Salmon Kabobs with Tzatziki Sauce

These salmon kabobs are a nice way to change things up with fish! They cook fast since the cubes are small. Tzatziki sauce adds creamy and bright contrast.

I talk a lot about fish on this blog (see also: an easy and inexpensive way to eat more fish). Can you blame me though? If there’s ever a food that I get a lot of questions about, it’s fish. Here are just a few of the most FAQs:

• Can’t I just meet my needs for omega 3 through plant sources?
• Wild or farm-raised?
• Isn’t fish high in mercury?
• Fresh, frozen or canned?
• I want to start eating more fish, but I don’t know how to cook it.

I won’t get super detailed in this post because today is all about this mouthwatering recipe. To make a long conversation short: it’s still recommended that we eat 2-3 servings of fatty fish weekly to meet needs for omega-3 fatty acid intake. Plant-based sources of omega-3s are great, but will not provide the necessary amount of EPA and DHA. I recommend including a variety of fresh, frozen and/or canned based on access, taste preferences and price. The health benefits of consuming adequate amounts of fish outweigh any potential risk from mercury.

For more information on farmed versus wild-caught fish and sustainability information, check out the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program. It’s a great resource!

Why Salmon Kabobs are Awesome

Now let’s talk about one of my favorite ways to prepare salmon… kabobs!

I love cooking it this way because it’s a nice change from the traditional baked or grilled fillet, but also because it cooks super fast. Whenever you chop something into smaller pieces, it’s no shocker that you cut down on the cook time because there’s more surface area. For some reason, I rarely see recipes showcasing this as an option with fish. It’s always beef, chicken and vegetables on skewers. Luckily it works beautifully!

I recommend a middle piece of salmon (as opposed to the tail) for this recipe because it’ll be easier to chop into uniform cubes. Just specify at the fish counter at the grocery store. They’ll be happy to do it! All you have to do is skewer, drizzle with olive oil and your seasonings of choice, then transfer to the grill.

Quick tip // Remember to oil your grill grates and to be sure that your fish is well-oiled to prevent sticking. I used a brush for this.

How to Make a Quick Tzatziki Sauce

This is what I would consider to be a multi-tasking recipe because while the fish is grilling, you can get to work on the sauce.

If you aren’t familiar with tzatziki, it’s very simple to make and packs a ton of great flavor. The creaminess also pairs perfectly with anything grilled/charred.

Here’s what you’ll need:

I almost always have plain yogurt, lemons, garlic and cucumbers on hand so it’s really just a matter of finding dill. If you have leftover from another recipe, this is a great way to use it up. You could also use dried, although I wouldn’t recommend that unless absolutely necessary.

Once all of these ingredients are mixed well, drizzle a little bit of olive oil, then season with salt and pepper until it’s perfect for your taste.

Grab those kabobs off the grill and either spoon the sauce over the top, or leave it on the side for dipping.

I like to serve this with a quick-cooking grain and side salad, but you could also throw some vegetables on the grill at the same time as the fish to make things really simple. Make sure you add this to your list of “must-make” grilled meals before summer ends. It might be one of your new favorites!

Salmon Kabobs with Tzatziki Sauce

Salmon kabobs are the perfect way to mix things up with fish. They cook super fast and are fun to dip in a flavorful tzatziki sauce. 

• Author: Leanne Ray, MS, RDN
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
• Category: Mains

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound of fresh salmon 
• 1–2 Tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup full-fat plain yogurt (I used Siggi’s 4%)
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and small diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
• 2 Tbsp fresh dill, minced

Instructions

1. Cut salmon fillet into small cubes, then thread onto skewers (I filled three).
2. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. 
3. Grill at 400 degrees for ~15 minutes, rotating every 5-7 minutes (or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F). 
4. While salmon is cooking, make your sauce by combining yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice & zest and dill in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. To serve: top each kabob with tzatziki sauce (or leave on the side for dipping). 

Notes

I divided the fish onto three skewers. Depending on how many sides you have, this could very well be enough to serve four (just evenly divide onto four skewers). 

Keywords: salmon recipe, kabobs, tzatziki sauce, fish recipes