Why This Spicy Salmon Recipe is Soooo Awesome!

• Tangy citrus infusion of flavors
• Super easy to make with just 5 minutes of prep
• Ready in 25 minutes
• Minimum mess, made in one dish or baking sheet
• Can be made super spicy, or just mildly hot (up to you!) 
• Healthy and loaded with nutrients

What to Serve With Spicy Salmon

This recipe makes enough for a main meal serving for 4 people. You’ll want to add some grains or salad as a side dish. Here are a few side suggestions.

• 5-minute Spanish tomato salad
• Green garden salad
• Steamed rice
• Quinoa
• Cous Cous
• Catalan roasted vegetables

How Spicy Is This Recipe

This recipe is very mild and only uses a small amount of cayenne pepper and smoked paprika to give it some heat. Cayenne pepper is typically between 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville units, which is around 12x hotter than a jalapeno pepper. We only used 1 tablespoon worth of cayenne pepper, which gives this recipe a mild heat that gives the rest of the flavors plenty of opportunity to shine! 

If you’re looking to read more about cayenne pepper, or would like to discover peppers that are hotter, check out this cayenne pepper article.

Is Salmon Popular in Spain?

The ingredients in this dish are popular in the Mediterranean diet and you’ll find salmon served in many restaurants around Spain. In fact, according to fish consumption data from 2021, Salmon is the second most consumed fish in Spain (only surpassed by hake/whiting) with Spanish households consuming around 68,000 tonnes in 2021. 

Spain is the third largest fishing country in Europe, the largest consumer of fish in their diet in Europe, and also the second largest fish consumer globally (surpassed only by Japan). With over 6,000 kilometers of coastline, seafood and fish are plentiful all over Spain, and of the highest quality.

Guide to Buying Fresh Salmon Fillets

The best place to source your salmon fillets is at a local fishmonger. If you are buying salmon in the USA, it is likely to be the Pacific salmon variety (Sockeye, Pink, Coho, or Chinook). Due to fishing restrictions, Atlantic salmon will be farmed salmon in the USA. 

Salmon fillets should be a vibrant pink color and smell fresh. Your local fishmonger will be able to offer you the freshest catch available. Avoid fillets that have been left out if they smell too ‘fishy’ or look pale and dry. 

Wild salmon will be more flavorsome and will have a deeper hue compared to farmed salmon. Wild salmon also comes with a higher price tag in most cases, mainly due to import costs.

Supermarket chains (Walmart, Costco, Tesco, Coles) with fish counters will also sell good quality salmon. Be sure to ask that the fillets are as fresh as possible. Don’t be put off if you only see salmon (whole or halves), many fishmongers and supermarkets can fillet the salmon for you and remove any bones from the fillets.

How to Bake Salmon in the Oven

Salmon is easy to bake in the oven and does not require much effort or attention. Salmon will be tender and flake easily with a fork or knife when cooked properly.

Cooking tip: Salmon fillet will continue to cook for a few minutes after removing it from the oven so be cautious not to overcook it. 

There’s no need to wrap salmon in foil for this recipe. Salmon fillets 1-inch thick (2.5cm) will cook in around 20 minutes at 200°C/400°F. Be sure to preheat your oven before putting the salmon in. If your salmon fillets are thicker than an inch, allow a little extra time. 

Undercooked salmon will be pale in color and slightly translucent. Perfectly cooked salmon fillets will be opaque. Overcooked salmon will tend to dry out on top and form a crust.

Use a spatula when plating your salmon. It will allow you to get a good-sized fillet piece safely to a plate without it flaking to pieces.

Salmon Health Benefits

Salmon is widely recognized for having many health benefits. In the Mediterranean diet, fish is consumed at least 2 times per week alongside a balanced diet. 

Salmon is considered an oily fish (like sardines, mackerel, etc) and is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to lower cholesterol. Farmed salmon typically contains more omega-3 compared to wild salmon. Salmon is also one of the best sources of vitamin B12, vitamin B6, vitamin D, potassium, and other nutrients like iron, potassium, and phosphorus.

Here are just a few notable health benefits from consuming salmon: 

• Reduces inflammation and fluid retention.
• Lowers cholesterol levels (due to omega-3 fatty acids).
• Stabilizes blood pressure.
• Reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure.
• Helps grow and maintain healthy hair and skin.

Salmon Nutrition Facts 

This depends on the type of salmon fillet you choose, as the fat content and nutrient value changes depending on weather the fish is farmed or grown in the wild. 

• A 200g serving of Wild Pacific Silver Coho Salmon contains 235 calories, 11g of fat, and 1.6g of saturated fat.
• A 200g farmed pink salmon fillet has 277 calories, 8.2g of fat, and 1.3g of saturated fat. 
• A 200g Chinook salmon fillet has 445 calories, 25.8g of fat, and 6.2g of saturated fat.

Why this Dish is Healthy

• Olive oil is healthy and nutritious, so a staple in the Mediterranean diet. It can prevent and help treat many illnesses. 
• Fish and seafood benefit your health and play a large role in Mediterranean cooking.
• Salmon is a great source of protein and is low in saturated fat. 
• The different types of paprikas (including sweet) boost eye health and help protect against various diseases. 
• Garlic offers multiple health benefits from reducing inflammation to lowering cholesterol. 
• Oranges and citrus fruit are good sources of vitamin C and antioxidants.

More Spanish Fish Recipes

• Oven-baked fish casserole with homemade romesco sauce
• Maravilla fish stew with chickpeas and pearl pasta
• Oven-baked cod with capers, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes
• Tuna tartare with a lime, honey-soy, and ginger marinade

Nutrition Facts