Lucky for us home cooks, salmon goes well with pretty much anything. This fish is as versatile as it gets, thanks to its delicious flavor and balanced taste. You can make endless combinations of salmon recipes to create the perfect healthy dinner! However, if you’re serving salmon as your main dish, you likely want to serve a few sides with it too. So you're probably on the lookout for the best side dishes for salmon.
But first, let’s discuss: why should you add a side dish to your salmon meal? Because easy to prepare, healthy side dishes are a fantastic way to add more nutritional content to your plate! Just think of all those veggies, whole grains, minerals, healthy fats, and tasty carbs that you can include in there!
But coming up with nutritious sides to serve with salmon is not always an easy task. Some days you might be feeling a little bit short on inspiration, and that’s completely normal too! So because we love salmon and healthy sides as much as you do we want to help you craft an amazing meal. Today’s post is all about healthy side dishes to serve with salmon. Enjoy!
Healthy Side Dishes To Go With Salmon
Brown rice with fresh herbs and olive oil:
This is an easy to prepare classic, with a healthy twist. If you were not using brown rice before, you definitely should! This food goes great with a few fresh herbs, like rosemary and thyme, and a sprinkle of olive oil. The results are a heartwarming, light, and nutritious meal. Not to mention this combination pairs lovely with salmon, especially if you are cooking it alongside more fresh herbs.
The total cooking time should be around 30 minutes. All you need to do is put everything into a deep pan and let it cook. The proportions are 1 cup of rice per 3 cups of water, plus the fresh herbs. Remember to place the olive oil in the pan first and let it warm before adding the water, herbs, and rice. After half an hour, your side for a healthy dinner is served!
Almond pesto brussel sprouts:
Roasting brussel sprouts is a true game-changer. And they go amazingly well with grilled salmon! Plus, this healthy side dish has a bit of a spin to it. Did anyone mention almond pesto? This delicious pesto mixed with the brussel sprouts makes for the perfect combination. I promise it only takes 30 minutes to make, too!
The key to making this dish in a flash is to start by putting the sprouts to roast. In the meantime, you are going to prepare the pesto. You’ll need garlic, fresh basil, lemon juice, maple syrup, olive oil, almonds, a splash of water, and salt. Then, just mix it all together in a trusty blender. Once the Brussel sprouts are cooked all the way through, simply stir in the pesto and get ready to serve!
Green bean spicy noodle salad:
If you are up for a bold Asian-style side dish for salmon, then this is the one for you. The spiciness of this salad will complement nicely with any pan-seared or grilled salmon that you want to prepare.
You’ll need lime juice, olive oil, green beans, brown sugar, oriental sesame oil, garlic, chilies, noodles, carrots, and onions. Since the pasta and green beans take so little to cook, you could make this healthy side dish in as little as 15 minutes!
Roasted sweet potato wedges with vegetable stir-fry:
This a 2-in-1 type of deal. It’s two healthy side dishes combined into an extra flavorful one. Why? Because each element of the dish complements the others to add more bite and nutritional content to the dish. If you are making Cajun-style salmon fillets, this side dish is the right one for you. The pairing is incredibly tasty!
What will you need? Well, sweet potatoes, paprika, cinnamon, olive oil, and salt for starters. Then the stir fry could consist of any vegetable you have waiting for you in the kitchen, but if you want to have an idea you should consider including onions, sliced carrots, broccoli, snap peas, baby potatoes, red bell pepper strips, soy sauce, garlic, ground ginger, and sesame seeds. It shouldn’t take you longer than 45 minutes to make this delicious side dish for salmon!
Miso mushrooms:
Any mushroom recipe is an instant winner, but this one just surpasses every expectation. The combination of the earthiness of the mushrooms and the spiciness of the red chilies makes it ideal to pair with a delicious smoked or blackened salmon.
The ingredients are chestnut mushrooms, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, tamari, brown rice miso paste, maple syrup, mirin, sesame seeds, chilies, and salt. All you need to do is make the smooth seasoned paste and cook the mushrooms in a pan, stirring in the paste once they’re almost done. This is a speedy side dish, so be prepared to have it ready within 15 minutes!
Marinated butter beans:
This is an amazing way to incorporate beans into your salmon dish and your overall diet. It’s simple yet absolutely delicious and will pair perfectly with any grilled salmon. It takes only 40 minutes to make, considering it’s a marinated dish. It’s so good and you’ll want to include it on your plate all week long.
You’ll need butter beans, rosemary, thyme, garlic, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon, and salt. And here’s the best part: all you have to do is mix all the ingredients in a bowl! Then leave to marinate for at least 35 minutes to allow the beans to properly infuse with every flavor. After the wait, your healthy side dish is ready to serve with a delicious salmon!
Grilled broccoli with parmesan cheese:
If you or your kids are not too sold on broccoli as a tasty health food yet, this dish will convince you of its massive potential. Marinated broccoli with loads of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top? Yes, please! This is the perfect pairing for a classic lemony grilled salmon, topped with just the right amount of salt and pepper. It’s super easy to prepare too! promised!
You’ll need lemon juice, olive oil, salt, broccoli crowns, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and the grated zest of half lemon. The broccoli has to be marinated with lemon juice, oil, and salt for at least 20 minutes if you want to get as much flavor as possible. Then, drain the broccoli and thoroughly mix it with the red pepper and parmesan cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, until crisp-tender, and enjoy!
Which healthy side dish for salmon will you be preparing this week?
Healthy sides to serve with salmon are ideal when you’re looking for a quick weeknight solution for a nutritious and healthy dinner or lunch. Any of these dishes can be a fantastic companion for your favorite salmon meal. And remember, that if you need any salmon recipe ideas, you can always check here on the blog for some inspiration. For now, enjoy these fantastic side dish ideas!
