Baked Salmon Mango Salsa (Printable)
Tender salmon fillets baked and topped with a fresh, zesty mango salsa for a light main course.
# What You Need:
→ Salmon
01 - 4 salmon fillets, 6 oz each, skin-on or skinless
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1 tsp paprika
05 - ½ tsp salt
06 - ½ tsp black pepper
07 - 1 lemon, sliced
→ Mango Salsa
08 - 1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced
09 - ½ red bell pepper, diced
10 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
11 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
12 - 1 small jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped (optional)
13 - Juice of 1 lime
14 - ¼ tsp salt
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange the salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and rub evenly with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Place a lemon slice atop each fillet.
03 - Bake the fillets for 12 to 15 minutes until the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
04 - While salmon bakes, combine diced mango, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño if using, lime juice, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir gently to mix, then set aside.
05 - Remove salmon from the oven and allow it to rest for 2 minutes.
06 - Spoon the mango salsa generously over each salmon fillet before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes fancy enough to impress someone, but honest enough that you won't stress making it on a weeknight.
- The mango salsa is bright and refreshing in a way that makes salmon feel less heavy and more summery, no matter the season.
- Everything comes together in thirty minutes, which means less time staring at your watch and more time actually enjoying the meal.
02 -
- Don't skip the parchment paper—I learned this the hard way when salmon skin stuck stubbornly to the sheet, and it took all my joy out of an otherwise perfect meal.
- Taste the salsa before you serve it; the lime juice and salt are personal, and you might want to adjust them based on how sweet your mango is.
- If your salmon looks like it's cooking too fast on top, drape a loose tent of foil over it for the last few minutes—nobody wants a dried-out edge.
03 -
- If you want extra flavor, marinate the salmon in the olive oil and spices for thirty minutes before baking—it deepens everything without adding complexity.
- Squeeze your lime juice fresh right before you make the salsa, and let it sit for just five minutes before serving so the flavors meld without the salsa getting watery.