Salmon Skewers with Avocado-Basil Sauce

My salmon skewers with avocado-basil sauce recipe are great for dinner with the family or get-togethers with friends. It skewers chunks of flaky, buttery soft salmon and coats it in a creamy and herby avocado-basil sauce.

Pair them with lemon, grilled bread, salads, couscous, or pasta, and treat your guests to a simple seafood dish that can be gorged on all year round.

Salmon Skewers with Avocado-Basil Sauce

Ingredients

These salmon skewers are simple to make. Get started by assembling the following ingredients:

• Salmon – 1.5 lb (680 grams) salmon
• Garlic – 2 garlic cloves
• Basil – 1/2 cup packed basil
• Avocado – 1 avocado
• Yogurt – 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• Mayo – 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more to taste)
• Lemon Zest – zest from one lemon
• Olive Oil – 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste
• Lemon Wedges and More Fresh Basil (optional) for garnishing
• Skewers – around 8 skewers (if using bamboo/wooden skewers, ideally pre-soak the skewers in water for about 20 minutes.)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Make the salmon marinade. Finely chop 4-5 basil leaves and combine them with two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, one tablespoon of lemon juice, half of the lemon zest, one minced garlic clove, and a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste).

Step 2 – Remove the skin from the salmon (if using skin-on salmon) and cut it into cubes (which will go on skewers).

Step 3 – Put the salmon cubes on the skewers.

Note: If using bamboo skewers, ideally, pre-soak the skewers in water for about 20 minutes.

Step 4 – Brush the salmon skewers with the salmon marinade/seasoning and set them aside to marinate while making the avocado-basil sauce.

Step 5 – Make the avocado-basil sauce using an immersion blender or a small blender. Blend the remaining basil with one scooped avocado, one tbsp of lemon juice, zest from half a lemon, yogurt, mayo, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning (adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste).

Step 6 – Place a pan on medium-high heat and brush the pan lightly with olive oil. Pan-fry or grill the salmon skewers until cooked (the ones pictured here took 6 minutes, about 3 minutes on the first side, and then were flipped and cooked for another 3 minutes on the opposite side). Alternatively, you can grill them on your grill outside.

Step 7 – Plate them and drizzle the avocado-basil sauce on top. Add some chopped fresh basil and some lemon wedges.

Serving Suggestions

Keep things simple by serving them, platter-style, with lemon wedges. Serve any remaining sauce on the side, so your guests can add more if they like.

As mentioned above, pasta makes for a hearty side with these skewers.

You could also try them with lots of salads. For example, my tomato, feta, and mint salad would work well with this.

You could also serve them up with a side of couscous or rice.

I would also recommend my roasted veggies with tahini sauce recipe.

This is simple, fun, and succulent food fit for celebrations and gatherings.

That avocado-basil sauce just brings it all together. The rich, buttery, soft salmon and the fresh, creamy sauce are a mouthwatering pairing.

Recipe Card

Salmon Skewers with Avocado-Basil Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Fish

Cuisine: Western

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes

Total Time: 16 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings (8 skewers)

Author: Doina

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb 680 grams salmon
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup packed basil
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice or more to taste
• zest from one lemon
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 8 skewers
• optional lemon wedges and fresh basil for garnishing

Instructions

• Make the salmon marinade. Finely chop 4-5 basil leaves and combine them with two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, one tablespoon of lemon juice, half of the lemon zest, one minced garlic clove, and a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste).
• Remove the skin from the salmon (if using skin-on salmon) and cut it into cubes (which will go on skewers).
• Put the salmon cubes on the skewers.
• Brush the salmon skewers with the salmon marinade/seasoning and set them aside to marinate while making the avocado-basil sauce.
• Make the avocado-basil sauce using an immersion blender or a small blender. Blend the remaining basil with one scooped avocado, one tbsp of lemon juice, zest from half a lemon, yogurt, mayo, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning (adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste).
• Place a pan on medium-high heat, and brush the pan lightly with olive oil. Pan-fry or grill the salmon skewers for about 3-4 minutes on the first side, and then turn and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the salmon is cooked through. Alternatively, you can grill them on your grill outside.
• Plate them and drizzle the avocado-basil sauce on top. Add some chopped fresh basil and some lemon wedges.

Notes

Note: If using bamboo skewers, ideally, pre-soak the skewers in water for about 20 minutes.

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