Salmon Tacos with Grilled Pineapple Salsa & Jalepeño Crema

These tacos are loaded with smoky protein rich salmon, topped with a sweet grilled pineapple salsa and spicy jalapeño cream. To make it even better we finish them with a generous squeeze of lime juice or a few drops hot sauce. SO PERFECT SO GOOD.

I’m actually obsessed with these tacos lately. Not only it’s an easy, colorful and quick dish to make, but it’s also cozy, healthy, protein-packed and visually mood lifting! We start by preparing the salmon marinade so to give it enough time to soak up the marinade while we prepare the grilled pineapple salsa. The marinade can be store-bought or homemade. Just make sure of the added salt content because store bought can be very salty. Next we skin and slice the pineapple in thick rings for grilling. Once grilled it’s combined with other vegetables to make a delicious salsa. For the avocado-jalapeño cream we blend all the ingredients into a smooth creamy sauce. Thats it! from here you quickly cook the salmon and assemble the tacos. The final result is a smoky salmon taco with delicious salsa and creamy jalapeño. Healthy and very yummy!

Ingredients

Salmon Tacos

• 1-1 ½ lbs fresh salmon, center cut preferably
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to brush the salmon
• 2 tablespoons taco-seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• salt as needed
• 8-10 small corn or flour tortillas, warmed

Pineapple Salsa

• ½ medium fresh pineapple, thickly sliced ( you may not need the whole pineapple, save it for snack)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
• ¼  cup finely diced red onion
• ¼  cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 4-6 stalks green onions finely sliced
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ½ jalapeno, chopped for extra heat
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Jalapeño Crema

• 1 large avocado, pitted
• 3 tablespoons full-fat Greek yogurt sub sour cream, cultured preferably
• 2 tablespoons avocado or any good quality mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
• 1-3 jalapeño, minced use to your heat level
• 3 tablespoons lime juice

Instructions

• Marinate Salmon: Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt if needed. Place fish in a small baking dish or wide-rimmed bowl. In a small bowl, combine one tablespoon olive oil, lime juice, and taco seasoning; whisk to combine. Rub the mixture over fish to coat in marinade. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1-2 hours. 
• Grilled Pineapple Salsa: Peel and slice thick cuts of pineapple rings. Brush the pineapple slices with a little olive oil. Heat a grill or skillet with grill markings until searing hot. Place the pineapple on the grill and cook for 3-5 minutes until you achieve grill marks, no more. Flip and repeat. Remove from the pan when both sides are grilled. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then chop into small pieces. In a large bowl, combine chopped grilled pineapple, red bell pepper, red & green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, cumin, and salt; mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use. 
• Avocado Crema: Blend all the ingredients for crema. Taste and adjust any seasoning thats needed. Set aside.
• Cook the Salmon: Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add the marinated salmon and cook, undisturbed, for about 4 minutes. Gently flip, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the salmon is firm to the touch. Transfer salmon to a plate and flake into large pieces.
• Assemble Tacos: Place a thick dollop of avocado crema and spread, followed by the salmon and pineapple salsa, and a finishing drizzle of hot sauce or lime if desired.

Make-Ahead: 

• Grill the pineapple up to 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Store all components of the salsa separately for optimal freshness. They tend to give out a lot of moisture once salt is added. Best if salsa is made day of.
• The salmon will last up to 2 days refrigerated in the marinade. 
• Reheat: To reheat the salmon, drizzle a tiny amount of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the salmon, and gently cook for 3 to 4 minutes. I recommend cook as much as you could need for that meal. Fish tastes better when cooked once.