25+ Healthy Salmon Side Dishes
Wondering what to serve with a salmon dinner? I’ve rounded up 25+ of the best dietitian-designed salmon side dish recipes, including potatoes, whole grains (like rice + quinoa), pastas, vegetables, and salads. Each of these recipes have flavours that pair well with salmon and ingredients to help build a nutritionally-balanced meal!
In this post you’ll find 25+ easy, healthy side dish ideas to serve with salmon. Each recipe has been carefully selected to ensure a delicious flavour pairing! Keep scrolling to browse all recipes or click on the following sections to go straight to them:
Want more salmon recipe inspiration? Check out my roundup of simple, healthy salmon recipes for more ideas and nutrition facts!
Tips For Building A Nutritionally-Balanced Meal
If you’ve come to this page, you’re likely looking for some recipe ideas to build a meal around salmon! As a dietitian, I always try to share my tips for building a meal that’s balanced in nutrition (i.e. having a source of protein, healthy fats, non-starchy veggies, and some fiber-rich or starchy carbohydrates.)
This unique combinations of fat, protein, fiber, and carbohydrates creates a balanced meal that provides you with sustained energy and satiety (fullness), while preventing those unwanted spikes and crashes in blood sugar (or feeling hungry not long after!)
As salmon is an excellent source of complete protein, my advice would be to pair it with a serving of carbohydrates (in the form of potatoes or whole grains) as well as a side of non-starchy veggies.
Alternatively, you may prefer to choose one of the side salads below – many of which are a mixture of veggies + some whole grains themselves! OR, I’ve also included a selection of side pastas which also are a mixture of a starch (pasta) and some veggies.
All the recipes below also include some sources of healthy fats (via olive oil, avocados, nuts, or seeds) and salmon itself is a good source of heart-healthy fats, too! I hope these tips help a bit 🙂
Potato Side Dishes
In this section you’ll find all sorts of potato dishes that go well with salmon! Everything from oven-roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, and crispy smashed potatoes. Some of these recipes are also paired with sauce – feel free to add some extra over the salmon, too.
My personal favourite and go-to potato recipes are the first roasted potatoes with chili + paprika. My partner and I pair them with salmon all the time!
1) Crispy Roasted Potatoes With Chili Powder & Paprika
2) Carrot, Parsnip & Potato Mash
3) Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Pesto
4) Miso Mashed Sweet Potatoes
5) Roasted Potatoes With Za’atar & Lemon
6) Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Parsley Yogurt Sauce
Grain-Based Sides
In this section you’ll find lots of yummy whole grain sides, from creamy coconut corn rice, to 3 different quinoa recipes, and my go-to method for cooking farro.
You may also enjoy pairing the salmon with this green goddess rice or this cheesy butternut squash rice. Both of the original recipes are served with shrimp, but they would taste just as good with salmon!
7) Creamy Coconut Corn Rice
8) Seasoned Quinoa: 3 Ways
9) Simple Cooked Farro
Pasta Side Dishes
In this section you’ll find some veggie-filled pasta recipes that would taste delicious with salmon. A couple of these pasta recipes are originally paired with shrimp, but they taste awesome with salmon too (or seafood, in general!) Simply omit the shrimp and serve as a side to salmon instead.
10) Walnut Pesto Linguine Pasta
11) Simple Caprese Pasta Salad
12) Pasta With Veggies, Zoodles & Spinach
13) Creamy Vegan Zucchini Pesto Pasta
Vegetables To Pair With Salmon
In this section you’ll find plenty of simple veggie side dishes that pack in a ton of flavour! I find that salmon goes particularly well with green veggies, like zucchini, broccoli, green beans, and asparagus.
14) Roasted Asparagus With Pecan Parmesan
15) Grilled Zucchini With Goat Cheese, Basil & Honey
16) Garlic Sautéed Green Beans With Dijon Vinaigrette
17) Roasted Broccolini & Kale With Honey
18) Curry-Roasted Cauliflower With Minty Yogurt Sauce
19) Zucchini Squash Casserole
20) Juicy Roasted Radishes
21) Balsamic Roasted Broccoli
22) Roasted Zucchini With Parmesan & Basil
Side Salads
And finally, in this section you’ll find a handful of refreshing salad recipes that would pair perfectly with salmon!
23) Zucchini Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette
24) Grilled Kale Salad
25) Warm Mushroom Salad
26) Roasted Broccoli Salad With Farro
27) Spinach Goat Cheese Salad
I hope this post has given you tons of inspiration for easy, healthy salmon side dishes. If you make any of these side dish ideas, be sure to let me know in the comments below!
More Recipe Roundups To Explore
- 10+ Simple, Healthy Salmon Recipes
- 20+ Healthy Vegetable Side Dishes
- 20+ Easy, Healthy Pasta Recipes
- 20+ Spring & Summer Salad Recipes
- 15+ Easy, Healthy Shrimp Recipes
- 10+ Easy, Healthy Breakfast Smoothies
If you make any of these recipes, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: 25+ Healthy Salmon Side Dishes, Including Coconut Corn Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 can coconut milk, divided (approx. 400 ml or 13.5 fl oz.)
- 1 cup water
- Salt + pepper, to taste
- 1 can corn, drained (approx. 398 ml or 14 fl oz.)
- Fresh basil, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse brown rice in a sieve then transfer to a large pot.
- Add water, 3/4 cup coconut milk, salt, and pepper to the pot with the rice. Stir, then bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, stir the drained corn into the rice. When the liquid returns to a boil, cover and reduce to low heat. Allow to simmer for about 40 minutes. NOTE: all rice brands are a bit different, so please check the packaging of the rice you're using to see the exact amount of liquid to rice ratio and cooking time!
- Once the liquid has absorbed into the rice and the rice has a fluffy texture, stir in the remainder of the coconut milk. Remove from heat.
- Garnish with chopped basil as desired (optional) and serve with your favourite protein!
Notes
- garlic shrimp with smoked paprika and honey
- baked harissa salmon
- honey-lemon baked salmon with thyme
- baked salmon with pistachio pesto
- crispy turmeric salmon
- runny eggs – fried, soft-boiled, or poached! Stir the yolk in the rice to make it extra creamy 🙂
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.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
