This grilled salmon with Nordic berry salsa and herb yogurt sauce is summer on a plate. It will liven up your weeknight dinner but is also perfect for entertaining.

Classic Salmon

Salmon is a favorite at our house. Whether pan-seared (my favorite), roasted, smoked, or grilled, it’s always a hit.

I was surprised to see that I didn’t already have a blog post for grilled salmon, but perhaps it’s because we generally keep the grilling so simple that no recipe is required. Simply sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper, grill, and serve.

From Plain to Lively

Of course, every now and then it’s fun to mix it up. One of the simplest ways to add pizazz to plain salmon is with sauces and toppings.

Here are some delicious topping and sauce ideas for salmon:

• Pesto
• Pineapple salsa
• Nordic berry salsa
• Yogurt herb sauce
• Avocado sauce

Yogurt Herb Sauce

For this recipe, I chose to add yogurt herb sauce. A classic, Nordic-style sauce with dill and chives that brings me back to childhood. My mom would make a similar sauce, but used a combination of sour cream and mayo. I recommend taste testing and adjusting to your liking. Not a mayo fan? You could make it with just yogurt, it will just be a bit more tart.

Nordic Berry Salsa

Staying with the Nordic and summer theme, I also topped the whole fish with fresh berries. The idea here is to use what is in season. Blackberries, boysenberries, and wild blueberries would also be great. I combined the fresh berries with a little chopped parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a drizzle of honey.

I’m calling it Nordic Berry Salsa because I think it sounds fun. My teen boys, however, said they would have preferred the berries plain and on the side. They also felt that out of all the berries, the blueberries tasted best with the salmon. (I, of course, liked them all!)

Health Benefits of Salmon

Salmon is one of those foods that is great to include in your diet on a regular basis. In addition to providing 6 grams of protein per ounce, salmon is rich in vitamin B12 and a type of fat known as omega-3.

There are three types of omega 3 fatty acids: ALA, DHA, and EPA. ALA is found in a variety of plant-based foods, including walnuts, chia seeds, flax meal, hemp seeds, soybeans, and canola oil. It’s also found in eggs when the hens are fed a high ALA diet.

DHA and EPA

DHA and EPA are only found in seafood and algae. While all seafood contains some, the ones with the highest amount include salmon, herring, tuna, mackerel, sardines, oysters, and mussels. The benefits of including DHA and EPA in your diet may include:

• May reduce the risk of depression (Source)
• Reduced risk of heart disease; reduced triglycerides (Source)
• Improved infant health and development; however, pregnant and nursing mothers should be sure to consume seafood that is low in mercury (Source)
• Improved ADHD (Source)
• Reduced inflammation–helpful in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (Source) but also for reducing muscle soreness due to exercise (Source)

The American Heart Association recommends that people without heart disease consume at least 8 ounces (about 2 servings) of fatty fish, such as salmon, per week. Individuals with heart disease should consume 1,000 mg of DHA and EPA per day. (Source: Seafood Health Facts)

Note: You should only take omega 3 supplements under the supervision of a doctor.

Hälsa Kids

As always, I recommend serving this meal family-style, letting everyone help themselves. I generally leave salmon and other fish intact as a whole filet and let everyone choose their portion size.

While I added the berries to the fish for the sake of this photo, normally I would leave them on the side and let my kids make their plate how they want it. (Or I may add just a few for a pop of color).

If you have younger kids, letting them help you make the yogurt sauce is a great way to encourage them to try it. You could also have them help you garnish the plate. (My mom used to have me run to the garden and get some parsley/dill/chives throughout my childhood and teen years. A simple addition that makes such a difference and a tradition that I’m happy to carry on.)

Let’s Get Cooking

Alright, if you are ready to dive into this recipe, here it is. Again, it’s a really simple recipe. You can make the sauce up to a day in advance. The berries should be mixed together just before serving.

Grilled Salmon with Nordic Berry Salsa and Yogurt Sauce

This grilled salmon with Nordic berry salsa and herb yogurt sauce is summer on a plate. It will liven up your weeknight dinner but is also perfect for entertaining.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course dinner

Cuisine Gluten-free, Nordic, Scandinavian

Equipment

• Grill

Ingredients

  

Herb Yogurt Sauce

• 1/2 cup Greek or Skyr yogurt, plain, full-fat
• 1/4 cup mayonaise
• 1/4 cup chopped dill or parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped chives or scallions
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (1/4 – 1/2 lemon)
• salt to taste

Nordic Berry Salsa

• 1 ¼ cup blueberries raspberries, and diced strawberries
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey

Salmon

• 1 ½ pounds salmon filet
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat grill.
• Make sauce by combining ingredients in a bowl. Taste test and adjust as needed. Set aside. (This can be made up to a day in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge.)
• Combine the berries and parsley in a bowl. Whisk together the honey and lemon and drizzle over.
• Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side, until just cooked through. Serve with the berries ("Nordic Salsa") and herb yogurt sauce.

Notes

Side suggestions: Green salad, boiled baby potatoes, and baguette or crisp bread.

Keyword blueberries, cashew yogurt, chives, dill, grill, omega-3’s, raspberries, salmon, strawberries, summer