Crispy Jamaican Jerk Salmon with Mango-Basil Vinaigrette makes for a vibrant, amazing well-balanced meal full of sweet and savory flavors. A colorful, delicious healthy dinner recipe.
What if I told you this is the best meal I’ve eaten in I don’t know how long?
Crispy spiced salmon with spring greens and avocado, tied together with sweet mango-basil vinaigrette?
A meal that takes no more than 30 minutes to prepare? I’m almost at a loss for words.
Almost.
Crispy salmon bits.
There, I said it
Oh my, I’m obsessed!
As you all know, I’m a big lover of sea dwellers, but what you may not know is I’m certifiably crazy over crispy salmon skin.
The salmon skin hand roll at sushi restaurants? The best ever. The crispy fatty bits crunch like no other crispy morsel and melt in your mouth in fatty deliciousness.
My trick for getting both the flesh and the skin of the salmon all crispy is by broiling it on high in the oven. You may have seen this method in my Go-To Crispy Salmon Recipe.
Works like a charm each and every time! The fish turns out crispy around the outside and super moist and tender on the inside.
PLUS, you don’t need to marinate it – all you need is a spice blend and some oil and BAM: dinner in 15 minutes.
What is Jamaican Jerk?:
If you’ve seen this term used but aren’t sure what it is, I’ve got you. Jerk-style cooking involves a simple combination of spices. The protein is often marinated in said spices then grilled, smoked, slow cooked, or roasted.
You can see this method at play in my Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe.
Jerk seasoning is a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, sugar, salt, paprika, all spice, cinnamon, black pepper, and ground nutmeg. It may seem like a ton of spices, but it yields an amazing flavor, which can be used on just about any meat!
The Mango-Basil Vinaigrette:
Moving on to the mango-basil dressing.
I had a very ripe mango in my refrigerator along with some basil that needed to be used up before it expired in like 10 seconds (you know how basil is…one minute it’s all perky and spry, the next moment it’s all flaccid and…neverminded).
Remembering Teighan’s post from last week, where she made a peanut-chili-mango-basil hootenanny for her Very Berry Dream Salad so I used her dressing recipe as inspiration for my own mango-basil adventure.
With a few alterations, (I omitted the peanut butter and the chili), I was left with this sweet, tropical, creamy dressing that wowed my face off.
Let’s be honest, I wanted to stick a straw in it and drink it like a smoothie, no joke.
I’ve been envisioning using it as a meat marinade or dressing for a grain salad or potato salad. Can you imagine the possibilities?
Ingredients for Jamaican Jerk Salmon Salad:
For the Salmon: We need fresh salmon, jerk seasoning and a little bit of cooking oil.
The Salad: Spring greens, red onion, avocado and blueberries! You can mix up the salad add-ins to your heart’s delight.
For the Vinaigrette: Fresh mango, olive oil, red wine vinegar, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, and fresh basil.
You’ll end up with far more Mango Basil Vinaigrette than you need, which is great news because you’ll be able to use it for your future salads and culinary adventures.
Case in point: Crispy yet tender bites of salmon seventh heaven, creamy dreamy tropical dressing of bliss, and a meal to remember! It’s time to feast!
If you love this salmon recipe, also try my Greek Salmon Salad and my Teriyaki Salmon!
The crispy fatty bits, though..
Crispy Jamaican Jerk Salmon with Mango-Basil Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Mango-Basil Vinaigrette:
- 1 large ripe mango peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1- inch piece fresh ginger peeled and grated
- ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to taste
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
For the Salad:
- 5 ounces Spring greens chopped
- ½ red bell pepper cut into matchsticks
- 1 ripe but firm avocado peeled and sliced
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
Jamaican Jerk Salmon:
- 1 pound salmon fillet
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Jamaican Jerk spice * see note
Instructions
Prepare the Mango-Basil Vinaigrette:
- Add all ingredients for the vinaigrette except for the basil to a high-powered blender (I used my Magic Bullet). Blend until completely smooth. Transfer to a jar and stir in the chopped basil. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the Salad:
- Add all ingredients for the salad to a large serving bowl and toss together.
Perpare the Jamaican Jerk-Spiced Salmon:
- Place your oven on the high broil setting and move one of the racks to the top shelf.
- Place salmon fillet in a large casserole dish and drizzle with oil. Use your hands to be sure the whole fillet is evenly coated.
- Sprinkle the Jamaican jerk spice over the salmon fillet and very gently rub into the salmon to ensure the whole fillet is evenly coated in oil and spice.
- Place on the top shelf under the preheated broiler and broil for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on size of fillet. A fillet less than 1-inch thick should only take 10 to 12 minutes). Note: Keep the oven light on to ensure the salmon does not catch fire - while this has never happened to me, it is possible for food to ignite when it’s under the broiler.
- Remove salmon from oven and serve with salad and mango-basil vinaigrette.
I am equally obsessed with crispy salmon skin (in fact, I won’t deign to eat salmon without it) but I did NOT know there was a salmon skin sushi roll! Wow.
Also, this whole recipe just looks amazing. The jerk seasoning with the crispy salmon, all that fruit, and avocado sounds perfect.
You had me thinking I was going to scroll down and see a fish head! lol
I call myself a vegetarian but I like to eat fish on occasion and I know I would love this salmon! I’m all about a crispy crust too. Really the whole salad looks freakin’ incredible, especially that vinaigrette!
Brandon is traveling for two weeks at the end of the month so I’m thinking that will give me plenty of time to get the fish smell out of the house after making this. Hooza!
I LOVE crispy salmon skin! This looks amazing Julia! Makes me feel like I’m in the Caribbean. (I wish!)
Lol at “eye muffs.” This salad looks divine. I love salmon so much, and this dressing sounds like it would be the perfect compliment to it! Delish!
CRISPY SALMON BITS. I live for them. This salad is so fresh and flavorful and I want to chow down on it for lunch!
Now that is a summer salad. The jerk salmon sounds so delicious…and then mix that with that sweet mango basil vinaigrette–perfect!
Hahhaha “eye muffs”! I gotta say, despite the fact I wouldn’t go near salmon as a life long veggie and now vegan, that Mango-Basil Vinaigrette? I’m here for it!
Oh, yum!!! This is definitely something I ought to make. I’m guessing that grilling the salmon would work, also.
I’m certain that the dressing would go well with a grain salad – if I recall correctly, you are the creator of the Buddha bowl with maple cinnamon tahini dressing. This dressing sounds like it’s the same type, which means it would work. I’m really looking forward to trying this (and getting my husband to eat salmon…)
OH YES, what a brilliant idea using the dressing for the Buddha bowl! I still have some of it left in my refrigerator so now I know how to put it to use 😉 Thanks for the inspiration and I hope you and your hubs enjoy the salmon!
You totally had me at crispy fatty salmon bit. OMG YUM! Get in my belly. Just fabulous. And that vinaigrette though!
Crispy fish skin is the best! You really can’t eat it any other way! I love that you put the salmon over a salad and included blueberries, yum!! I haven’t cooked salmon in so long, but this is making me want to go out and get some 🙂
Ooh I love everything about this! I gotta get this on my meal plat STAT.
This recipe was amazing! I made it last night for dinner and both my husband and I loved it!
YUUUUHS! I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed it! Thanks so much for letting me know!
It’s a good thing I”m the kind of vegetarian who eats fish on occasion or I’d want to bite you right now (just to prevent myself from biting into this salmon!). Looks so good.
This recipe is awesome!
Vinaigrette *
This looks amazing! I’m not a fan of salmon, so planning on trying it with chicken!
MMM…made this tonight and it was quite tasty! Thanks fore the recipe.
I can’t even handle the degree to which this recipe is calling out my name!!
WARNING: Glass casserole dish may break in oven.
Yep! That’s what happened to mine. Oops!
This was the best salmon I’ve ever eaten, let alone made!! And the mango basil vinaigrette… TO DIE FOR!! The most perfect summer dish. I felt like I was back in Costa Rica so obviously I was in a really good place with dinner tonight!! ???
I’m so happy to hear it, Madalyn! Thanks so much for your sweet note! xo
Amazing recipe!!! I really want to share it with my friends as the flavours are fantastic, and it tastes so indulgent! Salmon is really an integral part of my diet as i am diagnosed with hypothyroidism and it is considered to be Zinc-rich. Thanks for sharing.
Do you put in in the oven skin side down or up? TIA.
Hi Anne! I do skin-side down the whole time. As an alternative, you can start skin-side down, then flip after 5 minutes and finish it off skin-side up. Hope you enjoy!