Best Salmon Marinade Mediterranean Style

This salmon marinade features bright flavors and doesn’t require a long list of ingredients. You can use this marinade for baked or grilled salmon. 

Salmon is our favorite fish and we try to have it at least once a week. Our easy baked salmon with lemon and broiled salmon are weeknight staples and everyone loves this simple Mediterranean style dijon salmon that’s bursting with flavor in every bite. Today’s recipe is the best salmon marinade ever with a Mediterranean flair. Read through for tips, notes and a how-to video. 

Cooking salmon at home

Salmon is an easy fish to work with. It’s juicy and flavorful, which makes it a family favorite. You can buy salmon fillet, steak or a side of salmon at almost any supermarket.

When it comes to wild caught vs farmed salmon, it’s always best to shop for wild caught since it has better flavor and is healthier.  

A marinade with a Mediterranean twist!

I love marinating salmon before cooking it because it makes the fish more tender and also brings out great flavors. This easy marinade for salmon is made with ingredients that you probably already have on hand. 

A good marinade is made with a few components:

• Extra virgin olive oil

You need some kind of oil to make the marinade. Extra virgin olive oil is a smart choice because of all its health benefits. You can also use avocado oil. 

• Honey 

A sweet component adds a new dimension to the marinade so it’s best not to skip it. Honey is a good option here because the sweetness is not overpowering. 

• Lemon 

An acidic component adds so much brightness to the marinade and ultimately to the dish you’re cooking. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is an easy and flavorful choice. However, oranges are also common and can work well.

• Spices and flavors

This recipe uses a few simple spices such as salt, black pepper and aleppo pepper since the marinade already has a lot of flavor and we don’t want the flavors to get mixed and lose their character. Garlic is also a very good addition to this marinade. 

• Herbs 

This is where all the Mediterranean flavor lies. Dried dill and oregano work well for this salmon marinade. You can also use fresh herbs if you have some at hand. 

Notes and tips

• Salmon is very tender, so it’s best to marinate it for one to six hours. Since this marinade has lemon juice which is an acidic component, marinating for more than 6 hours might break the flesh and affect the texture. 
• Salmon is very versatile and there are different methods of cooking you can use to make marinated salmon. Baking, grilling (such as salmon shish kabob) and roasting work best for marinated salmon. 
• You can add other spices and herbs to this marinade such as coriander or thyme.
• Don’t overcook! This is a common mistake when it comes to cooking salmon. Perfectly cooked salmon flakes easily but is juicy and not dry at all. The USDA recommends cooking salmon until it reaches the temperature of 145°F.

Cooking instructions

Marinated salmon has so much flavor and making it is so easy. Only two simple steps and your salmon dinner is ready!

Marinate the salmon

In a bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, oregano, dill and spices. Pour the marinade over the salmon and let it marinate.  You can let it sit for as little as thirty minutes or as long as six hours.

Bake in the oven

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the marinated salmon on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the salmon is flaky and cooked through. 

Serving suggestions

I served this Mediterranean style marinated baked salmon with a quick tomato salad made with tomatoes, red onion, parsley and mint. Other side dish suggestions include:

• Mediterranean salad
• Greek salad 
• Turkish white bean salad 
• Instant pot brown rice 
• Greek potatoes 
• Mediterranean oven roasted vegetables