Looking for a healthy Whole30-friendly salmon recipe? This Whole30 Garlic Salmon is it! Plus, it comes with a side of watercress and bacon for tons of flavor.
Whole30 is most common in January, but I think eating some Whole30-friendly recipes year round, like this Whole30 salmon, is a good idea. If you’ve ever done Whole30, you know how important it is to switch up your meals and protein type, so consider this recipe one of your new go-to Whole30 salmon recipes.
Truthfully, this is a recipe I’ve made at least 10 times. It’s an easy weeknight meal and something that I make when I feel like I need to switch things up.
WHY THIS WHOLE30 SALMON IS SO GOOD:
- The salmon is marinated in a garlic mixture that’s SO flavorful
- It’s paired with a simple watercress salad, flavored with leeks and bacon
- You get your fair share of protein and greens all in one
HOW TO MAKE WHOLE30 SALMON
First, thaw the salmon according to the package instructions. I like to thaw salmon overnight by placing it in the refrigerator. Before you marinate it, be sure to pat it dry with a paper towel to absorb any moisture.
Then, stir the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. In this case, that includes olive oil, garlic, thyme, and parsley. I like to use a basting brush to brush the marinade over the salmon so that it’s evenly coated.
While the salmon bakes, you can prepare the watercress salmon, which is just as simple as making the salmon! Add the bacon and leeks to a skillet then sauté for a few minutes until the bacon is cooked, then add in the watercress and cook for an extra minute or two until it’s wilted. That’s it!
DO I HAVE TO USE WATERCRESS?
Nope! You can use ANY kind of greens you want. My personal favorites are spinach and kale.
HOW DO I KNOW IF BACON IS WHOLE30 COMPLIANT?
Be sure to check the nutrition label for the ingredients and make sure there’s 0 grams of sugar. There are certain brands that label their bacon as “paleo”, but others do not, so it’s smart to check the label.
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER DELICIOUS WHOLE30 RECIPES
Whole30 Garlic Salmon with Watercress
Ingredients
For the salmon:
- 2 salmon filets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- Pinch of parsley
- Salt and pepper
For the salad:
- 2 slices of bacon chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup leeks
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 2 bunches watercress
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°.
- Line a baking sheet with foil, making sure there's extra foil hanging off the sides and place the salmon skin side down on the foil.
- Combine the salmon marinade ingredients (olive oil, garlic, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper) in a small bowl and stir.
- Brush marinade onto the salmon, making sure salmon is coated. Fold up the foil so that it covers the salmon; you want the salmon to be covered with the foil.
- Place salmon in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until salmon is cooked through. Then, turn broiler on and broil salmon for 2-3 minutes.
- While salmon is cooking, make the salad: Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add bacon, leeks and thyme. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or so or until bacon is cooked.
- Add watercress to the skillet and stir until everything is combined and watercress is cooked.
- Transfer salad to plates and place salmon on top.
- Enjoy!
Ahh I love salmon! This looks so good. I don’t follow set diets for the same reason as you. When I want pizza, no one’s getting in my way! haha
Hhaa girlllll you and me both! Gimme gimme.
This looks awesome! I’m actually going to do my first Whole30 in January… I have Raynaud’s reallllly bad and both of my sisters have other autoimmune issues, one being Celiacs. So I’m hoping to figure out if something in my diet is causing my Raynaud’s to be so terrible. Keep your fingers crossed!
Ahh absolutely! Hopefully cutting out certain foods will help.
Mmm that close up, though 😛 I’m with ya on the Whole 30. I don’t do well with restriction, but I know a couple people who like it!
Mhmmm–I’m all about balance and moderation alwayssss but I have a few friends who swear by it!
Salmon is just the best and this looks delicious! I’m with you on the “being weak” thing. I don’t like to restrict or cut out certain foods because I don’t think it’s healthy, I’m more of a “balance” girl. 🙂
AMEN! Glad we’re on the same page 🙂
yummm! i freaking love salmon!!! haven’t used watercress before however, it seems to be making an appearance in a lot of recipes I’ve been looking at! must give it a try!
Definitely! It’s super versatile, which is why I love it so much.
So beautiful and simple. I’ve never had sautéed watercress but it’s such a smart (and healthy!) green to throw in.
Absolutely! I’ve been loving watercress lately.
Gorgeous! And I love the use of watercress.
Thanks Karlie!