This delicious and easy Greek Salmon with Lemon and Dill is the perfect quick dinner for the whole family.
The marinade is a simple mix of olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs. The fish only needs 30 minutes to a couple of hours in the marinade before being pan-fried, giving it a wonderfully crisp exterior and meltingly tender and succulent center.
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Ingredients Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, with quantities, check out the recipe card below.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use a good quality oil, the flavor will be so much better.
Fresh Herbs: The recipe calls for fresh dill and fresh oregano. You can use dried but I do prefer it with fresh herbs. If you are using dried, mix them with the olive oil first and use half the amount.
Lemon: You want a fresh whole lemon for this recipe as you are using the zest and the juice.
Salmon Fillets: I buy skinless salmon fillets as I am not always a fan of the skin, especially if it doesn't get super crispy. But you can use what you prefer. I go for salmon fillets that are around 6oz/170g each.
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you. Have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
- Zest your lemon before you cut and juice it. It is really really hard to zest a juiced lemon!
- The salmon doesn't need long in the marinade. I give it between 30 minutes and 2 hours. I find too much longer and the lemon juice can make the fish a little tough.
- There is no need to add any extra oil to the pan when you cook the fish, as the residual marinade will cling to the fish.
- Before cooking the salmon, brush off any large chunks of herbs as they will burn.
- Cook the salmon for 3 minutes without moving to ensure a nice crust forms on the outside.
- Once the salmon is cooked, sprinkle it with more fresh dill and oregano. You can add a little spritz more of lemon juice, but I prefer to just give everyone a wedge of lemon so they can add their own.
Why Is This Recipe Special?
I first made this recipe in an Airbnb in San Fransisco! I had got some wonderful fresh herbs, lemons, and salad. I wanted to make a Greek salad so came up with something to go with it. That is how this salmon was born. It has been a regular ever since as it is so easy to make.
- The salmon has so much flavor from the fresh herbs.
- It is versatile as you can use the marinade on other fish (see adaptions below).
- It is really quick to cook.
- It uses only a few ingredients.
Recipe Adaptations
These are just suggestions and things that have worked in my test kitchen for my family, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.
- Make it spicy: You can add chili pepper flakes to the marinade if you like heat in your food.
- Change the fish: The marinade works well with other fish, especially meaty fish like mahi-mahi, ling, shark, cod or halibut.
- Adds some finely chopped red onion to the marinade.
- Finish the dish with a crumble of feta, or a sprinkling of chopped cherry tomatoes.
FAQ's
These are some of the questions our testers have asked. If you have any other questions, please drop me a comment below, are I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Absolutely! While the recipe card has instructions for pan-frying you can bake the salmon at 375ºF/190ºC for about 12-13 minutes until just cooked through. This is a great option you are scaling the recipe for feeding a crowd.
Salt can draw the moisture out of the salmon and make it dry. So I always add the salt just before the salmon goes into the hot pan.
Yes! If you don't have fresh dill or oregano, you can use about 2 teaspoons of dried herb instead. Oregano and dill both keep their flavor really well when dried.
That is hard to answer 😉
The flavors in the marinade are quite simple so if your kids eat herbs then I think they should enjoy this. But the lemon flavor, although subtle can put younger children off. Below are a few tips on cooking this for kids.
You can.... but you shouldn't! 😂 Grab a fresh lemon, go on!!
I know! You have come to expect garlic in my cooking, but I have tried this with and without garlic and I think I prefer it without so the herbs really come through! But it is your dinner and I always encourage you to add garlic with love!
Serving Suggestions
If you're wondering what to serve with this recipe, I've pulled together some of my (and my kids) favorite ideas so you can mix and match sides and drinks to make a complete meal.
What to eat with Greek Salmon
I like to serve this with my Greek-style rice, a fresh Greek Salad and a spoonful of tzatziki. You could skip the rice and go for a Greek Orzo.
Or go more traditional and serve the fish with some potatoes. These Greek Lemon Potatoes would be perfect.
What to drink with Greek Salmon
As always pairing with lemon can be trickier, but the rich fish and the fresh herbs in this dish help to balance the lemon.
For white wine drinkers if you want to really lean into the Greek theme then an Assyrtiko, it is bright and citrusy but with a hint of minerals so it works so well with the lemon and herbs in the marinade.
A crisp minerally Sauvignon Blanc can cut through the richness of the salmon but hold its own with the lemon and herbs.
Or go for a classic Pinot Grigio, it is always a crowd please and with its light, clean taste will work well with the salmon.
If you prefer a red, then a Gamay is a great choice, it is low in tannins and the floral wine can balance the flavors of the fish well. A Pinot Noir with soft tannins and bright fruit would also work.
Or try a fruity Zinfandel, one that isn't too dry and it will be wonderful with the lemon and herbs.
For non-wine drinkers a Wheat Beer with soft citrus notes works really well with the lemon in the marinade. Or go for a clean and crisp Pilsner or Larger.
If you are after non-alcoholic options then a lemon soda always works well or go for mint tea (we like it iced when we are drinking it with dinner).
Cooking Greek Salmon for Kids
There aren't many flavors going on here so it could be a good one to try with kids. If you think your kids may not like lots of herbs then reduce or remove the dill but keep the oregano. (It is a common herb in pizza sauce so many kids are used to the flavor).
You can reduce the lemon or remove it completely if the sourness will put your kids off. Just add some lemon wedges to the table when you serve the salmon .
You can just pan fry plain salmon next to the herb salmon if they are fans of plainer fish. Or if you want this salmon but don't think the kids will eat fish, the same marinade will work with chicken breasts or chicken thighs (in a separate bowl to the salmon of course).
More Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this dish, here are a few more salmon recipes I think you'll love! They're all easy, tasty, and perfect for adding to your weekly meal plan.
Enjoy x
If you try this Greek Salmon with Lemon and Dill, please leave a 🌟rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I really appreciate it, and it helps others to know that this recipe is trustworthy. And in a world where AI is becoming so common, it is nice to still have real human interactions.
Any questions about the recipe? Use the comment section below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Get the Recipe
Greek Salmon with Lemon and Dill Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (Note 1)
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (Note 1)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 4 fresh salmon fillets 6oz/170g each (Note 2)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix the extra virgin olive together with the black pepper, the chopped fresh dill, and fresh oregano together in a non-metallic bowl. Stir well then add in the zest and juice of the lemon.3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil1 tablespoon fresh dill1 tablespoon fresh oregano½ teaspoon black pepper1 lemon
- Place the salmon fillets into the marinade and turn them to coat. Set them aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.4 fresh salmon fillets
- Once the salmon has marinated, place a heavy paced frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to get hot.
- Season the salmon fillets with the salt and then place the salmon presentation side down into the pan.½ teaspoon salt
- Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Carefully flip the salmon and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Notes
- You can use dried herbs in place of the fresh, just use 2 teaspoons of each instead.
- We prefer this dish with skin off salmon fillets because the marinade stops the skin from crisping up and soggy fish skin is gross!
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Jan says
My new favorite salmon recipe. This was delicious. I added one or two minced garlic cloves to the marinade. I cooked it in cast-iron skillet for two minutes on each side instead of three.
Leslie says
Very Tasty!! We grilled them! We used dried herbs, also.
Sandra Alden says
This was awesome. So easy. and very tasty. I paired it with a Greek salad and will definitely make it again !
Leslie says
Very Tasty!! We used dried dill & dried oregano, & then grilled them!!
Mary says
Can the salmon be baked instead of fried? If so, please tell me temperature and time. Tx
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Mary,
I bake salmon at 375ºF/190ºC for around 12-13 minutes.
Hope that helps
Cx
Darlene says
Definitely will make it again very tasty
Claire McEwen says
So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Cx
Pam K says
I made this last night for supper. I was pleased with how easy it was to prepare from start to finish. It was very tasty.
Kelli L says
This is the third time I've made this salmon recipe and it's my absolute favorite. I grill it instead of fry it in a pan. it's so tasty!
Judith says
I see recommended cooking is to fry, but do you think grilling will be ok?
Thank you.
Claire McEwen says
Yes, grilling will work great.
Hope that helps
Cx
Ariel says
This was so good and so easy! Thank you!!! Came back to print off the recipe because it was a HUGE hit!
sheenam @ thetwincookingproject says
So so yummy!!!!!