If you’re looking for a quick recipe for sockeye salmon that doesn’t require any marination time, try this pan seared recipe. It has a savory rub with commonly used spices that make an almost BBQ like crust on the fish.
This recipe is great for Monday nights or for a defrosted piece of salmon. The spices are quick to assemble and really punch up the flavor of any piece of fish.
Sockeye salmon is especially quick to cook because it is thinner than other types of salmon. You don’t have to guess so much whether the inside is cooked through.
Other spiced salmon recipes to try are furikake salmon, sriracha salmon, and and Hawaiian salmon made with a spicy gochujang paste.
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What does it taste like?
The seasoning mix is similar to spices used for blackening, such as this blackened tuna recipe. Blackening is the southern technique developed by famed Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme for coating a piece of protein in spices and frying it in butter.
This recipe differs with the addition of a small amount of sugar. The resulting spice mix is similar to what is used in BBQ rubs.
The flavor is not sweet so much as savory with a hint of sweetness which works really well with a meaty piece of sockeye salmon.
Ingredients
These are the ingredients I used, but there are lots of substitution options listed below, in case you don’t have everything in your kitchen right now.
- Sockeye salmon – Wild sockeye salmon can be much easier and less expensive to find than wild king salmon. Sockeye salmon is a smaller fish and the filets tend to be much thinner than other types of salmon. That makes it distasteful to salmon who would prefer a big, juicy chunk of flesh to bite into. But the beauty of sockeye slamon filets are they are quick to cook. For pan searing on the stove top, there is no guess work and little fiear of whether they are cooked in the middle. Even if it is overcooked, per se, you can say it’s ‘meaty’ instead of ‘dry.’ I also leave the skin on the salmon, so it holds the flesh together while cooking. You can remove it before or after cooking if you wish.
- Brown Sugar – That little bit of molasses that gets added to brown sugar is a classic addition to many salmon recipes. Use the sweetener of your choice if you don’t have brown sugar on hand.
- Paprika – I used smoked paprika, but use the sweet or smoked paprika you have on hand. Hot paprika is spicy, so use that one if you want extra heat.
- Onion Powder – If you don’t have onion powder, or aren’t going to use onion powder for other recipes, you can omit from this recipe.
- Garlic Powder – Use fresh minced garlic if you don’t have garlic powder. They taste different but add great flavor to this recipe.
- Dried Oregano or Basil – Italian seasoning would work well too.
- Olive Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil. This will be rubbed onto the salmon and also drizzled in the frying pan. Use the cooking oil of your choice if you don’t have an olive oil on hand.
- Salt – Pink Himalayan salt is pictured in the Ingredients photo.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Combine all spices and mix together in a small bowl.
Rub the salmon fillet with oil. Gently rub on the spice mix so the entire filet is coated.
Heat a nonstick or cast iron pan (large enough to fit your salmon filet) to medium high heat. Drop in the oil and place the salmon filet skin side up in the pan.
Flip over the filet after 2-3 minutes. Continue cooking for another 4-7 minutes over medium heat until the salmon is cooked through or reaches an internal temp of 145 degrees F in the thickest part of the flesh.
Pan Searing vs. Baking
You could also bake this in the oven at 375 degrees or even broil it to get a darker crust. But this pan searing method allows the skin to get somewhat crispy.
Some people are squeamish about eating soft salmon skin. This pan searing method makes the skin palatable, so you can eat it if you choose. Or each person can just as easily remove it or avoid it on their own plate.
Storage
Store the cooked fish in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The leftover flakes of salmon would also be great to add to a salad for lunch.
Top tip
Make sure the salmon (including the skin side) is patted dry to remove excess moisture. This way, you won’t get so much splatter and stove top mess with this pan frying method.
Related Seafood Recipes
Pairing Suggestions
Pan Seared Sockeye Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 lb sockeye salmon, skin on patted dry, whole side or cut into fillets the size of your choice
- 1 Tb olive oil extra virgin or regular
Spice Rub
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 Tb brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning or dried basil or dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt kosher, table or sea salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Pat the salmon dry and rub the flesh with a 1/2 Tb of olive oil.
- Mix together the spice rub. Sprinkle and pat onto the salmon flesh.
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add the remaining 1/2 Tb of olive oil.
- When the oil starts to shimmer, gently place the salmon, skin side up, into the hot pan. Let salmon cook without moving for about 2-2 minutes. The flesh should become a nice, dark brown color.
- Flip the salmon over a large spatula or even two spatulas. Continue cooking over medium heat for about 4-7 minutes, depending on how thick your salmon is. It should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw fish
- Wash hands after touching raw fish
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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