Poached Salmon with Dill Sauce

Poached salmon with dill sauce is such an easy and delicious way to cook salmon. It can be served hot or cold, for dinner, brunch or on a picnic.

Poached salmon with dill sauce is something my mum has been making for years. It has a wonderful gentle flavor, is equally good served hot or cold, and takes less than 30 minutes to make. A win all around!

We like to serve this salmon with a simple salad, such as my Mediterranean Cucumber Salad or Tomato & Hearts of Palm Salad. Or serve each poached salmon fillet on a bed of Beet Risotto or alongside some Air Fryer Asparagus.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR POACHED SALMON WITH DILL SAUCE:

These are the main ingredients needed for this recipe (affiliate links included)…

• SALMON: Use fresh salmon, cut into 4 fillets. I recommend using salmon with the skin on.
• WHITE WINE: Dry white wine works best in this recipe. Try Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris or a non-oaky Chardonnay.
• GARLIC: Peel and cut the garlic into slices.
• LEMON: Cut part of a lemon into four ¼- to ½-inch slices. Fresh lemon juice is also used in the dill sauce.
• DILL: Buy fresh dill sprigs in the produce department of most grocery stores.
• SAUCE: The dill sauce is a combination of plain nonfat Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, dill, lemon juice, garlic (grated on a microplane), olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. If you prefer the taste of sour cream, use that instead, or a combo of yogurt and sour cream.

See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.

How to poach salmon:

Poaching is a method of cooking used for delicate food items, such as fish, eggs, chicken and fruits. See How to Poach Chicken Breasts. The food is partially submerged in a simmering liquid until cooked.

1. SEASON THE SALMON: Season the salmon fillets with kosher salt.
2. PREPARE THE LIQUID: In a large skillet or braiser with high sides, combine the water, white wine, garlic and dill sprigs. I used this braiser.
3. SIMMER: Set the skillet over medium heat and heat the poaching liquid until it's simmering.
4. ADD THE SALMON: Add the salmon to the skillet, skin side down and top each fillet with a slice of lemon.
5. COOK: Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the salmon is just cooked through (see my tips for doneness below). The liquid should be gently simmering throughout cooking, so adjust the heat accordingly. Cooking the salmon at a boil will produce dry and tough fish. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the salmon fillets you're using. Typically, it should take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.

How to make a sauce for poached salmon:

This dill sauce is so simple to make!

1. COMBINE: In a medium bowl, stir the ingredients together…yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil.
2. GARLIC: For salad dressings and sauces, I like to grate the garlic on a microplane. The garlic will be so fine that it practically melts into the sauce. You don't have to worry about chunks of garlic!

How to tell when fish is done:

This is my tried-and-true trick! Insert a small, sharp knife into the thickest part of one of the salmon fillets. Hold it there for 10 seconds. Carefully place the side of the blade against your upper lip or the inside of your wrist (both are sensitive to heat). It it's hot, the fish is done!

Also, the salmon should flake easily with a fork when done.

Printable Recipe

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