Do you know fruit can be a great to addition to eat with salmon? From topping to infused sauces, there are many ways to incorporate citrus, berries, and stone fruits into a salmon dish.
Fruits have been known to go well with fish, both as side dishes or part of the cooked fish, to change or enhance the flavor.
What is an excellent fruit to eat with salmon? Whether salmon is grilled, sautéed, roasted, or baked, fruits can be garnished as chopped salsa or blended into sauce to give sweet, sour, and bitter kick to the plate.
Classic fruits that pair wonderfully with salmon are apples, lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, mango, and pineapple.
Assortment of fruit topping for salmon is perfect for warm weather during summer. A seasonal dressing and salad on the side will help to create a hint of sweet flavor to pair with the rich salmon taste.
If you have only served vegetables with salmon, this article is going to share fruits that complement well with salmon. Answered below are frequently asked questions about fruit flavored combinations that you can try with salmon dishes. Well, let’s find out!
Does fruit go with salmon?
Yes, fruit goes well with salmon. In fact, it can be used as marinade, juice, sauce, salsa, condiment, pickling medium or garnish.
They also offer a contrast in the texture and flavor of salmon. Additionally, fruits improve the presentation and nutritional value of the meal.
Fruits are not the most common ingredients to serve with salmon, other than lemon or lime. The classic fruits that actually taste good in foolproof combinations are melons, pear, and mango because they have a natural sweetness and similar texture that suits salmon very well.
What fruit is good with salmon?
Many fruits are good with fish; however, there are specific fruits that pair perfectly with salmon including:
- Mango: Known for being both sweet and sour, at the same time. The fleshy fruit adds a twist to the salmon, especially when grilled. It can be incorporated into the recipe or chopped to make a salsa and served as the side dish.
- Lemon: This is the most common fruit used with most kinds of fish. The sharp sour taste makes the dish taste sophisticated. The fruit can be used while preparing fish or squeezed on cooked fish to help reduce the strong smell and after-taste.
- Lime: It is a good solution where one finds lemon being too acidic. It is less acidic while still providing the benefits of citrus, for example, fresh taste and zesty aroma. It is good with whole fish, fillets, or portioned fish. It can also be incorporated into the recipe such as lime coconut cream sauce.
- Pear: A good contrast to salmon since salmon is soft while pear is crunchy and sweet. Pears have a subtle and distinctive taste that can be served as a side dish or even hot-smoked alongside the fish.
What flavors pair well with salmon?
When pairing fruit with salmon, there are a variety of flavors other than creamy, spicy, salty, or pungent tastes. Salmon is rich, but has a mild taste that can pair well with these fruit flavors.
Different flavors bring out sides of the salmon taste.
- Salty: The salty taste can be sourced directly from salt or olives, soy sauce, and capers
- Sweet: The sweet flavor completely changes the taste of the dish. This can be sourced from mango or pineapple salsas, brown sugar, orange juice, or maple syrup.
- Sour: The sour taste is from some citrus fruits such as lemon and lime. It can also be sourced from vinegar.
- Smoky: The smoky flavor is gotten from spices such as cumin, chiles, and paprika.
With these flavor in mind, here are chef’s favorite fruit combinations that pair well with salmon:
- salmon + apple + horseradish + rosemary
- salmon + grapefruit + avocado + chili peppers
- salmon + pineapple + tomatoes
- salmon + blood orange + mint + strawberries
- salmon + strawberries + balsamic vinegar
Best fruit to pair with salmon
Typically, salmon is served with wedges of lemon or lime. They are classic fruits and offer refreshing contrast in flavor and texture that also serves as a garnish on the salmon dish.
Fruits can be used as a marinade, glaze or even poured as a sauce on the salmon before serving to give a sweet and sour twist to the dish.
Other than lemon or lime, here are fruit options to consider serving with salmon:
- apples, especially golden delicious or granny smith
- lemon
- lime
- grapefruit
- orange
- pineapple
- mango
- cantaloupe
Fruit With Salmon: Conclusion
Fruits bring out an adventurous and twisty taste to salmon, and incorporating fruits into the recipe or side dish does the magic trick. A combination of both sweet and sour tastes tickles the tastebuds, leaving them craving for more.
Generally, grilled or roasted salmon pieces are served with lemon or lime wedges or zest. It gives citrus and refreshing taste to the rich taste of a salmon steak.
Whether the fruits are chopped to create tropical sweet and sour salsa or blended into sweet glazed sauce that goes with salmon, consider fruits like apples, grapefruit, orange, pineapple, and mango.
These fruits offer citrus and tropical taste that you can add to a side of rice, pasta or vegetables to make a fulfilling meal. Salmon is a versatile fish that complement well with flavors such as salty, sweet, sour, and smoky, so try these unique fruit combinations next time you are preparing salmon.