Valerie Bertinelli's Zesty Salmon Kabobs Add a Pop Of Freshness To Your Winter Menu

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.

The fridge is loaded with heavy cream, cheese, and butter; the freezer holds at least one rich beef roast; and the cupboards are stocked with Christmas cookies and candy. It must be winter, right? But even though we love having our favorite stick-to-your-ribs comfort foods on rotation throughout the cold months, sometimes your taste buds start craving flavors that are a little brighter — a promise of the warm weather yet to come, you might say. If you’ve been looking for a way to add some zest to your usual winter menu, look no further than Valerie Bertinelli’s salmon kabobs with herb sauce. And once you see how easy they are to make, especially when compared with some of the elaborate dishes we tend to cook this time of year, we have a feeling you’ll be sold.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CmXuCrlp9tN/

A post shared by Valerie Bertinelli (@wolfiesmom)

The thing we love about salmon is that even though it’s fish, it’s still very hearty, so the passionate carnivores in your family might not mind skipping the red meat for a night. It’s also got tons of flavor on its own, so you don’t have to do too much work to turn it into a flavorful meal.

Courtesy of TI Inc. Books.

Television host and cookbook author Valerie Bertinelli’s recipe calls for adding cubes of center-cut salmon with Italian seasoning, olive oil, red onion, and lemon quarters to a bowl. After everything’s tossed together, the mix gets skewered and grilled, either outdoors or on a grill pan inside (we love cast iron grill pans). It only takes 6 minutes or so to cook through, making this a perfect recipe to keep on hand for busy weeknights.

Courtesy of Lodge.

To really up the brightness of this meal, Bertinelli whips up a quick herb sauce, made from garlic, basil, parsley, and lemon. You can add in any of your favorite green herbs, really — dill, chives, cilantro, and even some mint would be delicious. And if you crave a creamier sauce, a dollop of full-fat Greek yogurt added to the mix does wonders.

There you have it. A meal that walks the balance between being satisfying for a cold winter night, but not so heavy that you’ll have to go to bed right after having a helping. Not that there isn’t plenty of room for those types of meals, too — and in fact, these salmon kabobs would also be delicious served alongside something like Ina Garten’s overnight macaroni and cheese.

Before you go, check out Ina Garten’s easy weeknight dinner recipes below: