What Herbs Go With Salmon? The 10 Best Herbs For Salmon
Salmon is an incredible fish to cook. It has a beautiful color, a distinctive flavor and is rich in fatty acids and omega 3.
Often served cut as fillets, salmon is fairly easy to cook up, and can be prepared using a variety of methods.
To add some flavor to the fillets you bake, poach or fry, which herbs should you use for salmon? Salmon can hold many different herb flavors well, due to its bold, rich flavor and buttery texture. However, the best herbs to use with salmon are dill, fennel, tarragon, parsley, sage, basil, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and ground coriander.
Deciding which herbs to use to flavor your salmon fillets will also depend on how you are cooking them. To further understand which herbs to use to flavor your salmon fillets, here is an explanation of each.
The 10 Best Herbs for Salmon
Below are our favorite herbs to pair with salmon fillets. You can use one, two, or any mixture of them. The possibilities are endless!
| Herb | Flavor | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dill | Fresh, light, delicate |
| 2. | Fennel | Sweet, mild |
| 3. | Tarragon | Savory, licorice, anise |
| 4. | Parsley | Fresh, bright |
| 5. | Sage | Earthy, aromatic, warm |
| 6. | Basil | Sweet, warm |
| 7. | Bay Leaves | Earthy, woody |
| 8. | Thyme | Earthy, slightly minty |
| 9. | Rosemary | Pungent, herbaceous |
| 10. | Coriander Seeds | Lemony |
Make sure to keep reading to learn exactly how we recommend using each herb. There are a few standard flavor combinations that we think you’ll love.
1. Dill
Dill is the most common herb used when cooking salmon and is one of the most basic herbal pairings for most fish and seafood.
It adds a delicate punch to the salmon fillet, with a light herby taste that does not overpower the rich and buttery flavor of the salmon fillet.
Dill is particularly great on salmon when served with a dash of lemon juice.
Litehouse Freeze-Dried Dill
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One jar of Litehouse Freeze-Dried Dill is equal to two fresh bunches of dill. One tablespoon of the freeze-dried herbs is equal to one tablespoon of fresh dill, so it is an easy conversion to make.
Being freeze-dried, the herbs hold their natural flavor and compliment fresh dishes really well. The dill is harvested from the highest quality crop to ensure the best taste.
2. Fennel
Fennel has a sweet, anise-like, perfumed flavor. Eaten raw, it tastes a lot like licorice, but when cooked, it gives the salmon a light, spring-like taste that really goes so well with the richness and freshness of salmon.
Rani Fennel Seeds
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Fennel seeds can be used in place of fresh fennel when it is not available. The seeds have a very similar flavor to cooked fennel and add a deeper flavor to the salmon. The fennel seeds are 100% natural and packed in a no barrier plastic jar to ensure as much freshness as possible.
3. Tarragon
Tarragon has a distinctive taste, with flavors of licorice and anise. It is very much a personal preference herb, as many people do not like the flavor in savory dishes, but for those who do, it is a wonderful addition to a salmon dish.
The Spice Hunter, French Tarragon Leaves
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The tarragon leaves from The Spice Hunter are all-natural and contain no added MSG or preservatives.
Unlike many other tarragon spices, these tarragon leaves are authentic French and you can really taste the difference.
You can use it sparingly when cooking salmon, so this bottle will last a good amount of time in the kitchen.
4. Parsley
Parsley is a juicy and green-tasting herb that uplifts the taste of salmon really well. It is so easy to find parsley to use, and you can also easily grow some indoors as well.
Not only can you cook with the parsley, but it makes for the perfect garnish, sprinkled over the salmon fillet when it is cooked.
Simply Organic Parsley Flakes
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Flat parsley leaves are processed from aromatic flowering parsley plants and hold a mild aromatic flavor with a slightly bitter taste.
Mixed in with other herbs, or used as a garnish, the parsley will be so useful for many different methods and recipes for cooking salmon.
5. Sage
Sage is one of the herbs that should be used lightly. It gives the salmon an earthy, aromatic flavor, but adding too much to the salmon could overpower the wonderful flavor of the fish.
Cooking the sage with the salmon intensifies the flavor even more, so be mindful of this.
Spice Islands Rubbed Sage
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The rubbed sage from Spice Islands has a warm spicy flavor and does not contain any added sugars or fillings.
It has an authentic flavor, which is protected by the packaging, keeping it fresher for longer.
A small amount of rubbed sage is all you need to give your salmon the flavor you want.
6. Basil
Basil does go great with salmon, particularly when it is paired with lemon or lime juice. Just a small amount works to bring out the rich flavor of the salmon.
Remember to try different basil varieties, as they all have different tastes, such as sweet basil, Thai basil, and holy basil.
McCormick Gourmet Organic Basil
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This bottle of organic basil packs a wonderful flavor and gives salmon a good boost of flavor when added with lemon or lime juice, or when blended in with other spices to make a flavorful baste for the salmon fillet.
7. Bay Leaves
Bay leaves are good to use if you are making a salmon dish with other ingredients, such as a bake. It helps to flavor salmon dished with its unique, woody flavor.
A leaf or two dropped into a foil packet with salmon and some vegetables really add a new depth of flavor to the dish.
Simply Organic Bay Leaves
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Bay leaves are always great to keep in the kitchen, and the bay leaves from Simply Organic keep their flavor well in the bottle.
One or two bay leaves from this bottle is all you need to add a woody flavor to your salmon dish, as the bay leaves are hand-selected to be of the best quality.
8. Thyme
Thyme is a wonderful herb to use with salmon. You only need a small amount of thyme to flavor the salmon, as the taste intensifies as it cooks.
Thyme also works well to add to a seafood seasoning blend to use as a rub over salmon.
Spice Islands Organic Thyme
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The Spice Islands Organic Thyme is certified organic and has natural goodness and flavor, which can be blended into other spices and herbs, or used alone to season salmon.
A small amount is all you need, as the dried thyme still packs a punch with an intense flavor that only deepens during cooking.
9. Rosemary
Rosemary is beautifully fragrant and is a wonderful herb to use for seafood and fish.
Rosemary can be used either fresh or dry, with fresh rosemary having a stronger flavor. Dried rosemary can be mixed with other spices to make a seasoning for salmon fillets.
Simply Organic Whole Rosemary Leaves
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Certified organic, these rosemary leaves have a pungent, herbaceous flavor, and while they are dried, they still carry an incredibly fresh flavor.
The earthy taste really compliments the salmon, blending well with other herbs and spices, or being used on its own.
10. Coriander Seeds
Coriander goes well with salmon fillets, especially when used in conjunction with other ingredients such as chili, lime, and honey.
Used with these other ingredients, it creates wonderful basting for the salmon fillets, which is nice to have over some fresh rice.
McCormick Gourmet Coriander Seeds
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Roasting and grinding the coriander seeds bring out the more lemony flavor which compliments the salmon even more.
The bottle is flavor-sealed to keep the bold flavor for each use. The coriander seeds are also all-natural, so you are using only the best ingredients.
Related Questions
What flavors go well with salmon?
Salmon is able to go well with many different herbs, flavors, and spices. Some of the most popular flavors, both bold and subtle, include:
- Salty flavors such as soy sauce, capers, olives, and miso.
- Sour flavors such as vinegar, fresh lemon, and fresh lime.
- Sweet flavors such as brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, and orange juice or orange zest.
- Pungent flavors such as onion, shallot, ginger, garlic, horseradish, and sesame.
- Creamy items such as cream cheese, crème Fraiche, yogurt and butter.
- Green ingredients such as fresh herbs, cucumber, and asparagus.
- Smoky flavors such as chipotle chilies, cumin, and smoked paprika.
How do I know when salmon is cooked through?
When cooking, salmon will change from a translucent red or raw color to a more opaque pink color.
After around 6-8 minutes of cooking, check for readiness by taking a sharp knife to check the thickest part.
If the meat is starting to flake, but still has a small amount of translucency, then it is ready to be eaten.
Should I wash salmon before cooking it?
It is recommended to rinse salmon water in cold, fresh running water before cooking it. Once done, pat it down with a paper towel.
Fresh salmon does not necessarily need to be rinsed, but salmon which has been aged could benefit from a good rinse under running water.
The Best Herbs For Salmon Fillets
Salmon has such a great ability to pair well with many different flavors. The best herbs to use to pair with salmon are dill, fennel, tarragon, parsley, sage, basil, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and ground coriander.
With other ingredients and flavors, you can use these herbs to make some phenomenal salmon fillet dishes!
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