Salmon
Salmon is a rich, fatty fish beloved for its vivid color, buttery texture, and high omega-3 content, available fresh, frozen, smoked, or canned.
How to buy
Fresh salmon should look vibrant and moist with no browning or dull, grayish patches, and should smell clean, like the ocean, not fishy or ammonia-like. Wild-caught varieties like sockeye and king tend to be leaner and deeper in color, while farmed Atlantic salmon is fattier and milder; check for sustainability certifications if that matters to you.
How to store
Keep fresh salmon on ice or in the coldest part of the fridge and use within one to two days, or freeze for up to three months. Vacuum-sealed or flash-frozen portions keep longer. Cook to at least 125°F for medium-rare or 145°F for fully cooked, and refrigerate leftovers within two hours.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Rich and buttery with a distinct savory depth from its high fat content; wild salmon tends toward a cleaner, more mineral flavor while farmed salmon is milder and fattier. Smoking adds a deep, salty, woodsy dimension.
- Texture
- Tender and moist with large, silky flakes when cooked properly; overcooking dries it out and makes it chalky, while a crisp seared skin adds textural contrast.
- Aroma
- A clean, mild ocean smell when fresh; a strong fishy or ammonia odor is a clear sign it's past its prime.
How to prepare
- Pan-seared skin-on — Seared until the skin crisps while the inside stays medium.
- Grilled — Cooked over direct heat, often on cedar planks for added aroma.
- Cured — Salt-and-sugar cured raw for gravlax or lox.
- Smoked — Hot- or cold-smoked for a rich, shelf-stable product.
- Poached — Gently cooked in liquid for a delicate, moist result.
Classic dishes
American
- Smoked salmon bagel — Cold-smoked salmon layered on a bagel with cream cheese, capers, and onion.
- Cedar plank salmon — Salmon grilled on a soaked cedar plank for smoky aroma.
- Salmon poke bowl — Cubed raw salmon tossed with soy sauce, sesame oil, and scallions over rice.
- Salmon chowder — A creamy chowder built on chunks of salmon, potatoes, and corn.
- Salmon burger — Ground or flaked salmon formed into patties and grilled or fried.
Italian
- Salmon piccata — Fillets sautéed and finished in a lemon-caper butter sauce.
Mexican
- Salmon tacos — Grilled or blackened salmon flaked into tacos with slaw and crema.
Japanese
- Salmon teriyaki — Seared salmon fillet glazed in a sweet soy-mirin sauce.
- Salmon sashimi — Thinly sliced raw salmon served with soy sauce and wasabi.
- Salmon nigiri — A slice of salmon pressed over seasoned sushi rice.
- Salmon teriyaki donburi — Glazed salmon served over a bowl of seasoned rice.
- Miso-glazed salmon — Fillets marinated in sweet miso and broiled until caramelized.
Indian
- Salmon curry — Salmon simmered in a spiced, coconut-based curry sauce.
French
- Salmon en croûte — Salmon wrapped in puff pastry, often with spinach or herbs, and baked.
- Salmon tartare — Finely diced raw salmon dressed with citrus, oil, and herbs.
Mediterranean
- Baked salmon with dill — Fillets roasted with olive oil, lemon, and fresh dill.
Cajun & Creole
- Blackened salmon — Fillets coated in cajun spice and seared in a hot skillet until the crust darkens.
Substitutions
- Canned Salmon — Canned salmon works for salads, cakes, and spreads when fresh isn't available, though it lacks the delicate texture of fresh fillets.