Grilled Cuban-Style Salmon with Jalapeño Avocado Salsa

Grilled dishes are a perfect meal for when the weather is a bit warmer and cooking indoors is less appealing – who wants to spend hours over a hot stove when it’s already 90 degrees outside! While there are a ton of options for grilled dishes, many of these fall to the traditional Paleo proteins – pork, beef, and chicken. We love this grilled salmon dish because it highlights the versatility of the grill – seafood can and should be cooked using this yummy method! This simple and unique dish requires very little time (although prep can take about an hour, this is due to the marination time). For a hands-on estimate, you’ll be working with this dish for as long as it takes you to prep and apply to marinade, plus a few minutes for grilling. This is a perfect meal for when you want to enjoy something with a stronger flavor but can’t dedicate too much time creating the dish.

What makes this dish so appealing is the unique combination of Cuban-inspired grilled salmon with a simple yet delicious jalapeño avocado cold salsa topping. Salmon is one of the most versatile cuts of seafood, and while it can lean towards the pricier side, it packs a lot of great nutritional content into every bite. Although we encourage Paleo eaters to seek out wild-caught salmon, know that this may not be possible depending on your location and budget. Use what works for you and enjoy this mouth-watering seafood offering.

Another reason we love this dish is that it provides a fairly complete macro profile, so you don’t need to worry too much about adding additional sides. But since this dish just screams summer dining, why not throw together this fruity coleslaw for a sweet pairing?

Grilled Cuban-Style Salmon with Jalapeño Avocado Salsa Recipe

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Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Jalapeño and Avocado Salsa

• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, green onions, cumin, and cayenne; season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Pour the mixture over the salmon fillets and marinate 30 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator.
3. In another bowl, combine all the ingredients for the jalapeño and avocado salsa, season to taste with salt and pepper, and refrigerate until ready to eat.
4. Preheat grill to medium heat.
5. Grill the salmon, basting with the remaining marinade 4 to 5 minutes per side.
6. Serve the salmon topped with the jalapeño-avocado salsa.