Goodbye Summer Salmon! That is what I should call this dish – it is light, flavorful and still filling. You can either grill this salmon (I recommend using a cedar plank or foil to prevent the salmon from sticking) or you can follow my method below for searing it in the pan. I love this take on salmon that brings together delicious mediterranean and greek flavors for a unique salmon dish that you will want to add to your weekly rotation. For the recipe below, you can either make all the components or opt for just the salmon or the salmon and rice – I have divided them up by each item so you can pick and choose what you want. I highly recommend the tzatziki sauce though – my homemade version is WAY better than anything you will find in the store and it is so easy to make so don’t skip this one!
For the Rice:
- 1 Cup Jasmine Rice, Uncooked
- 2 Tsp Turmeric
- 1 Tsp Salt
For the Salmon:
- 4 Salmon Filets
- 2 Lemons, Juiced
- 1 Tsp Onion Powder
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 3 Tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Zataar
- 4 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- Salt + Pepper, To Taste
For the Tzatziki:
- 1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- 4 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 2 Tsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Lemon, Juiced
- 1/3 Cup Cucumber, Finely Diced
- 2 Tbsp Fresh Dill, Minced
- Salt + Pepper, To Taste
Optional:
- Feta Cheese
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Pita
To Make the Rice:
- In a small pot, add the rice, turmeric, salt and just under 2 cups of water, stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender. When the rice is done, turn off the heat and fluff with a fork.
- Set aside, covered until ready to serve
To Make the Salmon
- Pat the salmon completely dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, zataar, minced garlic and salt + pepper.
- Squeeze the lemon juice into the seasoning mixture and stir well to form a paste.
- Evenly coat the salmon with the paste and set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes.
- When the salmon has been marinating, heat a pan over high heat and spray with a touch of pam to coat.
- When the pan is hot, add the salmon skin side down (very carefully) and sear for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low-medium and gently flip the salmon over.
- Continue cooking the salmon for 5 minutes. Flip one more time so the skin side is down and allow the salmon to finish cooking all the way through (this will depend on the thickness of the cut but about 8-12 minutes).
- Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside, covered until ready to serve.
To Make the Tzatziki:
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the greek yogurt, garlic cloves, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. Mix to combine well and season with salt + pepper (about 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper).
- Gently fold in the dill and the diced cucumber. Taste and adjust the salt + pepper to your liking. *If you want the tzatziki thinner or more acidic, add in more red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
To Serve:
- Divide the rice between 4 plates and top each plate of rice with a salmon filet. On top of the salmon dollop a generous helping of the tzatziki. If using, top with feta and kalamata olives and serve alongside pita or a cucumber + tomato salad.
Aly Eats Food 
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