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Mac Sauce Salmon

Snejana Andreeva - 1

By Snejana Andreeva

on Jan 21, 2022, Updated Sep 29, 2024

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Have you ever wondered what would happen if a Big Mac and a Salmon Filet had a baby? Honestly, I hadn’t either, but one night I was in bed thinking 💭 about what to do with my leftover homemade Mac Sauce , and this recipe came to mind. I knew it could either be an epic fail or something magical ✨. Luckily, this unlikely combination turned into the best salmon recipe I have made to date – no exaggeration! Needless to say, this recipe is one of a kind , and I haven’t seen it anywhere else on the internet, but it’s definitely one of those pairings that should have been a thing long ago!

  • Why You’ll Love Mac Sauce Salmon
  • How to Prepare
  • Nonna’s Tip 🥣
  • Variations and Substitutions for Mac Sauce Salmon
  • Similar Recipes
  • Best Served With
  • Common Questions
  • Mac Sauce Salmon Recipe

Why You’ll Love Mac Sauce Salmon

The creamy mac sauce gives this salmon a perfectly rich and tangy crust, creating a crispy, slightly sticky exterior . The interior of the salmon remains moist and tender, flaking apart with each forkfull 🤤. The slight sweetness from the sauce perfectly balances the fattiness of the salmon, while the tanginess cuts through the richness creating incredible flavor . Keep in mind, you can make it as light or rich as you’d like by either making this recipe with mayo or a combination of mayo and sour cream. Best of all, it only takes 10 minutes ⏲️ to prepare!

How to Prepare

🌡️ Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

🥒 To a mixing bowl add: 2 tablespoons each mayo, sour cream, and plain yogurt, ½ tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon sriracha, and 1 tablespoon each honey dijon mustard, relish, and pickle juice.

🥄 Stir the Mac Sauce together and then set aside.

🧂 Now, place the salmon filets in a baking dish lined with parchment paper . Add a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper on top, and then brush each with 1 tablespoon of the Mac sauce.

⏲️ Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and the fish flakes off.

🔥For the last 5 minutes, turn the oven on BROIL and let it get golden on top.

🍽️ Take the salmon out of the oven, transfer onto a plate, and then add some more Mac sauce on top.

Nonna’s Tip 🥣

Make this Mac Sauce as light or as rich as you’d like. If you use all yogurt it will be tangier and lighter. You can also use a mix of all 3 like I did, using whatever ratio you like best.

Close-up of a white plate with grilled salmon fillets covered in a creamy, pink mac sauce. The dish is garnished with small green herbs, possibly chives or parsley. The plate has a textured rim, and the background is a light-colored, wooden surface. - 3

Variations and Substitutions for Mac Sauce Salmon

  1. You can absolutely use the sauce for 🍤shrimp or any other seafood you love.
  2. If you want to make this Mac Sauce Salmon dairy-free , use Veganaise as well as a non-dairy sour cream/yogurt.
  3. You can make this sauce using all yogurt but it will be more tangy and light or you can do a mix of all 3 like I did, using whatever ratio you like best.
  4. If you don’t have 🍯 honey Dijon mustard you can certainly use regular mustard with or without a dash of honey.
  5. Finely chopped pickles would also be delicious in the Mac Sauce instead of relish.

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Best Served With

  • Mac Sauce plus 🍟 French fries…need I say more?!
  • Serve this Mac Sauce Salmon as an entree with a big, fresh 🥗 green salad or my Healthy Potato Salad .
  • Serve this Salmon as a bowl with cooked 🍚 rice or quinoa, fresh cucumber and carrot slices, a drizzle of extra Mac sauce, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds or chives.
  • You can use this Mac Sauce with everything: in a burger, as a dip for veggies or onion rings, in wraps, and as a sandwich spread.

Common Questions

Yes, you can certainly make the Mac Sauce Salmon dairy-free by using a Veganaise and your favorite non-dairy sour cream or yogurt.

Absolutely! Grill the salmon over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness, and baste it with the Mac sauce.

You can omit the sriracha or replace it with a milder hot sauce. Alternatively, try a dash of smoked paprika for a bit of flavor without too much heat.

Yes, you can prepare the sauce a day ahead and store it in the fridge. This is a great homemade condiment to keep in the fridge for meals all week!

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Video

Equipment

  • ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • ▢ Mixing Bowls
  • ▢ 8 x 8 Baking Dish
  • ▢ Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Mac Sauce

  • ▢ 2 tablespoons mayo , or Vegenaise
  • ▢ 2 tablespoons sour cream , any
  • ▢ 2 tablespoons plain yogurt , optional
  • ▢ ½ tablespoon tomato paste
  • ▢ 1-2 teaspoons sriracha , to taste
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon honey dijon mustard
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon relish , or 1 finely diced pickle
  • ▢ 1-2 tablespoons pickle juice

The Fish

  • ▢ 4 small salmon fillets
  • ▢ 1 drizzle olive oil
  • ▢ 1 pinch salt
  • ▢ 1 pinch pepper

Instructions

  • ▢ Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
  • ▢ Mix all of the ingredients for the Mac Sauce in a bowl, and set aside.
  • ▢ Now, place the salmon filets in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Add a little drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the Mac sauce on each one.
  • ▢ Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and the fish flakes off. Cooking time will depend on the size of the fish so keep an eye on it.
  • ▢ For the last 5 minutes, I like to turn the oven on BROIL (top broiler only) and let it get golden on top.
  • ▢ Take it out of the oven, transfer onto a plate and add some more Mac sauce on top of each one.
  • ▢ Serve on a bed of mashed potatoes, a side of veggies, or on cauliflower mash.

My Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Mac Sauce Salmon

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • Mixing Bowls
  • 8 x 8 Baking Dish
  • Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Mac Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons mayo or Vegenaise
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream any
  • 2 tablespoons plain yogurt optional
  • ½ tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1-2 teaspoons sriracha to taste
  • 1 tablespoon honey dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon relish or 1 finely diced pickle
  • 1-2 tablespoons pickle juice

The Fish

  • 4 small salmon fillets
  • 1 drizzle olive oil
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
  • Mix all of the ingredients for the Mac Sauce in a bowl, and set aside.
  • Now, place the salmon filets in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Add a little drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the Mac sauce on each one.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and the fish flakes off. Cooking time will depend on the size of the fish so keep an eye on it.
  • For the last 5 minutes, I like to turn the oven on BROIL (top broiler only) and let it get golden on top.
  • Take it out of the oven, transfer onto a plate and add some more Mac sauce on top of each one.
  • Serve on a bed of mashed potatoes, a side of veggies, or on cauliflower mash.

Video

Nutrition

Mac Sauce Salmon https://themodernnonna.com/mac-sauce-salmon/ January 21, 2022