Spicy Slow-Roasted Salmon with Yogurt Sauce
on May 18, 2022, Updated Mar 15, 2024
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This spicy slow-roasted salmon recipe with yogurt sauce is absolutely divine! Have dinner on the table in no time, in just about 30 minutes. We’re slow-roasted our salmon with crushed Calabrian Chile, and finishing with a chunky-esque yogurt/Tzatziki like sauce with chunky cucumbers, radish and some dill as well. Another great fish that will do great here is Steelhead trout! Truly the most buttery dish and I’m obsessed.
If you’re looking for another one pan fish recipe, our Chili-rubbed sheet pan steelhead trout is also fantastic! PS: This recipe is less than 10 ingredients, so let’s get going!
What ingredients do you need for this slow roasted salmon with yogurt sauce?
Salmon: Salmon will work great here, however, steelhead trout is another great option for this! We’re baking with a simple blend of salt, pepper, and chili peppers with extra-virgin olive oil. The oil really helps make this the most buttery salmon. We are roasting as a whole slab of the fish, but you can definitely slice into salmon fillets for roasting if you prefer.
Shallots: I love the shallot addition to this recipe. It really gets jammy and flavorful with the roast in the oven!
Crushed Calabrian Chile Peppers: For this recipe, I love using Calabrian Chile, it is tangy, spicy and cooks really well with this fish. You can opt for a couple teaspoons red-pepper flakes, though if you can’t get this on hand.
For your yogurt sauce: We’re making a chunky inspired Tzatziki for this recipe using Persian cucumbers (you can also use large english cucumber) and radish tossed with greek yogurt, lemon juice, fresh dill, black pepper and kosher salt. It is epic!
Finishing everything with fresh dill to top, but you can use parsley, cilantro or mint here (or any fresh herb) as well.
Instructions to make this spicy slow roasted salmon
Prep your fish
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Pat salmon dry. In a baking dish or ovenproof skillet, place salmon down, skin side down, with the flesh being visible.
Gently toss over and sprinkle your sliced shallots. Season with salt, pepper, crushed Calabrian Chile pepper as well as your extra-virgin olive oil. Mix well with a spoon or your fingers to get everything incorporated. Drizzle chile oil all around to make sure it’s all throughout the salmon and shallots.
Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until fully cooked throughout. Time will depend on the size and thickness of your fish, but internal temperature with a thermometer should reach 130-135 degrees F (and around 120-125 degrees F in the thickest part of the filet) However, if you’re looking for a very firm and cooked fish, it should read around 145 degrees F.
Make your yogurt sauce
While your fish is roasting, make your sauce mixure. In a medium sized bowl, add in your yogurt, radish, cucumber with the juice of 1/2 a lemon (save the other 1/2 lemon for serving), a few sprigs of dill, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix well until combined and set aside.
Assemble!
When your fish and sauce are done, remove from the oven and either flake apart with a fork for serving on a serving platter, or slice into filets with a knife to serve that way. Finish with a dollop of your yogurt sauce, a fresh squeeze of fresh lemon juice, pinch of flakey salt and the rest of your dill. Drizzle the remaining oil from the pan over the dish as well.
Can be served with any grain as well like couscous, rice or even quinoa and farro. Another option is to dip bread in here as well.
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
Is it better to cook salmon slow or fast?
I like to slow cook salmon because it gives the fish a super luscious and silky texture. By cooking slow, you’re also making sure the salmon won’t dry out.
I like to cook salmon fast if I am pan frying where I want the skin super crispy, then I will level down the heat to actually keep the flesh of the salmon still super buttery.
How long should you slow roast salmon?
It depends on your thickness of fish, as well as cooking preference. At 325 degrees, I like it around 130-135 degrees for a super buttery and luscious consistency. If you want it more overdone, I would cook it a tad more.
Other optional inclusions:
We’re slow baking the shallots here, but you can also add either whole cloves of garlic, or thinly sliced garlic to bake with your salmon/steelhead.
We are really relying on the Calabrian Chile here for flavor, but if you can’t get your hands on it, you can substitute for any chili paste you prefer, or spices like smoked paprika, red-pepper flakes or cayenne.
I’ve also done some variations of this recipe with butter and also white wine or sake, and that also adds some more depth of flavor!
Can you cook this recipe on the stovetop?
Yes, on a low heat with in skillet, you can add your salmon and spices with the shallots and cover. Gently let it cook through on the stove top until cooked through. You can also gently steam this in parchment on the stovetop. Add a little bit more liquid like oil and wine to keep the salmon really tender and buttery.
How can I store this to eat later or the next day?
You can absolutely store this to reheat the next day. Store any leftover salmon in a airtight container with any remaining chili oil for up to 2 days maximum. We are serving this recipe warm with the cold yogurt sauce, but you can bring the salmon to room temperature as well as flake on top of toast or bagels as another option, or any leftovers for the next day.
More fish recipes you’ll love!
Halibut en Papillote with Green Olive Salsa Verde
Chili-Rubbed Sheet Pan Steelhead Trout
One Pan Seared Salmon with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
Some other sides to serve with this recipe are our smashed potatoes with Gochujang spicy mayo and Lemon Haricots Verts (French Green Beans) With Crispy Shallots!
If you do make this Spicy Slow-Roasted Salmon recipe (first of all, thank you!!), be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can be sure to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter here as well!
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Spicy Slow-Roasted Salmon with Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon or steelhead trout
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons crushed Calabrian Chile peppers, 1 tablespoon or 1 teaspoon if you don't want it too spicy
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 2 radish, cubed
- 1 Persian cucumber, cubed
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 small bundle of dill
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep your fish. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Pat salmon dry. In a baking dish or ovenproof skillet, place salmon down, skin side down, with the flesh being visible.
- Gently toss over and sprinkle your sliced shallots. Season with salt, pepper, crushed Calabrian Chile pepper as well as your extra-virgin olive oil. Mix well with a spoon or your fingers to get everything incorporated. Drizzle chile oil all around to make sure it’s all throughout the salmon and shallots.
- Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until fully cooked throughout. Time will depend on the size and thickness of your fish, but internal temperature with a thermometer should reach 130-135 degrees F (and around 120-125 degrees F in the thickest part of the filet) However, if you’re looking for a very firm and cooked fish, it should read around 145 degrees F.
- Make your yogurt sauce. While your fish is roasting, make your sauce mixture. In a medium sized bowl, add in your yogurt, radish, cucumber with the juice of 1/2 a lemon (save the other 1/2 lemon for serving), a few sprigs of dill, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix well until combined and set aside.
- Assemble! When your fish and sauce are done, remove from the oven and either flake apart with a fork for serving on a serving platter, or slice into filets with a knife to serve that way. Finish with a dollop of your yogurt sauce, a fresh squeeze of fresh lemon juice, pinch of flakey salt and the rest of your dill. Drizzle the remaining oil from the pan over the dish as well.
- Can be served with any grain as well like couscous, rice or even quinoa and farro. Another option is to dip bread in here as well.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I haven’t gotten to make this yet, but I don’t know where you find Calabrian chili. what type do you use?
You can find it on Amazon, or should be at your local store, or a local Italian store! I hope this helps! If you can’t find it, sambal as a sub also will work, or chili flakes.