Mediterranean Style Salmon – Delicious and Healthy!
Since finding out that I like salmon (specifically Northwest Salmon) I’ve been enjoying experimenting with different ways to prepare and serve this delightful fish!
One of my new favorites is my easy to make Mediterranean Style Salmon.
This is one of my Restaurant Style Dishes that you can make easily in your own home in less time than it takes to pick-up takeout and for a fraction of the cost of eating out……. What could be better?
Everyone has busy lives and eating well has to be one of the most important decisions we need to make. But eating healthy doesn’t mean we need to scrimp on the flavors and my Mediterranean Style Salmon is loaded with flavor.
With a busy lifestyle, we need to find healthy flavorful dishes that we can make in a short amount of time, and of course, we need them to be cost-effective.
Since my recent find of Northwest Coho Salmon at Costco, good salmon has become affordable and since its IQF frozen, readily available.
What do I need to make Mediterranean Style Salmon?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Mediterranean style salmon. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Can I use the tapenade with other fish?
Yes, you can. This topping will be a wonderful addition to any of your favorite white flesh fish.
These are some of my favorites:
- Mahi-Mahi
- Grouper
- Red Snapper
- Flounder
You can make the feta-olive tapenade ahead of time to even save yourself, even more, time and do yourself a favor and make a little extra because you’re going to love the flavor of my feta-olive tapenade. It should be served cold on top of the cooked salmon.
Do I have to use Feta Cheese in this Tapenade?
No, you don’t.
I also like this tapenade with Bleu Cheese or Gorgonzola.
If you’re not fond of cheese you can leave it out altogether.
It makes a great bruschetta topping and would be delicious with grilled chicken or any other fish. Serve this dish with your favorite side dish or just a salad and you have a healthy delicious restaurant-style dinner on your table in less than 30 minutes!
If you enjoyed this recipe you might also like these recipes:
- Blackened Salmon with a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
- Pan Seared Halibut
- How to Poach Mahi-Mahi (or your favorite fish)
- Grilled Atlantic Rockfish
Mediterranean Style Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 salmon filets Sockeye, Coho or Atlantic
- ½ cup mixed olives
- ½ cup diced tomato
- ⅓ cup feta crumbles
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar or more to taste
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Salmon
- preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- rinse the salmon under cold running water
- remove skin from salmon if still attached by careful running a knife between the skin and flesh of the salmon
- sprinkle the top of the salmon with sea salt and black pepper
- place the salmon in a baking dish with a little water in the dish to keep the salmon from drying out
- place the dish in oven and bake for 15 minutes
- Remove from oven and top with the cold feta-olive tapenade
Tapenade
- chop the mixed olives and tomatoes in a small dice
- finely chop Italian parsley
- mix the olives, tomatoes, parsley and feta crumbles together adding the olive oil and balsamic vinegar
- season to taste with sea salt and black pepper
- Top the salmon liberally with the feta-olive tapenade and serve
Bec
The whole dish looks great – but that feta-olive tapenade looks amazing – I imagine using it for heaps more!!! Thanks!
Paul Carrig
Just made this for me and my girlfriend.
I served it with lemon and rosemary rice and it was delicious.
This is the first time I’ve cooked salmon without the skin on and in water in the oven, it came out so good. Finally the tapenade was so good and a perfect compliment to the salmon.
Such a good recipe than you chef 😀
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Paul
I’m very happy to hear that my salmon recipe was a hit at your house! Remember to always add a little water to the pan whenever you oven roast fish, to help it stay moist.
Now you have to try my tiramisu recipe and really wow your girlfriend!
Paul Carrig
If only she liked coffee! Anything else that would be a nice follow dessert to this recipe?
I made this again tonight but used sun dried tomato rice and did cajun season king prawns with it…..delicious! Easily my favourite recipe I’ve found this year. Thanks chef Dennis!
Chef Dennis Littley
A strawberry gelato or lemon gelato would be a good choice.
Robin E.
I am planning on using this delicious-looking recipe for my New Year’s Eve party but I do have a question. Do you usually heat up the tapenade or is it served cold/room temperature? Thanks!!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Robin
I thought about heating it up but ended up serving at room temp. I think that was definitely the way to go, I think heating it would make the flavor profile too intense.
John
Outstanding recipe! I changed the Salmon a little to bake in foil (olive oil/lemon juice), but made the tapenade exactly. One of the best Samon dishes I’ve tried on my own. High marks from my fiancée. Thanks for this!
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m very happy to hear you enjoyed my recipe John, the tapenade is an excellent way to enjoy salmon!
Brenda Morgan
Hi Chef Dennis! I love your recipes! This salmon looks fantastic. I have salmon in the freezer, so this is dinner tonight! Thank you for such simple yet awesome recipes!
Chef Dennis Littley
Your welcome Brenda and thank you for stopping by my blog today! I hope you find more recipes to keep you coming back
Rachel Pourchier
Fabulous and super easy to prepare
Chef Dennis Littley
Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Rachel!
Jamie Kennedy
I see your response that you do not post calories, but just another comment on that; if recipes are listed under “healthy” it would be helpful to know nutritional information, not just calories. There are many people out here these days with different types of diet restrictions who need to know that information. There are programs like Mastercook that calculate that, and that you could use to find that information. It’s a nuisance to put all of a recipe in, and then discover that it does not fall within restrictions you might have.
Chef Dennis Littley
I would suggest anyone on that type of diet, use one of those programs for all of their meals before cooking. I’m on a low calorie , GF, Soy Free diet myself and pretty much use common sense. If you’re on a restricted diet having that program to input all your meals is something each individual should do. Most cookbooks and magazine recipes don’t include nutritional information.
thanks for your input.
Modi Sikhosana
Can I order your cook book?
Chef Dennis Littley
I don’t have a cookbook Modi, but thank you for asking.
Alberta Gittelsohn
Please post calories for your wonderful healthy recipes. I need to know! Thank you.
Chef Dennis Littley
Sorry Alberta, but I don’t figure out calories of my recipes or supply any nutritional info, just the recipe I use to make my dishes.
Kim Bultman | a little lunch
Dennis, I always have salmon in the freezer — plus tapenade is a favorite o’mine. Genius flavor combo… you ROCK!!!
Maureen
Hi Chef Dennis. This is just so mouthwatering. Definitely perfect to eat with rice. I love salmon. It looks so amazing!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks Maureen, I’m happy to hear you like my Salmon!
Liz
Yum – thanks so much and Have Easter to you!
Chef Dennis Littley
your welcome Liz, Happy Easter to you as well!
LindY G
I am a big fan of salmon, the recipe sounds so delicious. Thank you bunches for sharing.
Chef Dennis Littley
I love tapenade Lindy and its a nice addition to salmon, hope you enjoy it!
minnie@thelady8home
Mouthwatering Chef, that’s great stuff. I love the look of the rice you have served it with. Bookmarked, again.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks Minnie!
constance Schecher
an absolutely fabulous recipe for salmon salmon is not only my favorite but it’s very good for your brain and your heart organs big time for real so eat Good and Plenty and I don’t mean the candy
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks Constance! I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed my recipe
Larry
This sounds totally delicious and must be tried
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks Larry, it was pretty awesome!