Perfectly seasoned, tender, and very easy to make, this Blackened Salmon makes a great dinner, worthy of a special occasion. Follow my step-by-step photo and video instructions and surprise your special someone with this elegant meal.
This Blackened Salmon is seared to perfection and coated in a scrumptious combination of paprika, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne. The fish is tender and succulent on the inside, and it has a nice, spice-infused crust on the outside.
Searing salmon in a hot pan is one of our favorite ways to eat salmon, and this recipe is one I make often for our family. You really can’t go wrong with this recipe. It comes together fast, making it perfect for any night of the week.
Blackened Salmon Spice Mix
This Blackened Salmon recipe is as easy as coating the fillets in a spice mix and searing on each side. The mix is made with:
- Paprika.
- Onion Powder.
- Dried Oregano
- Cayenne.
- Salt & Pepper.
Even though the ingredient list is short, this spice mix packs a TON of flavor and creates a beautiful crust.
How to Make Blackened Salmon
1. Make a spice mix by mixing all of the spice ingredients together.
2. Coat the salmon fillets with a small amount of oil.
3. Generously sprinkle the fillets with the spice mix all over.
4. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the fillets and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until crispy and blackened. Flip the fish over and cook an additional 4-6 minutes (the time will depend on thickness). If the salmon is browning too quickly, then turn down the heat.
What Salmon to Buy
I prefer using skin-on salmon for this recipe. The skin keeps the fish very moist and it provides a safety layer between your fish’s flesh and a hot pan. Skin helps to hold the shape and prevents the delicate flesh from breaking. Choose salmon fillets that are about 6 oz. each and not too thick so that the fish will be cooked on the interior by the time the exterior is blackened.
Helpful Tips
- Use the right skillet. A good quality, heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan will work the best. It will save you unnecessary stress of salmon sticking to the pan.
- Remove Salmon from the fridge. It is best when your salmon is at room temperature when you cook it. This helps to make sure the fish will cook evenly. Just take the salmon out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before you start cooking for the best results.
- Dry the fillets. Make sure to pat the fillets with a paper towel before applying the oil. This step will help you spread the oil evenly.
- Grease the salmon. Applying oil to the salmon before the seasoning will help the spices adhere better and create a better crust.
- Be patient! Let the salmon cook properly before flipping it onto the other side. Too much flipping may cause the salmon fillets to break.
How to Sear Blackened Salmon
The cooking time will depend on a few factors:
- The type of skillet is used
- How hot the skillet actually is
- How thick your salmon fillets are
- How do you like your salmon done
It should take about 4-6 minutes per side, searing the salmon over medium heat, to get it to medium-well doneness. While searing, keep your eyes on the fillets, and if they look halfway cooked – flip them. If your fillets are rather thin, it may take only 2-3 minutes per side to cook them.
You can use an instant-read thermometer to check how done your salmon is. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the fillet and make sure the temperature reaches 150ºF.
What to Serve with Blackened Salmon
SALAD. Any fresh salad will pair well with this dish! This Tomato Salad and Zucchini Salad are among my favorites.
GRAINS. White/brown rice, quinoa, lentils, Bulgur (cracked wheat), farro, or barley. I especially recommend serving it with Mushroom or Spinach Risotto!
PASTA. Serve this Cajun Salmon over your favorite pasta or couscous. Try this SUPER EASY Angel Hair Pasta!
VEGETABLES. Roasted or steamed asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, green beans… The list is endless. Check out this Oven Roasted Vegetables recipe!
More Tasty Salmon Dinners to Fall in Love with:
- Cajun Salmon (simple, fast, and TASTY)
- Salmon in Roasted Pepper Sauce (one of the most loved recipes on Cooktoria)
- Easy Salmon Patties (foolproof and insanely good)
- Salmon Burgers with Avocado Salsa (perfect for summer entertaining)
- Easy Lemon Butter Salmon (classic and easy)
- Spinach Stuffed Salmon (elegant and worthy of a special occasion)
Watch How to Make this Blackened Salmon
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Easy Blackened Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz. each)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil (divided) or grapeseed oil
Spice Mix
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
Instructions
- Make a spice mix by mixing all of the spice ingredients together.
- Coat the salmon fillets with a small amount of oil.
- Generously sprinkle the fillets with the spice mix all over.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the fillets and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until crispy and blackened. Flip the fish over and cook an additional 4-6 minutes (the time will depend on thickness). If the salmon is browning too quickly, then turn down the heat.
Notes
HELPFUL TIPS
- Use the right skillet. A good quality, heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan will work the best. It will save you unnecessary stress of salmon sticking to the pan.
- Remove Salmon from the fridge. It is best when your salmon is at room temperature when you cook it. This helps to make sure the fish will cook evenly. Just take the salmon out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before you start cooking for the best results.
- Dry the fillets. Make sure to pat the fillets with a paper towel before applying the oil. This step will help you spread the oil evenly.
- Grease the salmon. Applying oil to the salmon before the seasoning will help the spices adhere better and create a better crust.
- Be patient! Let the salmon cook properly before flipping it onto the other side. Too much flipping may cause the salmon fillets to break.
Can these salmon fillets be cooked on a gas grill instead of pan frying?
Hi Judy! Absolutely! Happy cooking!
can I bake these rather than frying?
Hi Joy! Yes, you can bake these instead. Thanks!
I skipped the onion powder (didn't have any) and it still turned out great! I will make it again.
Awesome! Glad you liked it, Sarah!
I too have no onion powder, I am going to use garlic powder instead. I will let everyone know how it comes out. Excited to try this recipe.
Fantastic.
Yay!
Going to try it again tonight, but on a grill with a mat.
Let me know how it works out for you, Andrew!
This Salmon was fantastic! My husband asked me to make it again this weekend. Do you have the recipe for those zucchini noodles? Thanks!
Hi Celina! You can read more about spiralizing here: https://cooktoria.com/best-vegetables-to-spiralize/. While I don't have the recipe for those noodles on my site yet, you can just quickly saute the zucchini noodles with your favorite sauce. Thank you!
This recipe is a winner! All of my six guests loved it!
Yay! Thank you!