Baked Chimichurri Salmon (25-Minutes)
This soft and delicious baked chimichurri salmon recipe is ready in just 25 minutes. Chimichurri is a fresh parsley sauce made with oregano and red wine vinegar. It’s quick, easy, and nutritious – the perfect weeknight dinner idea!
Chimichurri is a parsley-based sauce that is popular in Argentinian and Uruguayan cuisine. It’s commonly served with meats, but it happens to taste SO good with seafood and veggies too!
This salmon with chimichurri sauce is such a fun and delicious way to change up the flavour of a simple baked salmon dinner. All you need are 7 simple ingredients and about 25 minutes to make it.
As a dietitian, I’m happy to share that both salmon AND parsley are awesome sources of nutrition. This recipe is also a great way to use up any parsley you may have in the fridge.
As always, I’ve included a handful of serving ideas for you to make this a complete, nutritionally-balanced meal below as well. Enjoy!
Want more salmon recipe inspiration? Check out my roundup of simple, healthy salmon recipes for more ideas!
About the ingredients you need
All you need to make this chimichurri salmon are 7 simple, nutritious ingredients:
- Salmon: I like to use fresh rather than previously frozen salmon whenever possible. I find the texture is SO much more soft and tender! You can ask the people behind the fish counter to cut you 4 nice pieces of salmon for this recipe – I usually aim for somewhere between 4-6 ounce per piece.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley is the main component for the chimichurri sauce. You are welcome to use either flat or curly parsley. Unfortunately, this won’t work well with dried parsley.
- Garlic: I used fresh garlic in this sauce as it adds a nice texture to it, but you are welcome to use garlic powder if needed!
- Olive oil: Olive oil is used to blend the parsley together, while lending a source of healthy fat to bake the salmon in.
- Oregano: Dried oregano is a common component of chimichurri and it adds a lovely flavour to the sauce.
- Thyme: I decided to add some dried thyme to the chimichurri as well, as it goes together beautifully! If you enjoy a little kick, some chimichurri recipes also call for a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Red wine vinegar: The acidity from red wine vinegar helps to balance out the flavours in the sauce. Red wine vinegar is what is typically used in chimichurri, but you could use a white vinegar (like apple cider or white wine vinegar) if you’re in a pinch! Some recipes also use lemon juice, which adds acidity as well.
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Step-by-step: how to make baked chimichurri salmon
Place parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano, thyme, and red wine vinegar along with some salt and pepper into a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop the parsley and garlic by hand!
Pulse and blend all the ingredients together to make the chimichurri sauce. Note that the sauce is meant to have texture to it – it’s NOT a smooth, silky sauce.
Evenly spread the chimichurri sauce on top of salmon fillets. The salmon should be placed on a lined baking sheet or in a baking dish.
Transfer to the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, according to desired doneness. I recommend checking at the 15-minute mark, then putting it back in the oven for a couple more minutes if needed!
While this recipe is for baked salmon, you may also do this with grilled salmon or pan-seared salmon! Simply add the chimichurri sauce at the end, before serving. The sauce does not need to be cooked.
What to serve with chimichurri salmon
With the salmon and chimichurri sauce being good sources of protein and healthy fats, I recommend serving this dish with a side of non-starchy veggies and/or complex carbs to round out the meal!
For some simple veggies:
- these oven-roasted radishes (as pictured), roasted broccoli, or roasted zucchini – you can roast them in the oven at the same time as the salmon!
- some simple sautéed greens (like spinach or kale), zucchini, or sautéed celery
- you could also serve this with a simple side salad with your favourite salad dressing or perhaps this massaged avocado kale salad
Some ideas for starches:
- cooked whole grains like farro, quinoa, or brown rice – you could even add this salmon to a yummy grain bowl or rice bowl!
- pasta, couscous, or orzo – keep it simple by tossing with some olive oil, garlic, chopped herbs, and freshly-grated parmesan
- mashed, steamed, or roasted potatoes OR sweet potatoes
Looking for more ideas? Check out my post on salmon side dish ideas for more inspiration!
Salmon nutrition benefits
Salmon is an excellent source of quality, complete protein, which helps to protect bone health and prevent muscle loss, among many other functions.
- a 3-ounce serving provides 17 grams
- a 6-ounce piece will give you 34 grams
In addition to protein, salmon is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3s. Omega-3s are known to support heart health, brain health, and to reduce inflammation overall.
On the micronutrient side, salmon is a great source of B vitamins like:
- vitamin B12
- vitamin B6
- thiamin
- riboflavin
- niacin
B vitamins act as coenzymes in many important metabolic processes throughout your body, such as turning the food we eat into energy!
Salmon is also a good source of minerals like potassium and selenium.
Parsley nutrition benefits
Sometimes we forget that fresh herbs are an awesome source of nutrients, just like veggies.
This salmon recipe uses a lot of parsley to make the chimichurri sauce, so you’re able to reap the benefits of parsley much more than when you just use it as a garnish!
1 cup of fresh parsley provides 2 grams or about 8% of your daily needs of dietary fiber.
It’s also rich in vitamins like:
- vitamin K
- vitamin C
- vitamin A
- vitamin B6
…and minerals like:
- iron
- potassium
- calcium
- magnesium
Healthy Seafood Dinners Ebook
Enjoy this recipe? You will love my 118-page eCookbook of 50 easy, delicious, and nutritious seafood dinner recipes. Get instant access from your phone, tablet, or computer – ad-free!
More baked salmon recipes:
- Baked Chili Salmon With Honey
- Baked Honey Lemon Salmon With Thyme
- Baked Miso Maple & Ginger Salmon
- Baked Harissa Salmon Over Lemon Quinoa
- Balsamic Baked Salmon With Strawberry Salsa
Did you give this Baked Chimichurri Salmon Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
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Get the Recipe: 25-Minute Baked Chimichurri Salmon
Ingredients
- 4x 4-6 oz salmon fillets
Chimichurri Sauce:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup fresh parsley (flat or curly)
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1/2 tsp oregano, dried
- 1/2 tsp thyme, dried
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place salmon fillets on the baking sheet.
- In a food processor, add parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano, thyme, and red wine vinegar along with some salt and pepper.
- Pulse and blend all the ingredients together to make the chimichurri sauce, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed. Adjust seasonings to taste.Please note that the sauce is meant to have texture to it – it's NOT a smooth, silky sauce.
- Evenly spread the chimichurri sauce on top of the salmon fillets.
- Transfer salmon to the oven and allow to bake for about 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness and desired doneness. When done, the insides of the fish should be opaque and no longer a translucent pink colour – I recommend checking at the 15-minute mark, then putting it back in the oven for a couple more minutes if needed.
- Remove salmon from oven and serve with desired sides. Enjoy!
Notes
- Leftover cooked salmon will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- If you have leftovers that you don’t want to reheat (I know that can compromise the texture of salmon), I’d recommend keeping them cold and adding them as the protein component of a grain bowl or salad the next day. It would make the perfect, healthy lunch!
- While this recipe is for baked salmon, you may also do this with grilled salmon or pan-seared salmon! Simply add the chimichurri sauce at the end, before serving. The sauce does not need to be cooked.
- I like to use fresh rather than previously frozen salmon whenever possible. I find the texture is SO much more soft and tender.
- I used fresh garlic to in this sauce as it adds a nice texture to it, but you are welcome to use garlic powder if needed.
- Red wine vinegar is what is typically used in chimichurri, but you could use a white vinegar (like apple cider or white wine vinegar) if you’re in a pinch! Some recipes also use lemon juice, which also adds acidity.
- If you enjoy a little kick, some chimichurri recipes also call for a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
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