When it comes to marinating fish like salmon, the sky is the limit. A marinade can be simple or complex, well thought-out, or just a great way to finish off the last of the herbs and citrus you have lying around. Every marinade starts with an oil base. The oil adds flavor, but it also adds a protective element. Oil helps salmon retain its moisture, and it also helps evenly distribute the more flavorful marinade ingredients. We keep salt out of our salmon marinades, since it can dry the fish out over time. We recommend seasoning the fish with salt right before cooking.
How long should you marinate salmon?
How long you should marinate depends on what is in your recipe and how potent it is. You shouldn’t marinate salmon in anything with a high acid content for too long, or else it will break down. If you leave salmon in a marinade with a lot of lemon juice for hours it will break down the salmon and make for a mushy dish. If your marinade contains citrus juice, it’s best to keep the salmon in it for no more than 30 minutes.
Our favorite salmon marinades:
These are formulated recipes but there are no rules. Feel free to substitute what you’ve got on hand or use these recipes as a guide to create a recipe of your own!
Place the salmon in a shallow pan and cover with your marinade of choice. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes – 2 hours. If it contains citrus juice, marinate for no more than 30 minutes.
Sesame Orange Salmon Marinade
- 4 Tbsp. Grapeseed Oil or another neutral oil
- 2 Tbsp. Sesame oil
- 1 Orange, sliced
- 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp. Honey
- ½ Tbsp. grated fresh Ginger (ground Ginger will work too)
Lemon Thyme Salmon Marinade
- 4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon, sliced
- 1 small bunch fresh Thyme, finely chopped
- 2 Garlic cloves, Minced
- ½ Tbsp. Ground Black Pepper
Harissa and Lemon Salmon Marinade
- 4 Tbsp. Grapeseed Oil or another neutral oil
- 2 Tbsp. Harissa Paste
- 1 Lemon, Sliced
- Handful of flat leaf Parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. ground Cumin
Chimichurri Salmon Marinade
This recipe doubles as a great sauce.
- 1 cup Olive Oil
- Handful of Cilantro
- Handful of flat leaf Parsley
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1 Jalapeno (deseeded if you prefer mild heat)
- Juice of 1 Lime
Add all these ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Since this recipe makes a large amount of sauce, reserve half the mixture to serve alongside the salmon.
