Ouzo Salmon Baked Over Greens

Name: Ouzo Salmon Baked Over Greens
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz / 170 g each); 2 tablespoons extra-virgin Greek olive oil; 2 tablespoons ouzo; Zest and juice of 1 lemon; 2 garlic cloves (finely minced); 1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill; Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 bunch spinach (roughly chopped); 1 bunch Swiss chard or beet greens (roughly chopped); 2 scallions (thinly sliced); 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; Salt and pepper (to taste)

This Ouzo Salmon Baked Over Greens is straight from the spirit — and the pages — of my book Athens: Food. Stories. Love., a culinary journey through Greece’s most vibrant city. In Athens, I celebrate the way modern Greek cooks weave ancient flavors into everyday life, and this recipe does just that. Here, tender salmon fillets soak up a marinade of ouzo, lemon, Greek oregano, and extra-virgin olive oil, then bake gently over a bed of wilted seasonal greens. The result is a dish that’s simple, elegant, and full of that unmistakable Mediterranean brightness that defines Athenian cooking. If you’re craving the kind of dishes that define Athens’ contemporary Greek kitchen — light, healthful, and steeped in tradition — this salmon is the perfect place to begin. Explore more stories and recipes like this one in Athens: Food. Stories. Love, available now on my site.

RATING

SERVES

PREP TIME

15 min

COOK TIME

25 min

TIME

40 min

RECIPES

Athens Book

Fish

Main Courses

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Ingredients

For the salmon:

4 salmon fillets about 6 oz / 170 g each
2 tablespoons extra-virgin Greek olive oil
2 tablespoons ouzo
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves finely minced
1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the greens:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch spinach roughly chopped
1 bunch Swiss chard or beet greens roughly chopped
2 scallions thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Lightly oil a baking dish.
Make the marinade: In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, ouzo, lemon juice and zest, garlic, oregano, and dill. Season with salt and pepper.
Marinate the salmon: Place salmon fillets in the dish and spoon the marinade over them. Let sit 10 minutes.
Prepare the greens: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Add scallions and cook until soft. Stir in spinach and chard until just wilted. Drizzle with lemon juice, season lightly, and spread in the baking dish beneath the salmon.
Bake: Pour any remaining marinade over everything. Bake 20–25 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily.
Serve: Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and, if desired, a splash of ouzo.