Citrus-Herb Salmon with Orange and Red Onion Salsa

This post has been sponsored by Sunkist Growers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

salmon on platter with oranges on the side

One of my favorite things about winter is the abundance of beautiful citrus in season. I enjoy experimenting with citrus in both sweet and savory dishes, and this Citrus Herb Salmon with Orange Red Onion Salsa highlights three Sunkist varieties—Minneola Tangelos, Delite® Mandarins, and Cara Cara Oranges. The tangy Minneola and sweet Mandarins flavor the marinade, while the sweet, low-acid Cara Cara adds a bright pop in the salsa.

If you love citrus, check out SunkistShopperHub.com for coupons, recipes, and ingredient ideas.

Recipe ingredients

This recipe uses three citrus types: Minneola Tangelos, Mandarins, and Cara Cara Oranges—each bringing different flavor and texture to the dish.

Minneola Tangelos

Minneola Tangelo juice is used in the marinade. A cross between a grapefruit and a tangerine, Minneolas are exceptionally juicy with bold, tangy flavor—ideal for imparting bright taste quickly.
They often have a knob-like stem, are available mid-December through April/May, and are high in vitamin C and folate while being low in fat with no cholesterol or sodium.

Mandarins

Mandarin juice adds sweetness to balance the tang of Minneola. Mandarins are sweet, juicy, usually seedless, and easy to peel.
They’re recognizable by their flat-round shape and glossy orange skin. Available November through May, mandarins are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of fiber.

Cara Cara Oranges

Cara Cara Oranges are very sweet with lower acidity, making them perfect for the raw red onion and jalapeño salsa.
They look like a regular navel on the outside but have pinkish flesh due to lycopene, offering both a pretty color and antioxidants. Cara Caras are high in vitamin C and are sold as The Power Orange® by Sunkist.

bags of citrus in Harris Teeter Shopping Bag

You can find these Sunkist citrus varieties at many grocery stores. In my local Harris Teeter they were displayed in the center of the produce aisle—easy to spot and great quality.

Step by step photos

1. Make the marinade: juice Mandarins and Minneola Tangelos, then whisk with chopped herbs, olive oil, salt, and citrus zest. I used cilantro, but parsley, dill, or tarragon work well too.

juicing oranges with oranges on cutting board

2. Marinate the salmon in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Don’t exceed this time: the citrus acid can alter the fish’s texture if left too long.

3. While the salmon marinates, prepare the Cara Cara orange and red onion salsa. Remove the peel and pith, cut the segments into bite-sized pieces, then mix with finely diced red onion, chopped herbs, a touch of olive oil, salt, and a seeded jalapeño if you like heat.

Mixing orange red onion salsa in clear bowl

4. Preheat the broiler and position the oven rack about 7–8 inches from the top. Remove salmon from the marinade, pat dry, place skin-side down on a baking tray, sprinkle with salt, and broil for 10–11 minutes or until nicely browned and flaky.

5. Transfer the salmon to a platter and spoon the orange red onion salsa over each piece. Serve any extra salsa on the side.

hand spooning orange salsa over broiled salmon on platter

Tips and tricks

Position the oven rack about 7–8 inches from the top so the salmon cooks evenly without burning.
Preheat the broiler for 5–10 minutes before cooking.
If your fillets are thinner than 2 inches or smaller than 6 ounces, reduce the broiling time and check a few minutes early to avoid overcooking.
Rotate the tray front-to-back halfway through cooking if the fillets are browning unevenly.

Check SunkistShopperHub.com for coupons, recipes, and ingredient ideas.

Recipe

Citrus Herb Salmon with Orange Red Onion Salsa

Broiled Salmon with Citrus Red Onion Salsa on Platter

An easy broiled salmon recipe with a quick citrus herb marinade and a fresh orange red onion salsa.

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 36 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Category: main course
Method: broil
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the salmon:

four 6-ounce salmon fillets
1 cup freshly squeezed citrus juice (about half Mandarins and half Minneola Tangelos)
1 teaspoon citrus zest
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, dill, or tarragon)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the orange red onion salsa:

2 medium Cara Cara oranges
⅓ cup finely diced red onion
1 medium jalapeño, seeded and finely diced (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt, to taste

Instructions

Whisk together the fresh juice, zest, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup olive oil, and ¼ cup chopped herbs. Place the mixture in a shallow dish or a zip-top bag and add the salmon. Marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes.
While the salmon marinates, make the salsa: trim the top and bottom of each orange so it sits flat, then remove the peel and pith with a knife. Cut the flesh into small pieces and combine with red onion, jalapeño (if using), herbs, olive oil, and salt to taste.
About 5–10 minutes before the marinade time ends, position the oven rack 7–8 inches from the top and preheat the broiler on high.
Remove the salmon from the marinade, pat dry, place skin-side down on a baking tray, sprinkle with a little extra salt, and broil for 10–11 minutes or until browned on the outside and flaky inside.
Transfer salmon to a platter and top with the orange red onion salsa. Serve any extra salsa on the side.

Notes

I used cilantro for both marinade and salsa, but dill, parsley, or tarragon are good alternatives.
Zest citrus before juicing to make the process easier, and chop extra herbs ahead of time to save time.
To get about 1 cup of juice, I used 2 Minneola Tangelos and 3 Mandarins.
If fillets are thinner than 2 inches or smaller than 6 ounces, check a few minutes early for doneness.
If browning is uneven, rotate the tray front-to-back halfway through cooking.