Baked Cilantro Chimichurri Salmon is full of delicious, fresh ingredients and it’s ridiculously easy to make. Perfect for a busy weeknight, and definitely beautiful and impressive enough for a weekend dinner party.
You can whip Baked Cilantro Chimichurri Salmon up in about 15 minutes. Start to finish.
Serve it over rice and sautéed vegetables and you’ll be a star. Really, it’s an incredibly delicious, healthy and gorgeous dish.
What’s in Baked Cilantro Chimichurri Salmon?
Cilantro Chimichurri and salmon. That’s it!
Of course there are a few delicious ingredients in the chimichurri:
- cilantro
- garlic
- red wine vinegar
- lemon juice
- cumin, paprika, crushed red pepper, salt
- extra virgin olive oil
You can read more about Chimichurri and its origins here.
How to Bake Salmon
There are dozens of ways to bake salmon. This is my way. It’s simple, tried and true.
- Try to purchase evenly sized salmon fillets. This way, they’ll all be finished cooking at the same time.
- The oven should be preheated to 375°F before you bake the salmon.
- You can leave the skin on or off. It’s will slide right off after it’s baked.
- It’s best to line your baking dish with foil.
- With or without the skin, and with or without foil, drizzle a light coating of olive oil in the pan before adding the fish.
- Typically, a good rule of thumb is about 10 minutes per inch of thickness.
How can you tell when salmon is done cooking?
- For most fish, and definitely salmon, it’s done when it’s still slightly translucent in the center. If you take it out of the oven at this stage, it’s likely to be perfect. A moment more and it could be on the dry side.
- It should literally flake apart when poked with a fork. If it doesn’t, it’s either still too raw, or it’s overcooked.
- Please take a look at the image below of the bite of salmon on the fork. Notice how it changes color? It’s more opaque on the edges and more of a bright orange towards the center, where it’s less cooked.
What to Serve With Baked Cilantro Chimichurri Salmon
I would suggest serving this with Coconut Cilantro Rice. It’s subtly sweet and perfect to soak up any of the chimichurri sauce that escapes the salmon. I serve it with this almost every time I make it.
Along with the rice, almost any sautéed green vegetable is great.
These three together make for a perfect bowl.
Not a cilantro fan?
I know, you love it or hate it. I happen to love it, but know a few people who don’t.
Here are a few alternatives you can use, following the same instructions in this recipe:
- You can make a traditional chimichurri with parsley.
- Use your favorite pesto!
- A green salsa would also be lovely.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe calls for 6 (8-ounce) salmon fillets. This is 3-pounds. You don’t have to cut it into portions — this recipe can also be made in larger or smaller fillets, even one very large fillet.
- Always ask the fish monger (even in your grocery store!) to portion your fish for you. More often than not, they’ll do it.
- You can make the Cilantro Chimichurri up to four days ahead of time!
- Whether you make it ahead or not, you can save the fifteen minutes and buy jarred chimichurri. I doubt you’ll find cilantro chimmichurri, but there are some good brands out there.
I hope you love it!
Baked Cilantro Chimichurri Salmon
Ingredients
- olive oil for the pan
- 1/3 cup Cilantro Chimichurri (click here for the recipe)
- 6 approximately (8-ounce) salmon fillets (skin on or off)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, and drizzle a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan lightly with olive oil.
- Evenly divide the Cilantro Chimichurri among the salmon fillets. Spread it thinly over the entire top surface.
- Place the salmon in the baking pan and bake in the preheated 375°F for about 10 to 12 minutes, depending on its thickness. It should still be slightly transluscent in the center. If you're not sure it's done, just cut into the thickest part with a very sharp knife. It should almost flake apart.
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angiesrecipes says
Chimichurri is such a wonderful sauce. I love to pair it with so many things…yours with salmon looks terrific!
valentina says
Thank you, Angie! I agree — it goes with so many things. 🙂 ~Valentina
Marissa says
I’ve been craving salmon lately and we’re always up for chimichurri! Definitely need to give this a try! Thank you, Valentina!
valentina says
Thanks, Marissa. Hope you love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
Mimi says
I’m a huge cilantro fan, and I love chimichurri. When we were in Peru last year there were so many varieties of chimichurri, and I had to taste them all! Like some were red. Anyway, love this salmon dish.
valentina says
Red chimichurri! I’m so intrigued and hope to come across it someday. I might just have to plan a trip to Peru. Actually, it’s high on my list of places I’d love to visit. Thanks, Mimi. 🙂 Valentina
Eha says
A simple and delightful meal indeed ! Coriander is immensely popular in Australia already because of its prevalence in our Asian dishes and chimichurri sauce must be used here as often as it is in its native Argentina. Brown nutty rice and steamed bok choi, surely our most used vegetable, would round this for a taste sensation . . . . . .
valentina says
Thank you, Eha. I adore corriander! In almost any form and in any cuisine. I hope you’re having a lovely weekend! 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen says
This is definitely a recipe I want to try soon. As soon as I saw it, I thought I was going to make it for guests this weekend… However, one of the guests is one of “those” people who cannot abide cilantro. Sigh. So perhaps just for Mark and me.
valentina says
Ha! You just made me laugh. It’s a funny (and I think somewhat scientific) thing with people loving or hating cilantro. Hope you and Mark are enjoying the weekend. 🙂 ~Valentina
2pots2cook says
Hello dear ! We are exploring northern Europe and this one is absolutely perfectly published to try here with the gang 🙂 Thank you so much dear !
valentina says
Thank you, Davorka. How lovely to exploring in northern Europe. Hope everyone loves this. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Wow! This looks like it would pack a punch in the ol’ flavour department!! Perfect for a weeknight dinner or entertaining. I’m sure it would go over so well, especially when paired with a glass of wine 🙂 Happy Monday!!
valentina says
Ah yes, perfect with a lovely glass of wine. Happy Monday, to you, my friend! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
Those colors are stunning. This would make an impressive dinner and I love how easy it all comes together. Great combination of flavors.
valentina says
Thanks so much, Kathy. It does come together easily. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Flavia says
I just made this salmon with chimichurri today and it’s delicious!!! I made also the rice with coconut water, soooo good!!!
valentina says
Thank you so much, Flavia! And the rice, too. Yay! This makes me happy. Enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Ron says
We love salmon and have Asian salmon rice bowl weekly, so this is a perfect new twist on a recipe we love. Fresh cilantro is a bit tricky here, but I have frozen in the freezer and will give that a try.
A fantastic tutorial for the proper baking of salmon, my favorite fish. I never order salmon in restaurants because it’s inevitably overcooked. Well done.
valentina says
What an excellent tradition — I think we need to have an Asian salmon rice bowl weekly, too. Great idea. Hope you love this one, Ron. Thank you for visiting and checking out the recipe. 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced says
We’ve been eating a lot of fish recently, and I’ve totally rediscovered a love for salmon! However, you have to mix it up still, and adding the cilantro chimmichurri on top is a great idea. Talk about flavor explosion! Thanks for the tip, Valentina!
valentina says
Thanks, David. An explosion, it is. 😉 Cheers! ~Valentina
Kim Lange says
How delicious this looks! Love that cilantro sauce! Pinning! xo
valentina says
Thanks, Kim! Hope you love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
Coco in the Kitchen says
What a stunning, healthy and delicious dish! Perfect for a weeknight. I can’t wait to make it…TONIGHT!
valentina says
Thank you so my, Colette. I hope you loved it! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Valentina, this salmon with chimichurri looks fantastic! So much flavor! And it would be so wonderful over coconut rice!
valentina says
It’s my favorite side to have with it. The rice is subtly sweet which is great with the little bit of heat in the chimichurri. Thanks so much, Kelly, as always. 🙂 ~Valentina