Bang Bang Salmon With Salsa (Printable)
Spicy-sweet glazed salmon paired with cool avocado cucumber salsa for a quick weeknight dinner.
# What You Need:
→ For the Salmon
01 - 4 salmon fillets, about 5 oz each
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ For the Bang Bang Sauce
05 - 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
06 - 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
07 - 1 tablespoon Sriracha, adjusted to taste
08 - 1 teaspoon honey
09 - 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
→ For the Avocado Cucumber Salsa
10 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
11 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
12 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
13 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
15 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Optional Garnish
17 - Sliced green onions
18 - Toasted sesame seeds
19 - Lime wedges
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Rub each fillet with olive oil, then season evenly with salt and black pepper. Arrange the fillets on the prepared baking tray.
03 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
04 - While the salmon bakes, combine the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, honey, and lime juice in a small mixing bowl. Stir until smooth and well blended. Adjust the heat level to your preference.
05 - In a medium bowl, gently toss together the diced avocado, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
06 - Once the salmon is cooked, drizzle each fillet generously with the Bang Bang Sauce.
07 - Serve the sauced salmon fillets over or alongside the avocado cucumber salsa. Garnish with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and lime wedges as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The bang bang sauce walks this perfect line between sweet heat and creamy richness that makes you want to drizzle it on literally everything.
- That avocado cucumber salsa cools everything down and adds a crunch that feels like a beach vacation in every bite.
- It looks like you spent an hour plating at a fancy restaurant but your actual hands on time is laughably short.
02 -
- Dice your avocado right before serving because it browns faster than you expect and no one wants brown salsa on a gorgeous piece of fish.
- Check your sweet chili sauce label for gluten if that matters to you, because some brands sneak wheat into unexpected places.
- The salmon continues cooking for about a minute after you pull it from the oven, so take it out just before you think it is done.
03 -
- Take your salmon out of the fridge fifteen minutes before cooking so it comes to room temperature, which helps it cook evenly from edge to center.
- Toasting sesame seeds in a dry pan for sixty seconds until they turn golden doubles their flavor and makes your garnish actually worth eating.