Ouzo Salmon Baked Over Greens

0 from 0 votes

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.

Course main

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword aegean seafood, Athens cookbook, baked salmon Greek style, Diane Kochilas Athens book, Greek fish recipes, Greek salmon recipe, healthy Mediterranean recipes, Mediterranean diet salmon, ouzo salmon, salmon with greens

PREP TIME 15 minutes

COOK TIME 25 minutes

TIME 40 minutes

SERVES 4

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.