This warm, buttery salmon is adorned with a bright citrusy salsa. Charring citrus in a red-hot pan brings benefits: the sweetness is enhanced while mellowing the tangy notes, and a surprising smoky flavour is imparted on the fruit. This makes charred citrus a next-level way to serve salsa. For an extra layer of smoky essence, try seasoning your salmon with smoked salt.
Go fish
When a recipe calls for salmon, using either rainbow trout or Arctic char are sustainable stand-ins with similar flavour profiles. Generally, fillets of these species are 3/4 to 1 1/2 lbs in size.
This recipe was originally published in the February 2026 issue of alive magazine
Roasted Salmon with Seared Citrus Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 large navel orange, quartered lengthwise
- 1/2 lime, cut in half crosswise
- 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper
- 1 tsp (5 mL) grapeseed or avocado oil
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh cilantro
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) fresh mint
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 1 1/2 lbs (750 g) salmon
Directions
01
Heat cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high. Brush flesh of orange, lime, and pepper with oil. Once pan is hot, place orange and lime in pan, cut sides down. Gently press down on fruit with spatula. Cook until flesh begins to char, approximately 2 to 3 minutes, then remove lime and flip oranges to char the other cut side. Add pepper to pan and heat until blistered in a few places.
02
Peel rind off charred orange slices, then place into food processor. Squeeze juice from charred lime into food processor. Slice jalapeno and remove seeds; add to food processor along with red onion, cilantro, mint, garlic, and salt. Pulse until a finely chopped consistency is reached.
03
Heat oven to 325 F (160 C). Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
04
Place salmon on prepared baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake salmon in preheated oven for 16 minutes, or until just barely cooked through in centre.
05
Serve salmon topped with orange salsa.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
