Looking for the best side dishes for salmon? This post is packed with over 47 ideas on what to serve with salmon. I included mostly healthy side dishes with a few more indulgent ones thrown in. Whether you are making baked salmon, stuffed salmon, or pan seared salmon, here are some delicious homemade side dishes that pair well with your favorite salmon recipes!
Lauren’s take: My favorite salmon pairing lately has been Baked Blackened Salmon topped with zesty Persillade Sauce and paired with Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes and Blackened Green Beans as side dishes. The salmon is really easy to make, just season and throw it in the oven. Both side dishes take 30 minutes or less. I served this combination for a dinner party recently and it was a hit. It was easy to finish preparing while I chatted with guests.
Salmon is one of my favorite fish to prepare and eat. It has a buttery and flakey texture and pairs with many other flavors. You can keep it simple with healthy sides, or pair it with some more indulgent ones.
I broke down these side dish recommendations into 4 groups to make picking out the perfect side dishes easier:
Scroll through to pick out a few delicious sides for your salmon dinner.
What flavors pair well with salmon?
Salmon is a milder tasting fish that is rich in healthy fats. Because it is more oily than other fish, it pairs well with bright and acidic flavors, like citrus and fresh herbs. Think sauces like a white wine vinaigrette, creamy lemon butter sauce, or persillade (a French parsley and lemon sauce).
If you’re stuck on what to do with your salmon, here are some flavors that pair well with this rich tasting fish.
Produce that pairs well with salmon: tomatoes, spinach, asparagus, potatoes, zucchini, arugula, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, lime, and orange.
Fresh herbs that pair well with salmon:dill, chives, mint, tarragon, thyme, green onions, parsley, and cilantro.
If you want to pair your salmon with another protein, you really can’t go wrong with bacon (or pancetta), scallops, or shrimp.
The best sides for salmon are ones that compliment its rich flavor and flakey texture. Here are some of my favorite side dishes to make the perfect salmon meal!
Green Vegetables Sides
Salmon can be a rich and fatty fish – in a deliciously good way of course. Because of this, it pairs well with some healthy and simple green fresh vegetables. My favorite green fresh veggies to pair with salmon are asparagus, brussels sprouts, fennel, spinach, and green beans.
Roasted Asparagus and Brussel Sprouts
Tender and crispy roasted asparagus and brussel sprouts are the perfect pairing for this easy healthy side dish. Ready in under 30 minutes! I think this is one of my favorite side dishes for salmon.
Easy green beans side dish ready in 20 minutes! Blistered green beans are tossed in blackened seasoning, garlic, onions, and butter. Lots of flavor, little time.
Perfectly roasted green beans and carrots seasoned with garlic, tarragon, and thyme make a super easy vegetable side dish! This is a really easy and healthy side dish that can be thrown in the oven while you sear the salmon!
Roasted Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts is a simple, but flavorful side dish! This easy sheet pan recipe has perfectly tender but crisp brussels sprouts and green beans tossed with fresh basil, lemon zest, and a hint of garlic. It is the perfect side dish with a pop of flavor!
Roasted Bok Choy is an ideal side dish that takes only a few minutes of preparation time! Flavored with honey and soy sauce, this is a delicious and simple dish that will be on regular rotation.
This simple roasted broccoli and potatoes is an easy and tasty side dish! Crispy potatoes and tender broccoli florets make a delicious side dish, ready in 30 minutes! Another great recipe to throw in the oven while you are searing salmon.
These green beans almondine (amandine in French) is a great way to serve green beans! Crisp garlicky green beans and toasted almonds tossed in nutty brown butter and finished with a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness. It's super simple and comes together in just 10 minutes!
Ready in under 40 minutes, these roasted artichokes are loaded with all your favorite Mediterranean flavors – briny feta cheese, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and salty capers. Would be delicious served with salmon and a grain salad.
Whipping up a side of sautéed spinach and mushrooms is easy, incredibly quick, and delicious, making it an ideal side dish for any weeknight meal! It takes just a few minutes to make and pairs perfectly with a piece of salmon!
You can't go wrong with simple roasted green beans. This roasted green beans recipe uses a handful of simple ingredients and makes an incredibly tasty side dish that goes with practically everything!Serve this with Cajun crab stuffed salmon.
This Snap Peas and Shiitake Mushrooms Stir Fry makes a delicious and healthy veggie side dish! Pan fried snap peas are so good because they have a sweet, juicy, and crunchy taste to them! When cooked with shiitake mushrooms they are the perfect pair.
This Sautéed Spinach with Garlic and Lemon is one of the quickest, easiest vegetable side dishes you’ll ever make. A delicious way to boost your menu with fiber and nutrients.Pair this with salmon topped with lemon butter sauce.
This Baked Herb Tomato Zucchini is the recipe to get zucchini skeptics to eat their vegetables. With flavors that are reminiscent of a tomato bruschetta, they might even reach for a second helping! With just a few simple ingredients and 10 minutes of prep, it is a great recipe to add to your rotation.
Sautéed rapini is a simple side dish of Italian style broccoli. It is very nutritious, a tiny bit bitter, and definitely one of my favorite green vegetables. Use it in pasta and polenta dishes, too! It's great to try if you're stuck in the broccoli rut.
Give your roasted asparagus a little something extra with this tahini sauce version. Roasted asparagus is delicious with this easy lemon tahini sauce. It's the perfect side dish for anytime of year.
Simple garlic roasted broccoli is a great side dish for any protein, but would be perfect with a creamy salmon recipe. Using olive oil, garlic powder, and kosher salt, this recipe is one of the easiest side dishes to make.Pair it with Cajun Salmon Alfredo Pasta.
This is a more indulgent side dish option. These Louisiana smothered green beans are cooked down with bacon, smoked ham, onions, and garlic for a rich and savory flavor. They make the perfect side dish for salmon!
Starchy veggies are never a bad idea in my book. Starches that pair well with salmon include carrots, potatoes, and lentils. Here are some more starchy side dishes for salmon.
Honey Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Tender, golden, and naturally sweet, honey roasted rainbow carrots are a comforting and easy delicious side dish recipe! Plus they are very pretty.
Skin on mashed red potatoes with a rich, garlicy, and buttery flavor. These creamy mashed potatoes have a subtle Cajun kick and are ready in 30 minutes. No peeling required!I love this paired with Backed Blackened Salmon
Baked purple sweet potatoes make a great side dish or meal- Learn how to bake perfectly fluffy sweet potatoes with this foolproof recipe! These would be so pretty next to the pink colored salmon with some greens.
If you love the combination of sweet and salty, you’ll love these Honey Roasted Parsnips. They’re tender, sweet and caramelized with crispy bacon and fresh thyme. It’s the perfect side dish to serve with a Sunday roast or holiday dinner!
This is a more elegant side dish that feels a little more upgraded than the standard mashed potatoes recipe. Smooth potatoes with Boursin cheese, cream, butter, and fresh chives. 5 ingredients and 30 minutes.
Roasted Sunchokes with Thyme, also known as Jerusalem Artichokes, are a delightful side dish with a nutty flavor. They can be eaten raw with hummus, oven roasted, or cooked in an air fryer, and also pairs well with bacon, eggs, quinoa, and even salmon! Tossed with olive oil and thyme, this sunchokes recipe is a great way to add variety to the table.
With just 3 simple ingredients and some seasoning, Roasted Asparagus & Carrots are the perfect quick vegetable side dish. With minimal prep work, this carrot and asparagus recipe can be cooked and on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Inspired by the classic Lipton's "Onion Soup Mix" version, these Onion Roasted Potatoes are made from scratch with wholesome ingredients and without soup mix!
This parsley potatoes recipe is ultra buttery and infused with fresh parsley, turning simple and traditional flavors into an elevated side dish with only 4 ingredients.
Making great-tasting mashed potatoes without butter is easier than you would think! This recipe is made with only four simple ingredients and goes together in about 25 minutes. Those crispy garlic chips are the perfect contrasting crunch!
Moving on to the greens dream teams – the side salad. Salads, especially ones that are heavy on the veggies, go great with salmon. You can even make a simple grilled piece of salmon and add it to these salads to make a complete meal.
Salads make the perfect veggie packed healthy salmon sides.
Spinach Arugula Salad with Crispy Prosciutto
This delicious arugula and spinach salad is the perfect contrast of textures and flavors. Made with spinach and zesty arugula, topped with crispy prosciutto, marinated cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, creamy goat cheese, and a tangy balsamic lemon dressing.
This raw bok choy salad with asparagus and peas is the most delicious easy salad! A simple dressing, fresh shaved parmesan cheese and lemon zest rounds out this side dish. This would be a perfect veggie heavy side dish for salmon.
Veggie packed cucumber and onion salad with feta crumbles, diced avocado, grape tomatoes and a tangy homemade salad dressing is the perfect side for a piece of grilled salmon. This tasty dish is super healthy, light and refreshing. Even better? It takes only 30 minutes to whip it up!
Roasted beet and goat cheese salad with walnuts and diced avocado is so incredibly tasty! On top of that, it's good for you and really easy to make! Healthy and full of flavor, what could be better? A simple pan-seared salmon filet would be perfect to top this for a healthy dinner.
This Fresh and Easy Peach Salsa is the perfect summer recipe. It’s both sweet and savory, is delicious with grilled fish! Pair this with grilled salmon topped with fresh lime juice.
This strawberry goat cheese salad is the perfect spring and summer salad! Made with fresh strawberries, goat cheese, spinach, walnuts & pine nuts. Then drizzled with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette with a hint of cinnamon. Add simple pan seared salmon to make it a complete meal.
Kachumber or cachumber is a simple everyday Indian-style summer salad made with cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion. It is usually served as a side with Indian meals and is also great for summer parties and barbecues.The cool flavors of this would pair perfectly with a spicy harissa glazed salmon.
This easy raw brussels sprouts salad is made with shaved brussels sprouts and carrots, fruit and an easy tahini dressing. This salad packs and stores well and is perfect for meal prep!
Harvest chopped salad is a fresh and healthy chopped salad, loaded with kale, radicchio, apples and more. The whole affair is topped with a tangy and creamy shallot vinaigrette, making this salad the perfect addition to your salmon dinner!
This Spicy Moroccan Carrot Salad is a hearty and unique side dish with bold, vibrant flavor! A medley of warm spices and hot peppers infuse the dish with a sweet-spicy-savory taste that Moroccan food is known for. Serve this warm Moroccan carrot salad with a dollop of Greek yogurt for a light and creamy finish.
Round out your salmon dinner with some rice or grain side dishes. These grain salads will be a hearty and delicious addition to a salmon dinner.
Perfect White Rice Recipe (without a rice cooker)
Rice is a simple side dish for salmon, but toss in some garlic and herbs and it is delicious! This stovetop method makes perfect fluffy long grain white rice every time, without a rice cooker.
Pesto orzo salad recipe with tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, red onion, and arugula, tossed with toasted pine nuts and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. This cold pasta salad makes a great side dish, lunch, or potluck dish!
This vegan couscous salad is a simple dish with tons of fresh and vibrant flavors. Pearled couscous with spinach, fennel, fresh mint and a hint of lemon make the perfect side dish! Can also be made into a quinoa salad. Add a simple grilled salmon to the top of this salad.
This wild rice and butternut squash salad makes a great side dish because it’s colorful and a little unexpected. This is a perfect hearty side dish for salmon.
Rainbow Orzo Salad is a bright and colorful salad that's perfect for warmer weather. It's crunchy, light and fresh. This easy pasta salad is the perfect side dish or light lunch.
This hearty, healthy and delicious Lentil Salad is made with tender cooked lentils, crisp cucumbers and tomatoes, creamy feta cheese and lots of fresh herbs tossed in a simple and flavorful lemon vinaigrette. This quick and easy lentil salad recipe is perfect year-round for lunch or as a side dish and an excellent meal prep recipe.
Full of Spring flavors, this Spring Pea Risotto is a perfect meatless dinner option or a great side dish to compliment any main course. No need to babysit this risotto, you add the broth and let it cook for twenty minutes and you are ready to eat this delicious meal.
This hearty grain salad has farro, asparagus, lemon, sliced almonds and salty pecorino romano. This is great to pair with a simple roasted salmon to make a compete meal.
Lemon rice pilaf is cooked with orzo and toasted pine nuts, pistachios and loads of fresh herbs. 20 minutes for the most flavorful side dish!Pair this with pan seared salmon topped with a dill sauce.
Pesto pairs well with salmon. The fresh herbs, garlic, and parmesan cheese all go well with this fish. Try pan seared salmon topped with pesto and crispy roasted potatoes on the side.
Does garlic go with salmon?
Garlic goes very well with salmon! However, I think garlic goes well with just about anything. Try salmon with a garlic, ginger, and soy sauce glaze, served with white or brown rice.
Does rosemary go with salmon?
Rosemary isn’t a flavor I often see with salmon, but they do pair well together. Rosemary roasted salmon would go well with fall root vegetables and a balsamic vinegar glaze.
If you’ve made it this far, I guarantee you are hungry for some delicious perfectly cooked salmon! I hope you found the perfect sides for salmon, no matter how you choose to prepare it.
Let me know which ones you decided to choose in the comments below!!
I’m the blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and otherwise food obsessed gal behind Lauren From Scratch. I was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in South Louisiana most of my life. Growing up around Cajun country has instilled a love of food that runs deep in my bones. I am passionate about food and teaching you how to make mouth-watering Louisiana inspired dishes in your own kitchen!
This post was updated in 2023 with additional recipes and improved text.
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I love food . You seem to be so creative . Pls do keep posting me about dishes you do . I would like to keep trying to do it by myself.