Seared Blackened Salmon is easy to make in 20 minutes! Salmon fillets are rubbed with zesty cajun spices and pan-seared to perfection, creating a flavorful crust while keeping the salmon juicy and tender.
Why You’ll Love This
As a chef and caterer, mastering blackened salmon was crucial for our catering business because of its high demand! After preparing thousands of servings, here are some tips we’d like to share.
What I’ve learned is this: simple truly is best. After years of testing this recipe, our restaurant-style blackened salmon recipe couldn’t be any easier, and it really delivers in the flavor department!
The secret to the best blackened salmon is in our spices and timing. Our homemade blackened salmon seasoning tastes zesty, flavorful, and just spicy enough! Searing the salmon immediately after seasoning is another secret to locking in moisture, resulting in a deliciously tender salmon.
Blackened Salmon Recipe Ingredients
- Salmon fillets: for the best flavor, seek out Pacific Wild Salmon, like King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Pink Salmon, or Chum. Look for wild-caught salmon, either from the ocean or freshwater rivers. Using skin on salmon is delicious here, but skin off works too.
- Blackened Salmon Seasoning: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, dried oregano, dried thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and brown sugar. Brown sugar is optional but adds a nice hint of sweetness.
- Olive oil: Or unsalted butter to adhere the spices to the salmon (or a mix of both).
- Lemon or lime: Serve with lemon slices or a squeeze of lime juice.
How to Make the Best Blackened Salmon
Step one: Make the blackened salmon seasoning. Mix together the spice blend ingredients in a small bowl. (This is the same as our Cajun Seasoning Recipe.)
Step two: Place the salmon skin side down on a plate and pat it dry. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Step three: Lightly brush the fish with olive oil (or melted butter). Thoroughly sprinkle cajun seasoning onto the fillet and press the spice into the fish to help it stick.
Step four: Bring a large cast iron skillet or heavy bottom pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, transfer the salmon to the pan skin side up, seasoned side down. There’s no need for additional oil in the skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes without moving the salmon. Carefully peek underneath, and when you see a dark brown crust, flip it. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-6 minutes until cooked through crispy skin.
Tip: The ideal temperature for cooked salmon is 145F. We like to remove it from the pan at 135F as it will continue to cook. We’ve found this results in the best texture!
Step five: Serve with lemon slices or a squeeze of fresh lime juice!
Chef’s Tips
- Use Pacific wild-caught salmon: For the most sustainable salmon filet, we recommend using Pacific Wild Salmon, caught in the ocean or freshwater rivers. Wild salmon is in season in the summer, and in the winter you can opt for a sustainably raised variety. Sustainably-farmed Atlantic salmon, like Skuna or Nordic Blu Salmon are good options.
- Keep the skin on: when cooking blackened salmon, the skin helps keep the fish moist and flavorful. The skin acts as a barrier that prevents drying out.
- Cook immediately after seasoning the fish: The spices and salt will draw moisture out of the salmon if it sits too long. The key is to lock moisture in!
- Start with a hot pan & don’t wiggle the fish: Once you place fish on the pan, let it cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until browned.
- Remove the salmon at 135F: The salmon will continue to cook even after being removed from the pan. The USDA recommended temperature is 145F. Keep in mind that wild salmon has more connective tissue and leaner meat than farmed salmon, so it can become dry or tough if overcooked.
Storage
Blackened Salmon is best enjoyed on the day it is prepared, however, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
We love this blackened salmon recipe paired with our classic Caesar salad or served over our sheet-pan succotash. It’s also delicious in our Blackened Salmon Sandwich! A quick, easy, 20-minute recipe packed with zesty spice!
- With a salad: The Best Caesar Salad, Salad with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing, or Wedge Salad
- Over pasta or rice: Zucchini Pasta, Lemon Garlic Pasta, Instant Pot Risotto, Cilantro Lime Rice, Cauliflower Rice
- With a side of veggies: Succotash, Sauteed Asparagus, Grilled Broccolini
- With potatoes: Scalloped Potatoes, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Potatoes
- In tacos: Salmon Tacos, Fish Tacos
- In a sandwich: Blackened Salmon Sandwich
- For breakfast: Scrambled Eggs
FAQs
Blackening is a cooking technique that can be used on fish and other proteins like chicken. Essentially it is the process of brushing filets with oil or butter, then adding a layer of blackening spices before pan-searing.
Blackened salmon has a distinct taste from the seasoning blend that coats the filet before being cooked in a skillet and forms a crust, whereas grilled salmon carries the smoky, charred flavor from the grill.
Here we use a cajun spice mixture with common blackening spices like smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and dried herbs. Chili powder is another common spice used for blackening.
Yes, you can eat the skin. The skin has a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and vitamin B.
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Hope you enjoy this simple Blackened Salmon recipe! Let us know what you think in the comments!
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Blackened Salmon Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dinner idea, fish recipe, salmon recipe,
- Method: pan-seared
- Cuisine: Cajun
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Seared Blackened Salmon is easy to make in 20 minutes! Salmon filets are coated with a zesty homemade cajun blackened salmon seasoning, creating a perfect crust while keeping the salmon juicy and tender.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs salmon fillets (6 x 4-oz pieces) skin on or skin off.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter, melted
Blackened Salmon Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
Lemon slices or a squeeze of lime juice to serve
Instructions
- Make the cajun spice blend in a small bowl, combining with a fork until mixed.
- Place salmon on a plate, skin down, flesh up, pat it dry, and let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
- Lightly coat the fish with olive oil. Sprinkle cajun seasoning onto the fillet, thoroughly coating and pressing the spice into the fish to help it adhere.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet or other heavy bottom pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, place the salmon skin side up, seasoned side down, no need for oil on the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes without moving, peek underneath, once it is has a dark brown crust flip to the other side. Turn down the heat to medium and continue to cook salmon 5-6 minutes until fish is cooked through and the skin is crispy.
- Remove it from the pan at 135°F for a perfect texture, as it will continue to cook to the recommended temp (145F) for salmon.
Notes
Tip: It is important to cook immediately once you season the fish with the blackening seasoning as the spices and salt will draw the moisture out of the salmon as it sits. The goal is to lock those juices inside to keep the fish succulent and tender.
Storage: The salmon is best enjoyed the day it is made. Store leftovers in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge for 1-3 days.
Try this recipe with other fish: Some great salmon substitutes are Arctic Char, Ocean Trout, or Steelhead.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 0.7 g
- Sodium: 297.3 mg
- Fat: 10.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.6 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 25.7 g
- Cholesterol: 57.9 mg
Hi Tonia, the blackened salmon looks great. What is it served on in the picture.?
Succotash! We have two different recipes to choose from. 🙂