20 Christmas Salmon Recipes for Your Holiday Dinner

These exciting Christmas salmon recipes will be the highlight of your holiday!

Every Christmas, salmon graces my family’s holiday table.

And I must say, it’s something the entire family looks forward to year after year.

So spread some cheer by treating your family and your guests to salmon this season. 

The mildly sweet flavor and flaky texture are a true holiday delight. 

You can turn it into something warm and comforting like creamy salmon pasta.

Then there’s sashimi salmon if you’re feeling adventurous.

Although, if you want something to ooh and ahh it’s Christmas salmon for the win.

Whether you’re starting new traditions or sprucing up the old, these Christmas salmon recipes will bring some holiday joy your way.

1. Seared Salmon with Parsley Sauce 

If you want a special salmon dinner without too much fuss, smother it in parsley sauce. 

This creamy English sauce has that little something extra you don’t get all the time.

Plus, it calls for a bunch of everyday staples like milk, butter, mustard, and parsley.

And, it’s ready in 15 minutes. 

2. Beetroot-Cured Salmon

Glowing beetroot-cured salmon will catch everyone’s eye. 

Its vivacious color and subtle beet flavor will dazzle your guests with delight. 

When it comes to curing, you have two options: vodka or gin. If you want the milder of the two, go with gin.

3. Christmas Baked Salmon

Christmas baked salmon is all dolled up for the holidays! 

A sweet honey butter glaze and creamy dill sauce dress up the fish. And it’s adorned with all the trimmings.

The festive holiday tapenade has cranberries, almonds, and parsley. Lemon juice and pomegranate seeds finish it off. 

4. Christmas Salmon

Have you ever seen a more picture-perfect seafood Christmas dinner?!

The salmon is radiating with a sweet pomegranate molasses glaze.

It’s garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs and pomegranate seeds.

While it looks like a masterpiece, it couldn’t be easier. 

5. Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce 

How does an easy baked salmon smothered in a garlic creamy sauce sound?

It’s cozy, decadent, and everyone will love it.

Compared to a Christmas roast or ham, the amount of effort you put into this dish is minimal at best.

And it’s ready in a fraction of the time because it only takes 15 minutes.

6. Salmon Sashimi with Ponzu

I’m a sucker for sashimi salmon no matter the time of year. 

But there’s something about the magic of Christmas that makes it taste even more special.

That fresh succulent fish and citrusy umami sauce are an immaculate combination.

And there’s no cooking required, so it’s easy stuff.

Appetizer or dinner for two, salmon sashimi is a special treat and a fun way to mix up your standard Christmas routine.

7. Smoked Salmon Terrines 

These smoked salmon terrines are a fantastic first course for a fancy Christmas dinner.

You line a ramekin in smoked salmon, pile on the creamy cheesy mixture, and flip it over on top of a layer of cucumbers.

Drizzle on the lemon and garnish it with herbs.

It looks impressive and tastes even better.

8. Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce

Lemon garlic butter sauce is a classic with fish. It’s absolutely flawless, so why mess with a good thing?

As the salmon cooks in the lemon, garlic, butter, and parsley, it absorbs the flavors to accentuate the sweetness of the fish.

I do recommend, however, you leave the skins on when cooking the fish.

It helps prevent them from burning, and they peel off easily. 

9. Sheet-Pan Lemon Dijon Baked Salmon and Potatoes

With all the bustling shops, packed parking lots, and festivities, the holidays are stressful enough. 

So give yourself a break and the family something great to eat with this sheet-pan recipe.

The workload is minimal and cleanup is a breeze since you cook the salmon and potatoes all on a single pan. 

10. Quinoa Salad with Salmon

This quinoa salad will be a refreshing break from all the fattening dishes and irresistible sweets that come with Christmas.

It’s a bright mix of cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and wild salmon all mixed up with quinoa. 

It works great as a side and is a perfect choice for lunch.

11. Pan-Fried Salmon Steak

Make salmon the focus of your Christmas dinner with these mouthwatering steaks. 

These flaky, meaty salmon steaks have a simple seasoning and get a quick pan fry in butter.

It’s just enough to enhance the flavor while letting the salmon shine. 

Plus, it cooks super fast, so you can time dinner perfectly.

12. Salmon with Pesto and Roasted Cauliflower 

If you want a well-balanced Christmas dinner that’s fresh, cozy, and flavorful, this salmon plate checks all those boxes.

Flaky salmon rests on top of a bed of roasted cauliflower mixed with farro.

Add a few spoonfuls of pesto to give it more oomph.

You get an elegant holiday meal out of just five ingredients.

That means you’re far less likely to make a last minute trip to the store because you forgot something.

13. Creamy Salmon Pasta

If you only make one dish for dinner this Christmas, make it this.

In between the linguine, spinach, and salmon filets, it’s a complete meal. 

But then you go on and drown it all in a creamy and zesty white wine-infused sauce, making it extravagant.

14. Garlic Butter Salmon Pasta

Here’s another pasta dish that will be all the rage this Christmas.

It’s simple and yet classy at the same time. 

You take al dente penne and dress it up a bit with lemon garlic butter, parmesan, and salmon. 

For a garnish, fresh parsley and red pepper chili flakes go swimmingly.

15. Lemon-Butter Salmon Pasta

Okay, I know I just mentioned two great pasta options. Yet I can’t help myself but mention one more.

It’s similar to the last, except it calls for heavy cream and linguine. It’s still fresh and zippy, just a touch cozier.

It also feeds a group of six. So you can double it or slim it down depending on your guest list.

16. Marinated Salmon

What’s the forecast for your Christmas? If it’s sunny, you should grill up this marinated salmon.

You make a sweet, garlicky, and umami marinade and let those gorgeous filets take a long bath. 

When the grill is hot and ready, toss them on for about 5 minutes on each side.

If the weather is dreary, you can also bake them in the oven.

17. Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce 

Looking for a foolproof way to make salmon this holiday? You can never go wrong with a garlic lemon butter sauce.

It’s simple, refined, and guaranteed to be a surefire thing. 

Be sure your skillet is hot and the salmon is fully patted dry.

This will help it turn out crisp on the outside and flaky on the inside.

18. Baked Pesto Salmon

There are so many reasons why this is one of the best salmon recipes. 

It’s simple, quick, healthy, fresh, and scrumptious to boot! 

Not only is it all that, but you only need four ingredients too.

Oh, and it gets even better, the oven does the grunt work for you.

Even when it’s not Christmas, you’ll want to make it all the time.

19. Cranberry Sauce Baked Salmon

With cranberries still in season, it’s a great time to bust out this dish.

You take freshly made cranberry sauce, coat the top of the salmon, and then bake. 

You can toss some Brussels sprouts on the side to check a green veggies side dish off the list too.

The flavor combination is enticing and makes for an eye-catching centerpiece.

20. Crispy Garlic Parmesan Salmon

Decorate your salmon with a crispy garlic parmesan crust for a memorable Christmas dinner. 

It’s crispy, juicy, succulent, and tender.

And it’s a great way to make a lot of salmon so it’s perfect for a big Christmas.