Chimichurri Salmon

This chimichurri salmon pairs moist flaky salmon with the tangy, garlicky punch of this herby sauce—these flavors were made for…

Feb 3, 2025 - 20:46

This chimichurri salmon pairs moist flaky salmon with the tangy, garlicky punch of this herby sauce—these flavors were made for each other! It’s so quick and easy to make broiled, or you can try it baked or grilled.

If there’s one secret sauce we’d recommend to make everything taste better, it’s chimichurri. This bright, punchy, garlicky Argentinian sauce truly is all that. As cookbook authors, here’s a trick we’ve been using for years as an easy healthy dinner idea: chimichurri salmon!

Salmon on its own can be kind of boring (right?). But salmon with chimichurri sauce is transcendental, adding an herby brightness to each bite. It’s the perfect easy dinner that works for weeknights or for impressing friends and family: and you can make it broiled, baked or grilled depending on your preference! Our family can’t get enough of it (and it’s a perfect Mediterranean diet recipe if you eat that way).

Featured reader comment

“Oh my goodness is this chimichurri salmon delicious! I’m going to do this brining and broiling method every time now. Nice crispy top, flaky insides. The chimichurri is delicious, it perfectly complements the salmon. I love how simple yet flavourful this dish is.” -Tanvee

Ingredient notes for this recipe

Here are a few notes for when you’re shopping for the ingredients for this chimichurri salmon recipe:

Look for skin-on salmon that’s about 1 inch thick. We like buying it in small fillets so it’s already pre-portioned, but you can buy a large fillet as well.
Buy fresh salmon, wild caught if possible. Salmon fresh from the fish counter usually has the best flavor. Frozen can work, but opt for highest-quality possible. Fish that is wild caught in your country is usually a sustainable choice. There are also quality options in well-regulated farms; see Seafood Watch Consumer Guide.
Use fresh oregano if possible; otherwise substitute cilantro. Fresh oregano is most traditional in an Argentinian chimichurri sauce, but it can be expensive at the grocery (we always grow it in the summer). Cilantro is a great budget friendly swap and has great flavor.

About chimichurri sauce

Chimichurri is a classic Argentinian sauce often served with grilled meats, chicken or fish. It’s made of chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano and red wine vinegar.

In creating this chimichurri recipe, Alex and I took inspiration from Argentine chef Francis Mallman (featured in the documentary Chef’s Table). His classic method uses a salmuera or brine to bring flavor and body to the sauce. It may sound counterintuitive to add water to oil, but it makes a lovely silky body. This sauce is rustic and hand chopped: no blenders or food processors required.

Tips for making chimichurri salmon

This chimichurri salmon recipe is so simple: all you have to do is cook the salmon using your favorite method and make the chimichurri sauce while it cooks. Here are some tips for the recipe:

Broiling is our top choice. Making broiled salmon is so quick: you don’t even need to preheat the oven and it cooks in 10 minutes or less.
As alternatives, you can make baked or grilled salmon. If you don’t have a broiler, baked salmon is simple. And if it’s grilling season, we highly recommend making grilled salmon to infuse smoky flavor notes.
Leave time for making the sauce. You don’t need a blender for chimichurri, but it does take a bit of time to hand chop everything. It will take about 10 minutes total for the sauce, so keep that in mind!

Storing leftovers and make ahead tips

You can store leftover chimichurri salmon for up to 3 days refrigerated. To reheat broiled salmon, place it on a baking sheet, loosely cover with foil, and reheat at 275°F for about 15 minutes. Avoid microwaving as it can dry out the fish, and reheating it in a skillet can overcook the fish.

To make this recipe ahead, you can make the chimichurri in advance and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Keep in mind the olive oil solidifies when cold, so bring to room temperature before serving.

Salmon with chimichurri sauce on cutting board

Serving suggestions

To make it a meal, serve chimichurri salmon with lemon rice, couscous, or quinoa. You can also add a salad recipe like arugula salad, kale salad, kale Caesar salad, or apple salad.

Dietary notes

This chimichurri salmon recipe is pescatarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

Chimichurri Salmon

Save Recipe Recipe Saved

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

This chimichurri salmon pairs moist flaky salmon with the tangy, garlicky punch of this herby Argentinian sauce—these flavors were made for each other! It’s so quick and easy to make broiled, or you can try it baked or grilled.

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4
Category: Main Dish
Method: Oven
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

For the salmon

1 pound wild caught salmon fillets, skin on
Olive oil, for brushing
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for brining
Freshly ground black pepper

For the chimichurri

3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup very finely chopped Italian parsley (1 bunch)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh oregano or cilantro leaves
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
⅓ cup olive oil

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Brine the salmon (see Notes): In a shallow dish, whisk together 4 cups room temperature water and 3 tablespoons kosher salt until it dissolves. Place the salmon in the water and wait for 15 minutes. Meanwhile if baking, preheat the oven to 400°F or if grilling preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450°F). Otherwise, skip this step and preheat the broiler in Step 3.
Make the chimichurri: Combine water and kosher salt in a small saucepan and heat until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a large bowl, stir together the minced garlic, Italian parsley, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Whisk in red wine vinegar, followed by olive oil and then the salt water. Taste and add additional red pepper flakes if desired.
Preheat the broiler to high.
Place a large sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and brush it with olive oil. Pat the salmon dry and place it on the foil skin side down. Brush salmon with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
Broil 4 to 5 minutes for very thin salmon or 7 to 10 minutes for 1-inch thick salmon, until it’s just tender and pink at the center (the internal temperature should be between 125 to 130°F in the center). See Notes for baking and grilling instructions. Remove from the oven. Serve topped with the chimichurri sauce.

Notes

Baked salmon: Bake 10 to 16 minutes, depending on thickness, until just tender and pink at the center (the internal temperature should be between 125 to 130°F in the center). A 1-inch thick fillet should cook in about 15 minutes total.

Grilled salmon: Grill the salmon skin side up for 3 to 5 minutes (where the flames aren’t directly touching the fish), until grill marks appear and it releases from the grates. Flip and cook another 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon, until flaky and just pink at the thickest portion and the internal temperature is 125 to 130°F.

*Note on brining: The brining step helps to bring the salmon to room temperature, which is important when broiling to ensure the salmon is cooked through. It also seasons the salmon and helps to prevent albumin, the white stuff that sometimes rises to the surface of salmon when it cooks.