This Pan Fried Salmon is one of my favorite easy dinner recipes. Follow my easy steps for how to cook salmon perfectly every time.
This Pam Fried Salmon dish is an all time favorite meal prep idea and one I often include if I am following something like the meal prep for weight loss plan.
I don’t usually like to tell you guys what to do. I figure you are welcome to try my recipes if you find them interesting.
But, this recipe is different. This recipe will blow your mind.
Out of all the food I’ve cooked, this is probably the recipe I have made the most ever in my kitchen. In fact, I bet I’ve made it at least 30 times in the past 5 years. Now, that’s saying something.
In addition to the salmon always coming out perfectly delicious, this fool-proof recipe is very easy to follow, yet looks super impressive. How awesome is that?
How to Cook Salmon
With salmon, timing is everything. If you’re wondering how long to cook salmon for, it should be until the salmon flakes easily with a fork — approximately 5-8 minutes. Pan frying salmon and then finishing in the oven is the best way to cook salmon because it brings out the rich flavors of the fish and achieves that flaky texture. The quick cooking method helps to not overcook the salmon, too.
Also, seasoning the salmon before you cook it makes all the difference. For this pan fried salmon recipe, I’ve used an easy-to-make, sweet-spicy rub. The combination of the coconut sugar, cinnamon and cumin is wondrous. Please try it.
Here are the easy steps for how to cook salmon:
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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Combine the coconut sugar, sea salt, pepper, cumin, dry mustard, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
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Rinse the salmon in running water to remove any loose scales and then gently pat them dry using a paper towel. Remove all excess water prior to adding the rub.
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Rub the spice mixture on the top side (non-skin) of the salmon fillets.
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Heat an oven-proof fry pan over high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan and allow to get hot. Place the fillets, rub-side down, in the hot oil. The fish should sizzle.
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When the fish releases easily (doesn't stick to the pan) and the rub side is nicely browned, about 2-4 minutes, carefully flip the fillets over and transfer pan to the oven.
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Finish the salmon in the oven until it flakes easily with a fork (insert a fork and gently twist -- if the fish looks flaky, it's ready), about 5-8 minutes.
Follow these steps for how to cook salmon and you'll have delicious, perfectly cooked salmon every time.
What To Serve With Salmon
I like to serve this pan fried salmon over garlic sautéed spinach or alongside garlic garlic parmesan green beans and sauteed babt red potatoes. SO. GOOD.
But it can also just go with steamed brown rice if you prefer.
Is Salmon Healthy?
If you're wondering whether salmon is healthy, the answer is a resounding YES.
Arguably one of the best health benefits of salmon is the type of fat it contains. Salmon contains a type of unsaturated fat called omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids lower your risk of heart disease by protecting the health of your blood vessels. So -- yea -- pretty awesome side effect from eating delicious salmon.
Salmon is actually one of the most nutritious types of fish you can eat. A serving of salmon provides you with iron, zinc, niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, plus other nutrients for good health.
Wild Salmon vs. Farmed Salmon
Okay, so we talked about why salmon is awesome and what health benefits it has. BUT not all salmon is created equal. In grocery stores, much of the available salmon options aren't caught in the wild, but are bred in fish farms instead. The issue with fish farms is the salmon doesn't live and eat a normal salmon diet out in the wild, but instead is given a processed high-fat feed in order to produce larger fish.
This difference makes the nutritional differences between wild and farmed salmon pretty significant. The major difference is that farmed salmon is much higher in fat than wild caught salmon (46% more calories), and it also contains less omega-3 fatty acids but more saturated fat.
That all being said, please remember that farmed salmon is still very healthy -- just not as healthy as wild caught salmon. Wild salmon is also much more expensive than farmed salmon, which can be a big deterrent when farmed is still delicious.
Pan Fried Salmon
Equipment
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 4 6-oz salmon fillets, skin on
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the coconut sugar, sea salt, pepper, cumin, dry mustard and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
- Rinse the salmon in running water to remove any loose scales and then gently pat them dry using a paper towel. Remove all excess water prior to adding the rub.
- Rub the spice mixture on the top side (non-skin) of the salmon fillets.
- Heat an oven-proof fry pan over high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan and allow to get hot. Place the fillets, rub-side down, in the hot oil. The fish should sizzle.
- When the fish releases easily (doesn't stick to the pan) and the rub side is nicely browned, about 2-4 minutes, carefully flip the fillets over and transfer pan to the oven.
- Roast the salmon until it flakes easily with a fork (insert a fork and gently twist -- if the fish looks flaky, it's ready), about 5-8 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.
Catherine
I just made this tonight and all I can say is UNBELIEVABLE. SO good! My boyfriend from alaska is quite picky about salmon, and he loved it!
Lacey Baier
What a compliment, Catherine! Thanks for sharing -- I'm so glad you both enjoyed it.
Adam
Cooked this tonight for my girlfriend in my new cast-iron pan (best holiday gift ever), and we both loved the flavors in the dish but found it to be a bit sweet for our tastes. I served it alongside roasted garlic asparagus, which turned out to be an excellent pairing. I'll use less sugar next time, but all considered this one is a keeper!
Lacey Baier
So jealous of your cast-iron pan, Adam! I hope, with a little tweaking, you will enjoy the salmon more next time. Thanks for the idea of roasted garlic asparagus -- sounds great!
Katherine
I made this tonight ( in fact, plan on making 3 dishes from this site this week) and the majority of us liked it. I didn't have large fillets, they were small and thin and I think it caused the fish to taste too seasoned. With that being said, I really liked the flavors of the rub. I also made garlic sauteed spinach to go with it and boy howdy was that wonderful! Thanks for dinner tonight. I love your site.
Lacey Baier
Hi Katherine! I'm sorry to hear the salmon came out a bit too seasoned, but I'm glad you liked the rub. I hope you try it again with a 6-oz.-ish fillet 'cuz I think you'll like it better. Thanks for the feedback!
Diana
I want to make a salmon dish for xmas eve, your recipe sounds wonderful. I just have one question? Is this a sweet dish? Is it possible for you to describe the flavors of this salmon dish? It sounds yummy but at the same time complex.
Thanks
Lacey Baier
Hi Diana. This dish is not overly sweet, but does get some sweetness from the brown sugar. It also has a kick to it from the cumin and other seasonings. I hope that helps. Best of luck!
Jacob
Very good recipe. I didn't have any dry mustard so I cut that out and added a bit of soya sauce. Fantastically good.
Lacey Baier
Hi Jacob! So glad you enjoyed it!
Kathy Baier
Lacey: This salmon recipe was SO easy and tasted delicious! Thanks for sharing. I hope to try another one of your recipes on Sunday. Keep 'em coming. We're pulling for you! XOXOXO
Lacey Baier
Hi Kathy!! I'm so glad you liked the salmon! Thanks so much for your support 🙂
Kelly
I made this the other night! My boyfriend and I are both trying to lose weight and eat better at the same time, so I thought salmon over spinach would be an excellent choice - I picked this recipe based on all the gushing about it, and it was fabulous! My boyfriend is very serious about good food, and only praises the best, and he declared it "amazing" so it's a winner! (and with the spinach I made, it added up to under 500 calories for the dinner with quite an impressive pack of nutrients!) AND it was super easy, I had the whole thing on the table in about fifteen minutes *grin* Thanks for a great recipe!
Lacey Baier
Hi Kelly! I'm SO happy you and your boyfriend liked this dish. It's definitely a favorite in our house, too. I agree: it's so quick and easy to make PLUS it's flavorful AND healthy. Winner! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, I really appreciate it. Good luck with your diet!
Ness
Hey, recipe looks awesome- although I had to pick up on where you wrote 'it never fails to disappoint'- surely you mean impress, as it looks and sounds lush!!!!!
Lacey Baier
Ness, thank you SO much for catching that! Yes, I absolutely mean it has never failed to IMPRESS. Thanks again for the correction! Ooops!
Ciaochowlinda
I've made this recipe many times and it's always a winner.
Lacey Baier
Ciaochowlinda, thanks for sharing! It really is a great go-to recipe.
Sarah
Great recipe! The seasonings go so well together. The only modification is the amount of salt. I would decrease it to 1 tsp of salt rather than the 2 (I used sea salt, not kosher if that makes a difference).
Lacey Baier
Hey Sarah! Thanks for sharing your suggestion. I don't usually cook with sea salt, so that is good to know that it should be decreased with it. Other than that, I'm glad you liked the recipe.
Rhody
omg!! i just made this. i could not believe how easy it was. and the aroma from the spices had me drooling and staring at the timer willing it to hurry.
since i've started my life change about three years ago, i've been searching for meals like this. i've cut down over 3/4's of the processed foods i used to eat and prepared fresher stuff. seventy pounds lighter now, just twenty more to go. food like this will smooth the road even better. thanks, darlin'.
this was so good, i emailed this link to my friends and family, begging them to try it. lol
Lacey Baier
Rhody, yay!!! You tried out the recipe and you like it!!! See? SO easy, right? Congrats on your diet and weight loss...that's amazing. About 4 years ago, I chose to re-work how I ate also and lost about 60 pounds. Keep up the good work! I will try to keep posting good, solid, healthy meals you can add to your repertoire.
Rhody
wow...i have 2 filets defrosted, i think i'll get the other two defrosted. i have everything to make this tonight. sounds wonderful.
Lacey Baier
Good luck, Rhody! I hope you love it as much my husband and I do!
Cori
This sounds amazing! Coincidentally I was looking fro a great salmon recipe just yesterday and today I stumbled upon your blog. I'm definitely going to try it soon. Good luck on your blog and your new business. I'll be a regular reader. (And I'm a fellow San Diegan part time.)
Lacey Baier
Cori: Yay!! Thanks for your support and I'll see you around! Let me know how it goes when you try out this recipe 🙂
Peggy
This looks so simple and perfect!
Lacey Baier
Peggy, it really is so simple. Even my friend, V, who is totally allergic to cooking tried this one out and it came out great.
Joanne
I spend a fair amount of time searching for the perfect salmon recipe, and this just might be it! Thanks for sharing.
Lacey Baier
Joanne, I hope you find this recipe is what you’re looking for. It is also SO easy to make 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!