From fresh salads to quinoa to crispy potatoes, there’s not much that doesn’t go well with this healthy fish. Here are all the best sides to with salmon!
Salmon is one of the easiest healthy dinner ideas out there. If you’re a seafood lover, you already know: salmon is where it’s AT for quick weeknight dinners. But have you ever been stumped on what to serve it with? If you’re trying to keep things quick, sometimes it’s hard to find a fast side dish that can compete with the speed of salmon.
At the same time, if you’re serving salmon for a dinner party, there’s some room for making a showy side. Here are our best sides to serve with salmon, ordered in terms of speed! So if you’re making a quick weeknight dinner keep to sides at the top of the list. If you’re entertaining, head lower down the list.
And now, our best sides to serve with salmon (in order of cook time)!
Here's our top side to go with salmon: lemon green beans! These beans are so easy to make and come together in 10 minutes, making them perfect for a quick weeknight meal. They come out crisp tender and flavored with zesty lemon. Even though they're quick, they look beautiful and dress up any meal. If you've got an Instant Pot, try Instant Pot Green Beans with Lemon.
Total time: 10 minutes
Here's another one of our quick sides to go with salmon: the best broccoli! It's bright green and crisp tender, served with red onion, olive oil, and feta cheese crumbles. If you've got an Instant Pot, try Instant Pot Broccoli.
Total time: 10 minutes
Here's a fantastic side to go with salmon, or really any meal! Our Italian-style chopped salad is everyone's favorite. It features crunchy romaine, colorful veggies, Parmesan cheese, and our zesty Homemade Italian Dressing. The kicker? Jarred pepperoncini, which bring a tang and crunch. Another option? Radish Chopped Salad Recipe with blue cheese dressing.
Total time: 15 minutes
This Mediterranean-style cauliflower goes perfectly with salmon! This lemon herb steamed cauliflower cooks in minutes and is so good, you won’t want to stop eating it! The lemon zest makes it bright, and using Italian seasoning and olive oil gives a savory flair. Even better: it takes only 10 minutes to cook. (Got a pressure cooker? Try our Instant Pot Cauliflower.)
Farro is a chewy, tender whole grains that's a unique variation to rice. It's quick to cook and tastes so good mixed with garlic and fresh herbs! Here it's mixed with sage, thyme and oregano. If you want to dress it up for entertaining, try Farro with Mushrooms & Parmesan.
Total time: 20 minutes
Here's another great whole grain side: quinoa! Mixing it with basil pesto brings just the right savory flavor. It's so easy, but makes it seem special. Either cook the quinoa on the stovetop, or try it in the Instant Pot.
Total time: 25 minutes
What's better with salmon than crispy Brussels sprouts? This is the best classic Brussels sprouts recipe: they're roasted at very high heat until perfectly salted and crispy. If you have an Instant Pot, you can shortcut the time with Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan.
Total time: 30 minutes (15 minutes in Instant Pot)
These mashed red potatoes are packed with flavor, featuring garlic and Parmesan. With just a bit of butter and no cream, they’ve got a healthy twist. Here, we’ve kept the potato skins on to add nutrients and texture. It also means you don’t need to waste time peeling them!
A few other options: Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (both scaled for a crowd!).
Total time: 30 minutes
These roasted sweet potatoes are a great side to with salmon: the subtle sweetness of the potatoes pairs perfectly with the savory salmon. These sweet potatoes are so tasty, lightly seasoned with garlic powder and roasted until caramelized in a hot oven. Don't want to dice? Try our Quick Baked Sweet Potato. Or,
Total time: 35 minutes
Just like the shoes of the same name, this recipe will be your trusty side kick! It’s the perfect side for pairing with just about anything, from salmon to burgers. These babies are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and seasoned to perfection. We’re getting hungry just talking about it!
Step it up: Take them over the top by adding Parmesan in our Parmesan Potato Wedges. Or drizzle with truffle oil and make our Parmesan Truffle Fries.
Total time: 40 minutes
Cornbread is a perfect side to go with salmon! This recipe is perfectly moist, just the right sweetness, and lightly sweet. It tastes like Jiffy mix, but way better: and all from scratch! Make this version, or try our Easy Vegan Cornbread: just as tasty but 100% plant based.
Total time: 40 minutes (can be made ahead)
Easy Lemon Green Beans
(7 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
These zesty steamed green beans are the epitome of an easy side dish! This healthy recipe is the perfect side to go with salmon.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus zest from 1 lemon (1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Trim the green beans.
- Place 1 1/2 cups water into a saucepan or pot and bring it to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the green beans in the steamer basket. Steam with the lid on 4 to 5 minutes until just tender (test with a fork).
- Carefully remove the beans to a bowl. Toss with the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, kosher salt, and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
Notes
*This recipe is easily doubled to feed a crowd.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Sides to Go with Salmon, Green Beans Recipe, Easy Green Beans,
Some favorite salmon recipes
Of course, we couldn’t leave you with just the sides! Here are our top favorite salmon recipes:
- 10-Minute Baked Salmon: Here’s a basic salmon recipe that comes together in minutes! Serve with zesty chimichurri sauce.
- Lemon Dill Salmon This fast lemon dill salmon takes just 10 minutes to bake! Mix up the zesty dill sauce while the salmon cooks.
- Broiled Salmon with Bourbon Glaze: Another super quick way to make salmon is in the broiler! This one is painted with a savory sweet bourbon glaze.
- Easy Cedar Plank Salmon: You haven’t lived until you’ve tried cedar plank salmon! This easy method of grilling on a wooden plank infuses a smoky flavor that’s irresistible.
Another fun side for salmon? Try Creamy Parmesan Orzo.
Wondering the best salmon to buy? Got to How to Buy Sustainable Fish & Seafood.
About the Authors
Sonja Overhiser
Cookbook Author and writer
Sonja Overhiser is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best healthy cookbooks of 2018. She’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the food blog A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Sonja seeks to inspire adventurous eating to make the world a better place one bite at a time.
Alex Overhiser
Cookbook Author and photographer
Alex Overhiser is an acclaimed food photographer and author based in Indianapolis. He’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the recipe website A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Alex is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious.
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