Anyone who loves Mediterranian cuisine is familiar with capers. This delicious food is made of the unripe flower buds of the Capparis Spinosa, known as the caper bush. They look like green pea-sized balls and have a distinct, salty taste. The plant is cultivated around Italy, Morocco, Asia, Australia, and Spain. Capers can be either brined or dried, and they have a tangy-citrusy flavor, much like green olives or pickles. One of the great things about them is that they offer a punch of flavor without adding too many calories into the dish! In fact, they have many health benefits, as they are associated with cancer prevention, reduced risk of cardiac arrhythmia, and Alzheimer's Disease prevention.
It’s easy to see why you should include these tiny balls of nutritional value and tons of flavor in your meals. The good news is capers pair deliciously well with salmon! Yes, you can now pair your favorite fish with even more healthy foods. The nutritional content of capers, which includes vitamin A and E, calcium, magnesium, and manganese, makes for a great complement to any salmon dish. Not to mention that their flavor compliments the taste of salmon fillets in a way that immediately elevates any meal! Because of this, today’s post is all about how to use capers with salmon.
How To Use Capers With Salmon
Use Capers As A Garnish:
One of our absolute favorite ways to use capers with salmon is as a garnish. Capers are packed with flavor straight out of the jar. So you don’t necessarily have to cook them in order to bring out the flavor. Plus, they’re aesthetically pleasing and can add a touch of dark green to your dish. So simply grab a spoonful of capers to garnish any dish. You can even use them to decorate a plate if you’re feeling like plating like a chef. Our personal favorite dish to use capers as a garnish is this salmon tartare with avocado and sesame seeds. It looks beautiful and adds a pop of flavor!
Toss Capers In A Salmon Salad:
Salads are one of our favorite ways to eat salmon, and capers are the perfect addition to salmon salads! All you need to do is make your favorite salad, add salmon, add any ingredients you desire, and throw in some capers as well. Honestly any salmon salad can benefit from capers being thrown in. However our favorite salad to add capers to is a salmon salad, but tuna salad style with fresh lettuce.
Use Capers As A Topping:
Capers make a great topping for any salmon recipe. You can grill, bake, poach, or sear your salmon with any desired flavors. Then simply top your salmon with a small spoonful of capers for a punch of flavor. One of our favorite recipes including capers as a topping, is this salmon carpaccio. The capers really elevate the dish while still allowing the freshness of carpaccio to shine. We also love using capers as a topping with salmon for breakfast. You can use it on a salmon eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs with salmon, and of course a salmon bagel topping. Whatever you prefer, you really can’t go wrong when you choose capers as a topping for salmon dishes of all kinds.
Bake Capers with Salmon in the Oven:
Baking salmon is one of the most flavorful, and honestly easy ways to cook salmon. When you bake salmon, you traditionally want to bake it in a pan and include your desired seasonings so the flavors are infused into the salmon while it bakes. So if you’re baking salmon and want to include the caper flavor, simply add a few spoonfuls and you’re good to go! More on baking salmon tips HERE.
Use Capers In A Sauce:
Sauces are incredible additions to any salmon dish. Think salmon with white wine sauce, salmon pasta with a custom sauce, or even just a simple sauce to casually top your salmon. You can blend the capers into a sauce to fully integrate them into the mixture. Or you can simply add capers to any sauce for a delicious burst of flavor in every bite. Try this Grilled Salmon with Lemon Caper Sauce to see exactly what we mean.
Include Capers In Salmon Dip:
Salmon dip is SERIOUSLY delicious. It’s a great way to incorporate salmon in a more light, fresh, and appetizer way. It’s unique because salmon is traditionally seen as a filet for dinner. So you can wow your guests with a unique twist while still enjoying that salmon deliciousness. So for your dip, you can include capers in the actual dip by blending or chopping your capers. Or capers are even small enough that you can actually just stir them in for a more chunky dip style. Another option is to create a layer of capers on top of your favorite salmon dip recipe. We recommend you try this salmon dip and add your desired amount of capers.
What is your favorite salmon + capers flavor combination?
That’s all you need to know about how to use capers with salmon! Trust us, these combos will blow your mind and take your taste buds to the next level. You can get capers at any grocery store, making it easier for you to pair them with our ocean-raised, ocean-loved salmon delivered right to your doorstep. Also, remember to check out the rest of our Oshēn Salmon blog for more delicious recipes and handling tips. Now good luck with those capers!
