Looking for a recipe to liven up your weeknight menu? This simple recipe is loaded with flavor…It’s also quick, healthy, and easy to make! A little cilantro, some garlic, coconut aminos, and coconut sugar and you’re good to go!
Then it’s 25 minutes to dinner!
We’re going to make one of the most mouthwatering entrees you’ve ever had and we’re going to make it without gluten, grain, dairy, egg, soy, corn, almond, sesame, or cashew!
How is that possible?
Because this is Break A Recipe! And that’s what we do here. We make delicious foods without gluten grain, dairy, egg, soy, almond, sesame, or cashew!
Not only is it possible, it’s delicious! Life is delicious here at Break A Recipe.
What’s better than making this delicious entree in less than 30 minutes? While the salmon is in the oven, you’ll be able to steam veggies, make a salad, prep some sides, or just relax for a bit. You deserve it!
A whole meal in less than 30 minutes, let’s do it!
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS, AT NO COST TO YOU.
Welcome to Break A Recipe!
My name is Nina, and I am a Food Nerd who creates recipes without gluten, grain, dairy, egg, soy, corn, almond, or cashew. All recipes you find here will be made without those ingredients.
When people hear I cook without gluten, grain, dairy, egg, soy, corn, almond, cashew and sesame, they ask “What’s left to use?”
I say “Unicorn Farts,” and we laugh.
The truth is, I use simple ingredients to recreate delicious foods without many common allergens. Most people can’t tell the foods I make are made without traditional ingredients.
If this is your first time visiting, thank you so much for stopping to check out this simple recipe for Salmon!
If this is your first time visiting, thank you for stopping by! If you are a returning reader, newsletter subscriber, recipe tester, or Facebook group member, thank you for all your help! You keep me on my toes. You inspire me to Break New Recipes each week.
Life is better with foodie friends, and I’m thankful to call you mine!
When my friends sampled my Snickerdoodle Cookies, they were convinced that living without common food allergens isn’t as hard as they might have thought.
That’s kind of my thing, using alternative ingredients and creating recipes that don’t taste or look different from the original! As the name of my blog implies, I break things in the kitchen. I would love it if you would come behind the scenes with me every week and let me tell you more about it in my newsletter. You can subscribe on the right hand side on a desktop, after the recipe in the blog post, or after the blogpost on a mobile device. I’m a food nerd and I love having foodie friends!
Here’s a quick look at my Instagram to see what I’ve been cooking lately (and some dogs, they are the children at our house.)
Now Let’s Get Back To Our Recipe!
Weeknight meals need to be quick, easy, and delicious. And this Simple Salmon With Cilantro is all three!
“Don’t you get bored with a limited diet?” This is one of the questions I get asked most often. And it’s a good one! I use simple ingredients, omit allergens, and go for bold flavor.
How are we going to do that in this recipe? Whether you use Salmon or another protein—we’re going for the classic flavor of soy sauce…but without the soy! Instead of soy sauce, we’ll use coconut aminos and some coconut sugar. We’ll season it with fresh garlic, and of course some cilantro. If you don’t have fresh, dried will do just fine. There’s no shame in a healthy short cut!
So many recipes for salmon include soy sauce…the flavor is wonderful, but it’s not safe for many of us. Our recipe is going to give us flavor similar to soy sauce, without the soy or gluten! We’re going to use Coconut Aminos, and Coconut Sugar to flavor our salmon.
I brought this to Christmas Eve as our 7th fish last year. My Uncle said, “Make sure you give Auntie that recipe.” You can’t ask for a more honest endorsement than that. When those without allergens ask for the recipe, it’s a winner for sure!
What if you can’t have fish?
Fish is one of the top 8 allergens, so we have to consider safety. If the salmon in this recipe is not safe for you, I understand. One person’s safe food is another’s allergen. Consider Breaking The Recipe with chicken breast, turkey thighs, boneless pork chops or another safe protein. I’ve also made this recipe with thinly sliced chicken breasts, it’s so good!
This is Break A Recipe! Where we do safe food. The best recipe is the one that you can enjoy safely.
So how are we going to prepare our salmon?
I wasn’t kidding when I said simple. You mix the sauce, brush it on the salmon, bake it, and call it done.
There’s a little more to it than that. No worries, I’ll walk you through every step of the recipe and show you some photos.
Before we get to our recipe, let’s take a look at the ingredients and equipment we’ll be using in this recipe.
Are you ready to Break A Recipe?
Let’s Start With A
Shopping List
If you’re looking for equipment or ingredients, the links below will take you to the ingredients and equipment I use in my own kitchen.
Ingredients
- Salmon
- Fresh Cilantro, dried cilantro will also do
- Coconut Aminos
- Coconut Sugar
- Fresh Garlic
- Ground Ginger
- Salt
- Non-Stick Olive Oil Spray
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish with lid (I like to use glass or ceramic for fish)
- Adjustable Measuring Spoons
- Garlic Press
- Small glass bowl
- Kitchen Sheers
- Basting Brush
These ingredients and equipment are what I use in my own kitchen. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping to “keep the lights on,” here at Break A Recipe.
Enough With the Words, Let’s Break A Recipe!
Simple Salmon With Cilantro
Equipment
- 9×13 baker with lid
- Garlic Press
- small glass bowl
- Basting Brush
- Adjustable measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Salmon Fillet
- 2 Tablespoons Snipped Cilantro
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1 Clove Fresh Garlic
- Olive Oil Non-Stick Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F, take the salmon out of the fridge and let it rest while the oven preheats.
- In a small glass bowl, snip cilantro to measure 2 tablespoons. Add coconut aminos, coconut sugar, salt, and ground ginger to bowl. Press fresh garlic into bowl, mix with basting brush.
- Spray baking dish with non stick olive oil spray. If salmon filet has skin, place salmon in pan skin side down. Using basting brush, brush salmon with sauce.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until salmon flakes in the center.
Notes
Let’s See It Happen!
Having variety in my weeknight meals is one of the ways I have been able to avoid some of my major allergens like gluten, grains, soy, pork, beef, and corn. Because of the variety available to me, I’m able to plan for healthy meals that are simple to prepare. If you’re looking for more easy meals, I recommend my Grain-free pasta bolognese and fried chicken.
If you are looking for a delicious side dish to go with this salmon, try my fast mac’n cheese! Of course it’s free of gluten, grain, dairy, egg, soy, corn, almond, and cashew! While your salmon bakes, you’ll be able to make this quick side on the stove top.
You can double this recipe for guests or meal prepping. I’m a huge fan of “planned-overs”. Cooking more than enough for several meals means I have more time during the week for doing the things I love, crafting, playing with the pups, baking, and reading. I love searching cookbooks and blogs for inspiration!
Let’s Take A Closer Look At Our Ingredients
Salmon-
This fish is loaded with healthy fats, known as Omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike almonds which also contain Omega-3, salmon is low in omega 6 fatty acids. This makes it great for fighting inflammation! It’s also high in Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and protein.
Cilantro–
Cilantro is known for its bright flavor. Some think it has a flavor similar to parsley, while others describe the flavor as “citrusy”. I think it has a flavor close to lime, kind of a lime parsley cross flavor. I was surprised to learn that it has digestive health benefits. It’s also rich in antioxidants and lowers blood sugar. If blood sugar is a concern for you, please make sure cilantro is safe for you by checking with your health care provider before using it in your recipes.
Salt—
Did you know that in baking, salt controls the growth of yeast? Without it our yeast would grow too quickly and our bread might collapse during baking! Salt is also an essential nutrient we need in moderation. While you might be tempted to omit the salt from this recipe, salt is a flavor enhancer, it brings out the flavor of the other ingredients. It also makes it possible for a chemical process called osmosis to occur. The salmon doesn’t have salt in it, and because of this it will absorb the salted sauce we have created as it tries to equalized the amount of salt on the surface of the salmon with the amount of salt (none at all) inside the salmon. Good old culinary science relies on salt! If you are concerned about your salt intake, always follow your doctor’s advice. I also suggest removing salt shaker from the table, and salting your recipes in the kitchen. You’ll end up using less salt and have lots more flavor.
Coconut Sugar—
Best described as sweet with a caramel like flavor, coconut sugar is delicious! It also has a lower glycemic index than cane sugar and is thought to cause less inflammation than cane sugar. I use it whenever a recipe calls for brown sugar. It has the same deep rich flavor with a little caramel bonus. In our recipe the coconut sugar mixes with the ginger, cilantro, garlic, and salt to give our salmon a bright, sweet, and citrusy flavor. Because of the coconut sugar, the edges of the salmon will become crispy. Coconut sugar also gives our salmon less of a “fishy” taste.
Fresh Garlic—
When we crush garlic, we release allicin, a compound made by combining two chemicals (Alliin and allinaise). This creates the pungent flavor we associate with garlic. If we roast the garlic, it will have mild flavor because allicin would not be created. Isn’t it amazing to know that the technique we use changes our food chemically?
Ground Ginger–
Known for its bold flavor and anti-inflammatory properties ginger adds a sharp flavor to our salmon. This sharp flavor is balanced by the sweetness of the coconut sugar in the same way that ginger and sugar balance each other in a cookie. Ginger can have a pungent flavor, so if you decide to reduce or omit the coconut sugar, consider reducing the amount of ginger or the flavor might just be out of balance.
Isn’t it amazing?
No matter how much we know about our ingredients—and scientists have yet to learn everything about diet and nutrition—I am always surprised by the way foods I know well, blend together to create something completely new. There’s nothing like the first bite of a flavorful new recipe!
I hope this recipe helps to add variety to your menu. If you need help breaking this recipe in a way that is safe for you, I would be glad to help. I started this journey in 2012 when my food allergies were identified, I couldn’t find recipes that suited my unique needs. During this time, I’ve learned a lot, met some great people, and I’ve had a lot of fun. There’s lots more to learn and many more recipes to break!
Before You Go…
Thank you for reading, for trying this recipe, and for taking a chance on a recipe made with unique ingredients!
You’ll find it’s easy to make, and your body will feel much better after eating it. You will find your gluten-and grain loving friends going for seconds!
If you’re cooking this for someone with allergies, thank you again for supporting them. You’re an amazing friend. Pin this recipe so you can share it with those who need it, and find it later!
Please tell me how your recipe turned out when you make it. Click here to reach me directly. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest using the links below. I really enjoy your feedback and comments. I can’t wait to hear how your recipe turned out!
Come connect with others who cook without grains. Life’s better with Foodie Friends. We’d love to have you join us in Grain-Free Lifestyle And Support Community.