Easy Chimichurri Salmon
Crisp-seared salmon under a raw Argentine chimichurri of parsley, garlic, oregano, and peppery extra virgin olive oil. The green, garlicky sauce keeps every bite fresh and bright, and it leans on olive oil as the cornerstone fat of the Mediterranean table.
Recipe Success Tips
Make the chimichurri first
Chop the herbs and stir the sauce together before you touch the fish. Ten minutes of resting lets the garlic, vinegar, and olive oil come together into one bright, balanced spoonful.
Finish, do not cook, with the Ultra oil
The peppery kick of Ultra High Phenolic olive oil is the flavor of the chimichurri, and it is at its brightest raw. Keep it in the sauce and spoon it over at the end rather than heating it in the pan.
Dry the salmon for a crisp sear
Pat each fillet dry with paper towel and season it just before it hits the pan. A dry surface is what gives you golden, crisp skin instead of steamed, pale fish.
Do not crowd the pan
Leave space between the fillets so the heat stays high. Two batches beat one crowded pan if your skillet is small.
Pull it a touch early
Salmon carries over as it rests. Take it off at about 125 to 130F in the center for a silky middle; it will climb the last few degrees on the plate.
Chop the herbs by hand
A food processor bruises parsley into a paste and turns the sauce dark. A sharp knife keeps the chimichurri loose, green, and spoonable.
Ingredients
4
servings
- 1/2 cup Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (for the sauce)
- 4 fillets skin-on salmon fillets, about 6 oz each
- to taste kosher salt and black pepper (for the fish)
Kitchen Tools You'll Need
Sharp chef's knife
Cutting board
Medium mixing bowl
Large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan
Fish spatula
Instant-read thermometer
How to Cook Easy Chimichurri Salmon
Make the chimichurri
1
Finely chop the parsley, oregano, and garlic by hand and add them to a medium bowl.
2
Stir in the red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
3
Pour in the Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and stir. This raw, peppery oil is the flavor of the sauce, so keep it uncooked. Set the chimichurri aside to rest while you cook the fish.
Sear the salmon
4
Pat the salmon fillets dry and season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
5
Warm the High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Its smooth, balanced profile is built for the pan.
6
Lay the fillets in skin-side down and press gently for a few seconds so they stay flat. Cook undisturbed for 4 to 6 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the fish is opaque most of the way up.
7
Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until the center reaches about 125 to 130F. Move the fillets to plates.
Finish and serve
8
Give the chimichurri a final stir and spoon it generously over each warm fillet.
9
Finish with an extra drizzle of raw Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil straight from the bottle for a last hit of green, peppery flavor. Serve right away.
Recipe Notes
This is a salmon-friendly take on the classic. For the full backstory and the traditional ratios, see our authentic Argentine chimichurri, and if beef is on the menu another night, the same sauce shines on chimichurri steak.
If the peppery bite of the Ultra oil is more than you want, use our smooth High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the chimichurri instead, or split the two half and half. The sauce turns rounder and gentler while still tasting fresh and green.
Cooking salmon on repeat? Try the creamy comfort of salmon risotto or the classic pan sauce in our lemon butter salmon.
Keep leftover salmon and chimichurri in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring the sauce to room temperature before serving so the olive oil loosens back up, and add a fresh drizzle over reheated fish. Chimichurri alone keeps 4 to 5 days and is excellent on eggs, grains, or roasted vegetables.
Nutrition Facts per Serving
Nutrition Facts
Serving size 1 fillet with sauce
Calories
440
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g40%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 95mg32%
Sodium 420mg18%
Total Carbohydrate 3g1%
Dietary Fiber 1g4%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 35g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It is salmon, usually seared or baked, served under chimichurri: a raw Argentine sauce of finely chopped parsley, garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and extra virgin olive oil. The sauce stays uncooked, so it tastes fresh, green, and garlicky against the rich fish.
About 20 minutes start to finish. You stir the chimichurri together in roughly 10 minutes while it rests, then sear the salmon for 6 to 9 minutes. It is a genuine weeknight dinner.
Yes. Roast seasoned fillets at 425F for 12 to 15 minutes, until the center reaches about 125 to 130F, then spoon the chimichurri over just before serving. Baking skips the crisp skin but is more hands-off.
Use a bold, peppery extra virgin olive oil in the raw sauce, where its flavor comes through clearly. Ultra High Phenolic is ideal here. For searing the fish, a smoother oil like High Phenolic works well in the hot pan. If you want a gentler sauce, use the milder oil in the chimichurri too.
That peppery, slightly bitter kick is the polyphenols you can taste, chiefly hydroxytyrosol, and it is a sign of a fresh, high-phenolic oil. Those compounds are highest in a fresh bottle and fade with time, light, and heat, which is why a raw sauce shows them off.
It fits neatly into a Mediterranean way of eating. Salmon offers protein and omega-3 fats, the herb sauce is loaded with fresh parsley, oregano, and garlic, and it is built on olive oil, the cornerstone fat of the Mediterranean diet. There is no added sugar and it is naturally low in carbohydrate.
Skin-on fillets of similar thickness cook most evenly and give you crisp skin. Wild sockeye is leaner and firmer; farmed Atlantic is richer and more forgiving. Both work well. Center-cut pieces are easier to sear than thin tail ends.
Yes, and it often tastes better after an hour or two as the garlic and vinegar mellow into the olive oil. Make it up to a day ahead, keep it covered in the fridge, and bring it to room temperature before serving so the oil loosens back up.
Keep it simple so the sauce stays the star: rice, roasted potatoes, grilled asparagus, or a crisp green salad. The leftover chimichurri is also excellent spooned over any of those sides.
Fresh parsley is essential to real chimichurri, so do not skip it. You can use 1 teaspoon of dried oregano in place of fresh oregano, but keep the parsley fresh for the bright, green character the sauce is known for.
