time. Watch your guests’ mouths drop open when you set the plated salmon on the table in front of them. You just may want to make enough for seconds.

Ingredients for Salmon with Avocado Salsa 

• Tomato: The tomato adds its juicy, slightly sweet flavor to the salsa.
• Avocado: Avocado is packed with nutrition, so it’s ideal in a nice summery salsa. The tomato and avocado pair up to make the salsa a colorful topping for the salmon.
• Onion: Onion adds crunch and a little bite to the salsa.
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro lends its one-of-a-kind flavor to the salsa. If you don’t like cilantro, feel free to omit it, or replace it with parsley.
• Olive oil: Olive oil ties the salsa flavors together. It also gives every bite of salsa a pleasing mouthfeel.
• Garlic: Garlic brings both flavor and fragrance to the salsa. It’s almost like a magical ingredient that makes every food taste better.
• Balsamic vinaigrette: The tangy goodness of a balsamic vinaigrette serves as a base note for the avocado salsa. It also flavors the salmon a little as a delicious glaze when the fish is almost ready to serve.
• Salmon fillets: Salmon is the main feature in this dish. Choose skin-on salmon fillets, as the skin pulls away easily once the fish is grilled.

Directions

Step 1: Make the avocado salsa

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In a small bowl, combine the tomato, avocado, onion, cilantro, olive oil, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinaigrette. Chill this salsa until serving time.

Step 2: Grill the salmon

Christine Ma for Taste of Home

Heat the grill rack, then coat it with cooking oil by moistening a paper towel with oil and using long-handled tongs to apply the oil with the paper towel. Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper, then place the fish skin side down on the grill rack. Grill the salmon, covered, over medium heat, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork, seven to nine minutes. Brush on the remaining vinaigrette, let the fish rest a few minutes, then serve it with the avocado salsa on top.

Christine Ma for Taste of Home

Salmon with Avocado Salsa Variations

• Make it with mango: Add chunks of fresh ripe mango and some lime juice to the avocado salsa for a juicy, fruity twist. Or customize it further by omitting the balsamic vinaigrette. You can also make a mango-citrus salsa for salmon by mixing mango and orange chunks with mint, lemon juice, capers and olive oil.
• Bring the heat: Give your salsa some spice by adding sliced jalapeno peppers. Most of the heat is in the seed membrane, with a little heat on the surface of the seeds, so keep that in mind when adding jalapeno bits to your salsa.
• Substitute heirloom or cherry tomatoes: The salsa recipe for this dish is a nice way to showcase specialty tomatoes from your garden or the local farmers market. Sweet tomatoes that hold their shape when cut are ideal for fresh avocado salsa.
• Try another fish: Salmon isn’t the only fish that grills well and pairs with avocado salsa. Grill tuna steaks, mahi mahi, swordfish or snapper, adjusting the cook time based on the thickness of the fish. In general, it’s done cooking when the fish looks opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

How to Store Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Store cooked salmon in an airtight container or in zippered food-storage bags in the refrigerator for three to four days.  Store the avocado salsa in a separate jar or container for up to a week; add a few squirts of lime juice before refrigeration to keep the avocado from turning brown.

Can I freeze salmon with avocado salsa?

Yes, you can freeze grilled salmon to save it for another day, but not the salsa! Freezing salmon is a great option when salmon’s on sale; just grill up a bunch at once! Store grilled salmon in zippered freezer bags, with the excess air pushed out, for up to three months. (After a month or so, however, it may not taste as fresh.) Thaw it in the refrigerator. The avocado salsa, on the other hand, is best made fresh because raw, fresh veggies cut into chunks become watery after freezing and thawing.

Can I make salmon with avocado salsa ahead of time?

Yes, this dish could be made a day or so in advance if the salmon and salsa are stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Warm the salmon back up in the oven, in a pan, by steaming it or even in an air fryer or microwave. Brush the fish with a little olive oil or balsamic vinaigrette before reheating to help keep it from drying out.

Salmon with Avocado Salsa Tips

Christine Ma for Taste of Home

Should I flip the salmon on the grill?

There’s no need to flip the salmon, as it will cook through without being flipped. If you prefer salmon with grill marks on the flesh, flip it once when it’s nearly done cooking.

Can I make this without a grill?

Yes, pan-searing the salmon is another excellent way to enjoy this restaurant-quality dish. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high until it’s hot, then cook the salmon skin side down for about four minutes. Flip the salmon, turn the heat down to medium, and cook it for another four to five minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork.

Can I use store-bought salsa?

Yes, save even more time by using a fresh, chunky salsa such as mango or pineapple salsa. Free free to jazz it up a bit with chunks of fresh avocado or jalapeno peppers, or keep the flavors true to the recipe by stirring in a little balsamic vinaigrette.