This Pomegranate Salmon combines the richness of seared salmon fillets with the fruity kick of pomegranate salsa. It is a vibrant and flavorful meal that is so easy to make.
The pomegranate salsa is bursting with colors and freshness. It combines juicy pomegranate arils, ripe tomatoes, crisp red bell peppers, and a bite of red onion with parsley, all finished with olive oil and honey for a salsa that brings a pop of color and a burst of flavor to the meal.
With minimal prep and a quick sear, you'll have a gourmet-worthy dish ready to impress in no time. Perfect for any occasion, whether you're cooking for a special dinner party or looking for a quick midweek meal.
Ingredient Notes
These notes are here to help you make this Pomegranate Salmon recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients; for a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Salmon: I prefer skinless salmon fillets for this recipe, but feel free to use whatever salmon you prefer. The recipe cooks the salmon for around 6 minutes, giving you a soft, just-cooked interior. If you prefer a firmer cook on your fish, cook it for 4 minutes on each side.
Apple cider vinegar: This is used to macerate the onions and add a sour element to the salsa. Soaking the chopped onion in vinegar removes that raw flavor from the onion. You can use any vinegar you have. White wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar work well.
Pomegranate: The recipe tells you how to remove the arils from a pomegranate, but you can buy the loose arils at larger grocery stores, so feel free to use those instead of a whole pomegranate. You'll need around 2 cups of pomegranate arils.
Tomatoes: Use the ripest tomatoes you can so they add sweetness to the salsa. We discard the seeds and use the flesh.
Honey: This adds extra sweetness to the salsa, but how much you need depends on the tomatoes and pomegranate you use. Taste the salsa and add honey to your own preference. You could also use maple syrup to sweeten the salsa.
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!
- Try and chop all of the vegetables into small dice. They want to be the same size or smaller than the pomegranate arils. This makes the salsa much easier to eat and helps with the look of the dish.
- As I mentioned above, taste the salsa before you add the honey. You might like it sweeter, or the vinegar and pomegranate tartness could be perfect for you.
- If you want to make the salsa ahead of time, leave out the parsley and add that when you are ready to eat.
- When cooking the salmon, place it presentation side up into the frying pan. By this, I mean that the underneath, the side where the skin was, faces up from the pan. Doing this gives you a great crust on the top of the salmon and helps the salmon keep its shape.
Why You'll Love This Pomegranate Salmon
- It is so quick and easy.
- It is easy to adapt the salsa.
- It is the perfect meal for late summer or early autumn when it is still too warm to spend hours in the kitchen.
- It looks bright and colourful, and impressive so you can serve it to guests or on date night.
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Recipe Adaptions
These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, 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.
- The salsa is terrific served with other fish. Instead of salmon, try a white fish like cod or halibut. Or go for a meaty fish like tuna or swordfish.
- The salsa is also great with grilled chicken breasts.
- Try the salsa on bruschetta or with some toast points. Spread the breads with goat's cheese, then top with the fruity salsa.
- Add extra fruit to the salsa. You could add chopped strawberries, mango, or pineapple to the salsa for an extra fruity kick.
- Add spice with some chopped jalapenos.
- Switch the fresh parsley for fresh cilantro, oregano, or dill.
Serving Suggestions for Pomegranate Salmon
Sides: As a late summer dinner, this pomegranate salmon is perfect with a green salad and some boiled baby potatoes. Later in the year, add some crispy pan-fried potatoes or a baked potato with some sour cream.
Wines: The salsa's sweet and sour notes are perfect served with an off-dry Reisling or a Gewürztraminer. Both work well with rich fish and salsa. If you want a drier wine, look for a Roussanne, which will balance the richness of the salmon without pulling back the tart flavors in the salsa.
Enjoy x
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Get the Recipe
Pomegranate Salmon
Ingredients
For the salsa
- ¼ cup red onion , finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (see note 1)
- 1 pomegranate (or 2 cups of pomegranate arils)
- 2 tomatoes , seeds removed and finely chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper , finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley , chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey , optional (see note 2)
For the salmon
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 salmon fillets , roughly 6oz/170g each
Instructions
For the salsa
- Place the chopped red onion in a small bowl and add the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and set aside for 5 minutes. (I use this time to cut all the other veg and prep the pomegranate)¼ cup red onion1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Cut the pomegranate in half around the middle. Hold the pomegranate cut side down over a large bowl, and use a wooden spoon to whack out the pomegranate arils. Squeeze any extra juice into the bowl.1 pomegranate
- Add the chopped bell pepper and chopped tomato and stir well.½ cup red bell pepper2 tomatoes
- Add in the onions with their vinegar.
- Stir in the parsley, salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.¼ cup fresh parsley¼ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon black pepper2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Taste your salsa and add the honey if you want extra sweetness.1 teaspoon honey
- Let the salsa sit for 10 minutes while you cook the salmon.
For the salmon
- Season the top of the salmon fillets evenly with salt.4 salmon fillets½ teaspoon salt
- Place a large nonstick frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Add salmon to the pan, presentation side down. Sear for 3 minutes and then flip and cook for 3 minutes on the underside. (see note 3&4)
To serve
- Place the salmon on the plate and spoon over a large spoonful of the salsa.
Notes
- You can use any vinegar you have. White wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar work well.
- The honey adds extra sweetness to the salsa, but how much you need depends on the tomatoes and pomegranate you use. Taste the salsa and add honey to your own preference. You could also use maple syrup to sweeten the salsa.
- The recipe cooks the salmon for around 6 minutes, giving you a soft, just-cooked interior. If you prefer a firmer cook on your fish, cook it for 4 minutes on each side.
- When cooking the salmon, place it presentation side up into the frying pan. By this, I mean that the underneath, the side where the skin was, faces up from the pan. Doing this gives you a great crust on the top of the salmon and helps the salmon keep its shape.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Marie says
Sweet and tangy pomegranate salsa was amazing on salmon. This is a quick and easy recipe but felt fancy.
Rachna says
This salmon was so delicious. That pomegranate salsa served on top really adds so much flavour. I loved the slightly sweet sour taste. Really enjoyed it.
Chichi says
Salmon is our favorite fish to eat. Pomegranate is one of my favorite fruits! Never thought of this combination. After making your recipe we don’t seem to have enough of it. We’ve already made it twice. It’s so tasty and easy to make.
Jenny says
This turned out amazing! Was my first time making salsa, but it turned out really well. The pomegranate added amazing flavor!
Lisa says
The combination of pomegranate and salmon was so delicious! My husband told me I need to make it again.
Sharon says
These beautiful photos drew me right in! And the recipe turned out perfectly and just as pretty. I love it when that happens. 🙂 Your tips for getting a nice crust were spot on. Thanks!
Jessica says
I love savory meat + fruity accents. Usually, I serve mango salsa on salmon but this pomegranate choice was a great change! Will make again!
Devy says
Salmon is my favorite fish so I am always on the lookout for new recipes for salmon. So I was excited to try this one with pomegranate. But since I love my food spicy, I put a few chilies in the salsa to give it a kick. I love it.
Celina says
This was a great fresh salmon recipe that got my family oohing and ahhhing. The dish had all the right flavours; sweet and tangy with the nice crunch of the pomegranate.
Sage says
I would have never thought to pair salmon filets with pomegranate salsa. But now that I've tried it, I cannot stop. Oh, wow! Such a fantastic flavor fiesta going on here!
Emilie says
Oh, I've never had the combination of pomegranate and salmon before! What have I been missing??? Always looking for more high protein recipes. Thanks for the easy to follow instructions!
Rose says
I always like to switch up my salmon meals and this pomegranate salmon recipe was a hit! The fam enjoyed, not to mention it looked super appealing.
Sue says
A terrific salmon meal! I used balsamic vinegar as I didn't have any apple cider vinegar and it turned out great! I love all the colors and flavors!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you enjoyed it.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
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Ksenia says
Your pomegranate salmon recipe is a culinary gem! The combination of juicy salmon and vibrant pomegranate seeds results in a deliciously refreshing dish. Your clear instructions made the cooking process a breeze, and the final outcome was a hit with both my family and guests. Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe that brings a touch of elegance to my dining table – it's definitely a keeper in my recipe collection!