Bang Bang Salmon Avocado Salsa (Printable)
Spicy baked salmon with creamy bang bang sauce and refreshing avocado cucumber salsa.
# What You Need:
→ Salmon
01 - 4 skinless salmon fillets, about 6 oz each
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
→ Bang Bang Sauce
06 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
07 - 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon Sriracha, adjust to taste
09 - 1 tablespoon honey
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
→ Avocado Cucumber Salsa
11 - 1 large ripe avocado, diced
12 - 1 cup English cucumber, diced
13 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
14 - 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
15 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Juice of 1 lime
17 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ For Serving
18 - Steamed rice, quinoa, or lettuce wraps
19 - Lime wedges for garnish
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Brush each fillet on both sides with olive oil, then season evenly with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Arrange the fillets on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. The internal temperature should reach 145°F at the thickest part.
04 - While the salmon bakes, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, honey, and lime juice in a small bowl until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
05 - In a medium mixing bowl, gently combine the diced avocado, cucumber, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, tossing carefully to keep the avocado intact.
06 - Remove the salmon from the oven. Drizzle each fillet generously with the bang bang sauce, allowing it to cascade over the edges.
07 - Spoon the avocado cucumber salsa over or alongside each salmon fillet. Serve immediately with steamed rice, quinoa, or crisp lettuce wraps, and garnish with lime wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The bang bang sauce walks that perfect line between sweet and spicy, and once you taste it you will want to put it on literally everything.
- The salsa comes together in five minutes and makes you feel like you are eating at a coastal taqueria rather than your own kitchen.
- From oven to plate in thirty minutes flat, which means weeknight dinner stress simply disappears.
02 -
- Overbaking salmon is the easiest way to ruin this entire dish, so pull it from the oven the moment it flakes and remember that carryover heat will finish the job.
- Making the salsa too far ahead turns the avocado brown and the cucumber watery, so prepare it while the fish bakes and serve immediately.
03 -
- Let the dressed salmon rest for one minute before serving so the sauce has time to settle into the flaky edges rather than sliding right off onto the plate.
- A pinch of salt on the avocado pieces before you mix the salsa together keeps them from turning brown even faster than the lime juice alone.