Honey Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa
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Plates of this rainbow-hued honey lime salmon with mango salsa will bring smiles and satisfaction all around. The salmon is baked for maximum tenderness and hands-off convenience; it quietly absorbs a luscious honey citrus glaze while you are free to toss together the dreamiest topping of sweet mango, crisp bell pepper, and fresh cilantro. Serve on its own or over rice or greens for the happiest, healthiest dinner.
We adore salmon, and it’s never better than when paired with a fresh, colorful homemade salsa topping. It’s one of those dinners that tastes as good as it looks!
Why You’ll Love Salmon with Mango Salsa
- Bold, tropical flavor keeps things interesting for grown-ups, while the fruit is kid-friendly and easy to serve separately if needed
- Easy enough for a weeknight, impressive enough for a dinner party
- Quick and hands-off baking method = tender salmon + ease for the cook
- A bright rainbow on your plate means lots of nutrients in your body!
This vibrant dinner pairs two long-time favorite recipes: honey garlic salmon filets and a gorgeous mango salsa we also use over jerk chicken and blackened white fish. You can’t go wrong with these flavors and easy proteins!
Ingredient Notes
Avocado Optional
We love a classic mango avocado salsa, and the pairing works equally well here. Cool, creamy avocado goes beautifully with the other ingredients! You can dice one small avocado and mix it straight into the salsa, or just slice the avocado and serve alongside the salmon, as shown here.
Baked Salmon is Happy Salmon
Although my original honey garlic salmon recipe calls for pan-frying the fish, I more often prefer to bake salmon for a couple of reasons.
First and foremost, it’s much more hands-off, which is beyond helpful when you’re trying to prep a topping or sides and quite possibly help with crafts and homework at the same time.
Secondly, baking temperatures are more forgiving than searing temperatures, so the average home cook’s odds of producing deliciously tender, flaky salmon are considerably higher. I find this especially true when working with a honey-based sauce or glaze, which can be prone to scorching in the high heat of a skillet.
This said, baking does not deliver the same crispy exterior; if you crave that, fire up the skillet and sear to your heart’s content, or mimic it with a short broil at the end.
Season, Sauce, Salsa
Start this recipe by choosing the best pan: you want a glass or ceramic baking dish that is just large enough to hold your salmon without a lot of extra space around it.
Place the salmon inside, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper.
Place this in the oven and set it to 400°F, then turn to making the sauce of honey, soy sauce, and lime juice. Pour this over the salmon and continue to bake.
Now turn to prepping the salsa. Mango adds tender, sweet flavor, while red onion and bell peppers contribute must-have tang and crunch. Toss together and set aside.
If you like, you could prepare the salsa up to about 12 hours in advance and store tightly-covered in the fridge.
Remove salmon when it is baked through; see specific tips for identifying this point in the recipe card below. Serve over rice and with extremely generous spoonfuls of the salsa on top!
Everyday vs. Entertaining
Salmon with fresh mango salsa is pretty irresistible and high-brow for an everyday weeknight dinner. I recommend combining everything for the adults and offering littler ones plates with everything separated out: a portion of salmon, a pile of mango, strips of pepper, pieces of avocado, and spoonfuls of rice. Nothing need touch, if that’s important. 🙂
I’d also be very pleased serving this for company! I’m all about easy elevated entertaining—my husband prefers to say “scruffy hospitality”. You can enjoy a big “wow” factor by buying one large side of salmon. Bake it with the glaze, then transfer to a large platter and scatter salsa on top to serve family-style on the table.
More Easy Salmon Recipes
Honey Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa
Ingredients
For the Salmon:
- 3-4 salmon filets or one larger side of salmon, both work
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced
For the Salsa:
- 2 cups chopped fresh mango
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 small jalapeño seeded and diced, optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- juice of 1/2 lime
- avocado and rice optional, start rice first if needed!
Instructions
- Drizzle the salmon pieces lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper. Turn the oven on to 400°F and place salmon in to start roasting. Try to use a glass baking dish that’s just big enough to hold all the pieces. A small rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil works, too.3-4 salmon filets, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Whisk the honey, soy sauce, lime juice, and garlic together in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Remove salmon from the oven just long enough to pour the honey-soy mixture over each piece. It will pool around the bottom of the fish; that’s OK.1/4 cup honey, 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon lime juice, 1-2 garlic cloves
- Roast the salmon for 10-15 minutes more, until it flakes easily with a fork and reaches 135°-140°F in the thickest part. If you’re feeling ambitious, open the door to spoon a bit of sauce on top of the salmon once or twice as it roasts. (Just keep in mind opening the door lets out heat and may lengthen the cooking time.)
- While the salmon cooks, chop the mango, peppers, onion, and cilantro. Combine in a bowl and season with salt and lime juice; add more to taste. Set aside.2 cups chopped fresh mango, 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 small jalapeño, 1-2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, juice of 1/2 lime
- Slice avocado and finish rice, if using.avocado and rice
- When the salmon is finished, plate and top with generous spoonfuls of mango salsa. Serve right away with extra lime wedges and cilantro, if you like. Enjoy!
Notes
- Salmon: You can purchase pre-cut filets or a larger side, it doesn’t really matter. If you’re entertaining, this recipe is extra beautiful with a large side of salmon on a large platter and the salsa scattered on top or around it. I do always recommend buying skin-on salmon; it generally has more flavor and is more forgiving if left in the oven a bit too long.
- Cold Oven Method: This recipe follows my favorite cold oven salmon method of placing salmon in an unheated oven, then setting the temperature to 400°F and checking it in about 20 minutes. This gradual exposure to heat is extremely reliable for producing flaky, tender salmon. There’s a few variables here: how long it takes you to whisk together the sauce, how many times you open the door, etc., so let the internal temperature be your guide to when the salmon is finished, or test it by pressing the edge of a piece gently with a fork. It should flake easily along the white fat lines—if it doesn’t separate easily, it’s not cooked through. If you’re in a hurry, by all means preheat the oven while you season the salmon to save a minute or two.
- Jalapeño: This is optional but in general one small jalapeño will not make the salsa super spicy as long as you remove the ribs and the seeds.
- Storage: Leftover salmon will keep in the refrigerator for at least 3 days.
- Reheating: Warm the salmon (only) in the microwave at 50% power. Using half-power warms salmon quickly but with less of the infamous “fish odor” and less chance of drying out. Top with chilled salsa and dig in again.
