This is one of those foods that I was very hesitant to try when I was younger, and I absolutely love it now! If you haven’t had gravlax before, the basic idea is that you are curing raw, wild caught salmon in salt, sugar, and spices. It. Is. Delicious.
I tried a lot of recipes to figure out how to make this (because it is $7 per 4 ounces to buy!!) and finally found one that works well. Gravlax has become my new favorite food! The recipe below is a slight adjustment from the other ones I tried, and I think it’s an improvement.
If you haven’t tried gravlax before, I highly recommend making this recipe. It is absolutely wonderful by itself, or on cucumber slices, or with cream cheese, or many other ways!

Gravlax Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 side wild caught salmon (with skin on)
- 2 TBSP sugar
- 2 tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt
- ½ cup fresh or dried dill
- 1 lime (sliced very thin)
Instructions
- Cut the salmon filet in half into two equal size pieces.
- Sprinkle the sugar and salt evenly over the flesh side of both filet pieces making sure you coat well.
- Sprinkle half of the dill evenly on ONE piece of the salmon.
- Place three or four lime slices on top of the dill on that piece.
- Sprinkle the other half of the dill on top of the limes, making sure they are covered.
- Carefully, place the second piece of salmon on top of the first one.
- Wrap very tightly in plastic wrap and place carefully in a Ziploc bag
- Put the bag in a baking dish or plate with high sides and place in the refrigerator.
- Flip over every 12 hours or so.
- Wait 2 days (and no more than 3!!).
- To serve scrape off the excess dill and limes and slice thinly with a sharp filet knife to remove from the skin.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Every made gravlax? Ever eaten raw cured fish? Tell me below!
Are there any alternatives to using plastic wrap to keep it all together? I have a phobia 🙂
If you can get it airtight in glass it could work as well…
Salmon is my absolute favorite and I’m always trying new ways to prepare it! I’ve actually found that I just don’t like it any other way than with a little bit of olive oil and Himalayan pink salt! Cook it for about 20 minutes and it’s perfection.
I agree – the simpler, the better. Try this amazingly-easy sous-vide version. No equipment required. https://www.nytimes.com/video/dining/100000001265554/in-the-kitchen-with-nathan-myhrvold.html
Salmon that’s a smooth as silk, with the most fabulous texture and salmon flavor and aroma. This is the salmon they serve in Heaven.