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An RD's Go-To Recipe For Healthy Gravlax (Cured Salmon)

Author:

Maya Feller, M.S., R.D., CDN

February 01, 2023

Registered Dietitian & Cookbook Author

By Maya Feller, M.S., R.D., CDN

Registered Dietitian & Cookbook Author

Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN is the founder of Maya Feller Nutrition, a private practice that specializes in nutrition for chronic disease prevention. Maya shares her approachable, food-based solutions with millions of people through regular speaking engagements and as a nutrition expert on Good Morning America. She is the author of "Eating from Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites from Cultures Around the World."

Image by Christine Han / Christine Han

February 01, 2023

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The first time I made gravlax, a type of cured salmon, was with one of my closest friends, Marsa, who is quite the home cook. She talked about growing up in a Finnish-Austrian home where dishes like gravlax and mustard were always made from scratch. Cooking at home was a staple in her family. This dish is surprisingly simple and quite flavorful. If you prefer a hard cure, you can leave the fish to set for 24 to 30 hours.

I recently revisited this recipe for Boxing Day brunch and cured the salmon for 24 hours and the texture was perfect. Play with the timing to get the lax to your preferred consistency.

Gravlax (Cured Salmon)

(Scandinavia)

Serves 14

Ingredients:

2½ cups coconut sugar
3¾ cups kosher salt
⅓ cup dried fennel
¼ cup whole black peppercorns
1 (4- to 5-pound) fillet of salmon
2 bunches fresh dill
2 bunches fresh tarragon
Fresh peels from 1 lemon

Ingredient highlights

Salmon is an excellent source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which support blood vessel health and reduce systemic inflammation. It is also an excellent source of B vitamins, which are important for the central nervous system.

Tarragon in large quantities on a regular basis helps the body to sensitize insulin, especially for people who are experiencing impaired glucose tolerance. It also helps to increase HDL-C, the cardio-protective form of cholesterol.

Eating From Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites From Cultures Around the World

Method:

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, salt, fennel, and peppercorns. Sprinkle about a third of the mixture at the bottom of a parchment-lined baking pan.
Place salmon fillet, skin-side down, on top of the mixture. Top it with the dill, tarragon, and lemon peels.
Wrap the salmon tightly with parchment paper, cover the dish, and refrigerate for 24 hours. Check the salmon at the halfway mark and drain and discard any liquid that may have accumulated.
To serve, thinly slice the gravlax on an angle with a very sharp knife, taking care not to cut the skin.
Cover any part of the remaining gravlax with the excess skin and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Recipe from EATING FROM OUR ROOTS. Copyright © 2023 by Maya Feller. Photography copyright © 2023 by Christine Han. Published by goop Press/Rodale Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Reprinted with permission.