Serious Salads: Grilled Salmon With Cucumber Basil Salad Recipe

By
Jennifer Segal
Jennifer Segal is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Jennifer Segal

Jennifer Segal is the chef and photographer behind Once Upon a Chef and the author of two cookbooks: Once Upon a Chef and Once Upon A Chef: Weeknight/Weekend.

Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Mar. 30, 2021
2012-04-25-salmon-thai-cucumber-salad.jpg

Warm grilled salmon topped with a punchy Thai-inspired cucumber salad makes a refreshing and light main course. The dressing, made from fresh lime juice, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar, has that classic sweet-sour-salty Thai flavor; use it as a sauce to spoon liberally around the fish.

Recipe Facts

4.4

(5)

Active: 25 mins
Total: 25 mins
Serves: 4 servings

Rate & Comment

Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, from 2 to 3 limes

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 large English cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 cups)

  • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, finely sliced

For the Salmon:

  • 4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each

  • Vegetable oil

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Combine garlic, lime juice, oil, fish sauce, coriander, and sugar in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Season with salt and set aside. Combine cucumbers and basil in a large bowl and set aside in refrigerator.

  2. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.

  3. Rub salmon fillets lightly with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Place fillets skin side down on grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes (resist the urge to peek or flip early; when fillets are nicely seared on the first side, they should release easily). Flip the fillets over and continue grilling until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of filet registers 125°F for medium rare or 130°F for medium, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a large plate and tent with foil. Allow to rest for five minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, toss cucumber and basil with half of dressing. Remove the skin from the salmon if desired. Spoon salad on top and drizzle remaining dressing on and around salmon. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
452 Calories
33g Fat
10g Carbs
29g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 452
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g 42%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 80mg 27%
Sodium 1101mg 48%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 17mg 85%
Calcium 49mg 4%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 674mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

More Serious Eats Recipes