Juniper Berries Salmon

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This juniper berries salmon recipe is a delicious, healthy meal. It's ready in less than 25 minutes.

This is an easy recipe to throw together, but it’s full of flavor!

Why You'll Love this Baked Salmon Recipe

This wonderful salmon recipe is made with juniper berries - they have a sharp, fresh pine flavor. Juniper berries are used in many Scandinavian dishes, especially to flavor meat. It's also one of the central ingredients in gin.

For this recipe, we've combined butter, juniper berries, and lime zest for a flavorful sauce. Cooking the salmon on top of the sliced limes adds an additional layer of citrusy richness.

Salmon cooked in foil is incredibly tender. It's very easy to cook and requires very little hands on time.

What Are The Benefits of Salmon?

Salmon is a healthy fish to eat. It’s a great source of protein, it’s good for your brain (lots of vitamin B12), it’s heart-healthy, good for building strong bones, and may help to lower the risk of chronic disease (source).

If you’re looking for other healthy seafood recipes - check out our healthy salmon recipes, pescetarian recipes, or our Baked Salmon with Lemon.

How to Choose the Best Salmon

There are a few kinds of salmon you can buy - there’s King (rich and buttery and the most expensive), Sockeye (redder flesh, from the Northern Pacific), Coho (reddish-orange color, cheaper than King or Sockeye), and Pink (best eaten fresh the day its caught or as canned meat).

You can also buy wild-caught or farmed salmon. To check the sustainability level of your salmon, consult the Monterrey Bay Aquariums’s Seafood Watch (you can also download it as an app for ease of use at the grocery store).

No matter which type of salmon you purchase, you should check for the following:

• Moist flesh - if the fish is dry it means it has been handled improperly or it's past its prime
• Bright flesh - you want the color of the fish to be deep, pale flesh indicates aging
• No brown spots - these indicate aging
• No fishy smell - salmon should have a light sea smell but should not smell fishy - if it smells strongly it is past its prime

Juniper Berries Salmon Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this recipe.

• 1 pound salmon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries
• 2 limes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

How to Make this Delicious Recipe

This recipe comes together in about 25 minutes. Here's what you'll need to do.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. Melt the butter. Crush the juniper berries and finely chop them. Zest one of the limes and then thinly slice them both.
3. Mix the butter, juniper berries, and lime zest together in a small bowl.
4. Place two pieces of tin foil on a baking sheet. Place the lime slices in a single layer in the center of the foil.
5. Place the salmon, skin side down on the lime slices. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and then drizzle the butter and juniper berries mixture over the top. Bring the pieces of foil together to crimp them shut.
6. Bake the salmon for 20 to 25 minutes, until the salmon flakes or reads 145 F on an instant-read thermometer.

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How to Know When Salmon Is Done Cooking

Salmon that is perfectly cooked through will flake, but still maintain moisture.

The USDA recommends salmon be cooked to a temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (you can check this with an instant-read thermometer).

Side Dishes to Serve with Salmon

Salmon pairs well with so many side dishes - its mellow flavor works with many vegetables, legumes, and salads. Check out our post on what to serve with salmon.

Some of my favorite sides to pair with salmon include:

• Grilled baby bok choy
• Brown butter radishes
• Citrus Pomegranate Salad
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Fennel au gratin

Tips for this Salmon Recipe

I would definitely recommend baking the salmon on a rimmed baking sheet - in case any moisture leaks from the foil.

Need to buy some juniper berries for this recipe? We love the Spice House's juniper berries.

Enjoy this easy, healthy salmon recipe!