You can choose a sauce that goes with salmon, depending on what kind of flavors you want to bring out in the dish. For instance, for mild flavors, you can opt for a creamy white wine sauce, while for a more robust flavor, you can opt for a spicy tomato sauce.
Salmon is an excellent source of protein, and it goes great with just about any kind of sauce.
But salmon can be served with more than a handful of different sauces.
It all depends on what you’re serving it with, and what you like on top.
So today I’m going to share with you some of the best sauces to serve with salmon.
Read Also: What Sauce To Serve With Salmon Wellington? 10 Best Sauces
What Sauce Goes with Salmon? 20 Best Sauces
Salmon is one of the most versatile fish around, and there are a number of sauces that you can use to complement this delicious fish. While you can pair it with cream sauce, you can also pair it with a spicy sauce like Thai chili sauce, or even a sweet and creamy one.
Looking for more options?
Then keep scrolling!
1. Creamy Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
This is my favorite sauce for grilled salmon.
It’s extremely simple to make and goes with just about anything!
If you’re looking for something different than the usual BBQ, this is the perfect choice.
2. Honey Mustard Sauce
If you’re looking for something sweet and creamy to go with your salmon, creamy honey mustard sauce might just be the perfect choice.
To prepare this sauce, you’ll need mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, honey and black pepper (optional).
Combine these ingredients in a small bowl until they form a smooth mixture.
Although this sauce pairs best with baked salmon fillets, feel free to use it on grilled salmon as well.
3. Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Tomatillo salsa verde is a Mexican green sauce made from tomatillos, the small green tomato-like fruit that is related to the Cape gooseberry.
This mildly spicy sauce is great with salmon because it is not so strong that it overwhelms the delicate flavor of the fish.
To make this sauce, you’ll need tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos, cilantro and lime juice.
Tomatillos are available year-round in most supermarkets; if you can’t find them, their more well-known cousin, the green tomato, makes a fine substitute.
Canned tomatillos are also available if you prefer not to use fresh ones.
When making this salsa verde sauce for salmon, add the garlic and jalapenos first to make sure you get the right amount of heat.
Jalapenos vary widely in their spiciness; if you want a hotter sauce, add more than one or substitute serrano chiles for some or all of them.
You can use this tomatillo salsa verde as an accompaniment for salmon or as a condiment for other dishes.
You can also use it as a dipping sauce or to dress tacos or burritos.
4. Creamy Yogurt Dill Sauce
This cool, creamy sauce is made with yogurt, lemon juice and fresh dill weed.
It’s great for dipping or as a sauce for grilled salmon.
You’ll want to make extra for leftovers and for dipping vegetables, too!
5. White Wine Sauce
A white wine sauce is light and delicate and will not overpower the fish.
You can use any white wine that you like, but many people choose a sauvignon blanc for this recipe.
It goes well with prawns and vegetables too.
6. Miso Glaze
Try a miso glaze for your salmon if you want to mimic the flavors of your favorite sushi restaurant.
Miso is a fermented soybean paste that’s often used in Japanese cuisine.
You can find it at many grocery stores and health food stores.
To make a miso glaze, all you have to do is mix 2 tablespoons of miso paste with 1 tablespoon each of honey and oil.
A small amount of fresh ginger adds extra zing; grate it right into the glaze.
Coat the salmon with the mixture, then bake it in the oven or grill it on the barbecue.
7. Sweet and Sour Sauce
Sweet and sour sauce is a popular choice of sauce for salmon, as it contributes to the balance of flavors.
The dish combines the sweet taste of sugar or honey, with the sour taste of vinegar.
Often served with vegetables, pineapple, peppers and onions, sweet and sour sauce also goes well with salmon.
This sauce can be made from scratch, but there are also many pre-made sauces available.
8. Teriyaki Sauce
This Asian sauce is one of my favorites for salmon.
It gives the fish a sweet and salty taste and a nice glaze, which will make your dish look mouth-watering.
You can buy ready-made teriyaki sauce in any grocery store and simply pour it over the cooked fish.
9. Dill Sauce
One great sauce for salmon is dill sauce.
You can use dried dill to make the sauce, or you can use fresh dill.
If using fresh dill, add a little bit of lemon juice to the sauce as well.
10. Lemon Dill Butter Sauce
Lemon dill butter sauce is an excellent choice to pair with salmon because the lemon complements the taste of the fish while the dill adds just a touch of interesting flavor.
This is one of the easiest sauces you’ll ever make — just combine butter with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and dill in a small bowl and mix them together well.
That’s all there is to it! Spoon this sauce over your salmon before serving.
11. Cucumber Dill Yogurt Sauce
A tangy yogurt-based sauce will complement the rich flavor of your salmon.
Cucumber dill yogurt sauce has a light and refreshing taste, it’s easy to make, and it goes well with grilled or baked salmon.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill weed (or 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Let sit for at least 30 minutes prior to serving to allow the flavors to blend.
This recipe makes enough for four servings of salmon.
12. Soy Garlic Sauce
Salmon with soy garlic sauce is another favorite! It’s savory, tangy, sweet, spicy and garlicky.
This sauce is made with soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and brown sugar. Delicious!
The brown sugar makes it sweet while the soy sauce gives it that umami flavor you want in a good Asian-inspired dish.
I love making this salmon recipe on busy nights or when I want a quick meal that’s also really tasty!
13. Mustard Dill Sauce
Salmon is a rich and flavorful fish, so it can stand up to a wide range of sauce flavors.
However, it’s important not to overpower the salmon with a sauce that is too bold and acidic. Mustard dill sauce will pair well with grilled or baked salmon.
You can also try this:
- Brush fillets with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Broil or grill them until cooked through and flaky.
- Meanwhile, mix 1/2 cup of light mayonnaise with 1/4 cup of Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons each of fresh lemon juice and minced fresh dill.
- Serve the sauce on the side or drizzle it over the cooked fish.
14. Soy Ginger Sauce
Soy sauce and ginger go well with most salmon, but this is especially true of grilled salmon.
The grilled flavor lends itself well to the Asian flavors in soy sauce and ginger.
You can make this sauce simply by combining soy sauce and freshly grated ginger, or you can add some garlic, too.
If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, try simmering it with some orange juice and then mixing in a bit of honey for sweetness.
You can also try this:
- Brush salmon fillets with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Grill or broil them until cooked through and flaky.
- Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons each of grated orange peel, fresh gingerroot and orange juice, 1 teaspoon of dark sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Heat in a small skillet until warmed through.
- Serve the sauce on the side or drizzle it over the cooked fish.
15. Caper Sauce
A creamy caper sauce makes an elegant topper for a baked salmon filet or a simple pan-seared piece of salmon.
The capers give the sauce a briny flavor that complements the fish beautifully.
16. Creamy Horseradish Sauce
If you want something a little less traditional and more spicy, you can mix sour cream with horseradish to make an easy horseradish sauce.
This works especially well with grilled salmon, as the smoky flavor goes nicely with the sharpness of the horseradish.
17. Chimichurri Sauce
Chimichurri is an herby sauce that typically features parsley, cilantro, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes in a vinegar base.
It’s a great condiment for grilled meats and vegetables, but it also makes an excellent sauce for fish like salmon steaks or fillets.
Eat it at room temperature or chill it first — either way it’s delicious!
18. Tarragon Sauce
Even though tarragon is a classic French herb, this sauce pairs very well with salmon.
Creamy tarragon sauces go particularly well with steamed or poached salmon; they’re also delicious over grilled fish.
19. Tomato Salsa
Tomato salsa is a savory condiment made from tomatoes, onions, green peppers and other spices.
It is often used as a dipping sauce for appetizers or chips, but it also goes well on grilled fish such as salmon.
Tomato salsa can be mild or hot depending on how much spice you want in the fish.
20. Hollandaise
One of the five mother sauces, hollandaise is made by emulsifying egg yolks and butter.
The flavor is rich and buttery, so it can be overpowering if used in excess, but it works well with fish because it doesn’t have a strong, competing taste.
It’s also a good choice if you’re serving other foods that benefit from a mild sauce — eggs Benedict is a classic hollandaise dish — because you can use the same sauce for everything.
How to Choose Which Sauce to Serve with Salmon
When it comes to pan-seared salmon, the sauce you make to accompany it is what transforms a delicious piece of fish into an amazing meal.
The key to choosing a great sauce is to consider the type of salmon you are serving.
With so many different types of sauces available, it can be hard to decide which one is the best for your particular dish.
To help you choose the right sauce for your fish, here are some tips:
1. Consider the type of salmon you have chosen
Salmon is typically cooked in a skillet and served with a sauce on top.
There are many different kinds of sauces available, so when choosing a sauce for your salmon, consider what type of salmon you have chosen and how it will pair with the sauce.
2. Look at the other ingredients in your meal
If you are planning on serving this dish with rice or potatoes, then consider using a tomato or cream-based sauce on top.
If you want something lighter, then try something like lemon juice or white wine vinegar instead.
3. Think about what flavors you would like to highlight with this meal
Some people prefer sweet sauces while others prefer savory ones.
Think about what flavors will compliment each other well and what kind of flavor profile they will create when mixed together.
5 Extra Tips for Serving Sauces with Salmon
The best thing to do with a great piece of salmon is to season the fish simply and cook it well.
After that, adding a sauce for flavor can be a great idea.
This can be challenging, however.
When you make a sauce for salmon, you need to consider its richness and fattiness.
With that in mind, here are 5 tips when serving sauces with salmon:
1. Consider acidity
Salmon is rich and fatty, which means that it pairs best with sauces that have some acidity.
A squeeze of lemon juice or a drizzle of vinegar can help cut through the richness of the fish to provide balance on your palate.
2. Go light on cream
Cream-based sauces tend to be far too rich for salmon — again, because salmon is so rich itself.
If you do want to serve your fish with a cream sauce, keep it very light and balanced by adding plenty of other flavors (like herbs or spices) in addition to the cream.
3. Ensure That The Sauce Is Not Too Thick
You will want to make sure that the sauce has the right consistency for dipping or for pouring over your fish.
If the sauce is too thick, then it will have a difficult time penetrating the fish and flavoring it properly.
You do not want to get stuck with a piece of fish where half of it is dry and other half has too much sauce on it.
When making your own sauces from scratch, make sure that you add enough water or any other liquid ingredients so that you get the consistency just right.
You can also thin out store-bought sauces by mixing them with water until they reach the desired thickness.
4. Try a new sauce
If you’ve been making the same sauce for years, try something new to pair with your salmon.
There are many different sauces that work well with salmon and the variety will help keep your salmon dishes from becoming boring and predictable.
5. Vary the spices
Spices can also help cut through the richness of salmon and make it more enjoyable.
Try adding some cayenne or pepper flakes to spice up your salmon or even add a bit of ginger to give it some zing.
Why Serve A Sauce with Salmon?
Salmon is a popular fish with a buttery texture, which is why it’s often served with melted butter.
A sauce, however, can add flavor and texture to the fish. Sauces are also versatile, so you can create new flavors and enjoy different sauces with salmon.
Here are several reasons why you should consider serving a sauce with salmon:
1. To Add More Flavor
Salmon has a natural flavor that is delicious on its own. When you cook salmon, the fish releases oils that enhance its taste.
If you want more flavor in your salmon, serve it with a flavor-packed sauce.
2. To Balance the Taste
You may be used to eating bland fish dishes or adding lemon to your salmon to make it taste better.
The problem is that lemon juice can overpower the taste of salmon and make it too sour.
A flavorful sauce will counteract this effect by balancing out the sourness of the lemon juice without taking away from the natural taste of the salmon.
3. To Add Texture
A sauce adds an extra layer of texture to your salmon dish that makes it more interesting to eat.
This is especially important if your dish has an otherwise smooth texture like mashed potatoes or rice.
The addition of a sauce will give your dish some needed crunchiness.
FAQ
What’s the best sauce to go with salmon and potatoes?
The best pairing for salmon and potatoes is one of the most classic sauces in the world. Béarnaise.
It’s the perfect combination of buttery, creamy, salty and tangy.
It’s a great way to make salmon pop without overpowering it.
What sauce goes with salmon and pasta?
The classic pairing for salmon and pasta is a creamy white sauce.
You can serve this sauce over the salmon or mix it into the pasta as you’re serving it.
What sauce goes with salmon and rice?
When it comes to pairing salmon and rice, a creamy and tangy sauce is a great option.
For example, a creamy white wine sauce or a creamy white wine sauce that has been spiked with horseradish and lemon juice is perfect for the salmon and rice combination.
What’s a healthy sauce to serve for salmon?
Light sauces are a great way to add flavor and cut the fat content in your meals.
A healthy, simple and quick recipe for a light sauce is to mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and fresh dill.
It’s a refreshing dip that is perfect for summer!
What’s a good sauce for grilled salmon?
One of the best sauces to pair with grilled salmon is one that has some tangy and zesty flavors.
You can choose from a variety of sauces such as spicy tomato sauce, chimichurri, or tartar sauce.
What’s a good sauce for baked salmon?
If you’re looking to bake salmon, it’s important to have the right sauce.
While you may be tempted to use a creamy butter sauce, opt for a tartar sauce or even a tartare sauce instead.
The acidity of the sauce will balance out the richness of the baked salmon.
What sauce goes with smoked salmon?
Smoked salmon is one of those dishes that is a great starter for entertaining.
The perfect accompaniment to smoked salmon is a light vinaigrette that is flavored with capers and fresh herbs.
The dressing is a bit tangy, and it’s perfect for dipping the toasts in.
What sauce goes with salmon patties?
A simple and classic pairing for salmon patties is lemon and dill sauce.
The bright, fresh taste of the dill really brings out the natural flavor of the fish and pairs well with the tartness of the lemon.
What sauce goes with salmon en croute?
Salmon en croute is a French dish that is served with a creamy sauce and usually served with a side of pasta or potatoes.
You can serve this dish with a variety of sauces, but one of the most popular is hollandaise sauce.
What sauce goes with salmon wellington?
A classic choice for salmon wellington is a white wine butter sauce.
It’s a simple combination of butter, white wine and lemon juice that brings out the flavor of the fish.
Alternatively, you can opt for a raspberry sauce, which is a blend of raspberry puree, sugar and balsamic vinegar.
The sweetness of the raspberry pairs well with the delicate flavor of salmon.
What sauce goes with salmon burgers?
A béarnaise sauce is the perfect complement for salmon burgers.
The richness of the sauce pairs well with the meatiness of the fish.
It’s also important to note that béarnaise sauce is quite easy to make and will only take about 10 minutes.
What flavors go well with salmon?
Salmon pairs beautifully with sweet flavors.
Sweet and tangy sauces like balsamic, pineapple, and honey mustard work well.
The flavor of the salmon will be highlighted.
How can I make my salmon taste better?
If you’re looking for a way to improve the flavor of your salmon, there are a few simple steps you can take.
The first is to marinate it in a citrus-based vinaigrette.
The acidity in the vinaigrette will cut the strong flavor of the fish and make it more palatable.
The second step is to add some fresh herbs to the marinade.
A little basil, cilantro or parsley will really perk up the flavor of your salmon.
Finally, don’t overcook your salmon.
You want it to be cooked through, but not too done. If you overcook it, the fish will become tough and chewy.
Overcooked salmon is dry, tough and not at all pleasant.
The most foolproof method for cooking salmon is to bake it in the oven at 275 F until the internal temperature reaches between 115 F and 125 F.
Another way to cook salmon that yields a very moist, tender result is to poach it in water or wine for about 10 minutes.
If you don’t want to use alcohol, add some aromatics such as lemon slices, peppercorns and bay leaves.
Pan-searing (for rare or medium-rare) or grilling (for medium) are also good ways to cook salmon — just be careful not to overcook it.
Final Thoughts
A sauce can make or break a recipe.
You can have the most beautiful, perfectly cooked piece of fish, but without an amazing sauce, it’s a bit of a letdown.
The same goes for any other protein or ingredient: A great sauce takes your dish to whole new level.
Not only does a delicious sauce enhance the flavor of your dish, but it also adds visual appeal and eye-catching color.
Just imagine a saucy piece of salmon served over rice…it’s really pretty!
One of the biggest mistakes people make with salmon is serving it completely unadorned.
While there’s nothing wrong with grilling salmon and serving it au naturel, most professional chefs will tell you that fish actually tastes better when served with a sauce.
Sauces for fish are typically referred to as “wet” sauces, as opposed to dry seasonings.
Many of them are finished with butter and have a creamy texture.
Some of the most popular include variations on hollandaise, beurre blanc, and different styles of vinaigrettes or remoulades.
There are also some interesting Asian-inspired sauces that work well with fish.
A sauce doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective.
You can make a very simple emulsified sauce by mixing together softened butter and fresh herbs in a food processor.
If you want to get into more elaborate preparations, consider making a classic Hollandaise sauce, which involves whisking egg yolks over simmering water before slowly incorporating butter and lemon juice.
Regardless of which sauce you choose, it’s very important that you pair it carefully with your protein.
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Ingredients
- Creamy Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
- Honey Mustard Sauce
- Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- Creamy Yogurt Dill Sauce
- White Wine Sauce
- Miso Glaze
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Dill Sauce
- Lemon Dill Butter Sauce
- Cucumber Dill Yogurt Sauce
- Soy Garlic Sauce
- Mustard Dill Sauce
- Soy Ginger Sauce
- Caper Sauce
- Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Tarragon Sauce
- Tomato Salsa
- Hollandaise
Instructions
- Pick one of these easy and tasty sauces to serev with your salmon dinner.
- Prepare the ingredients according to the recipe.
- Be ready to eat in less than 25 minutes!
Hi, I'm Benjamin. I love cooking, long walks, and my girlfriend! Here you’ll find simple and delicious recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less.