Blackened Salmon
Easy blackened salmon with homemade Cajun seasoning, finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Servings: 4
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 6-ounce salmon fillets skin-on, preferably center-cut
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil plus additional for rubbing on the fillets
- Lemon wedges for squeezing
Instructions
- In a shallow glass container, stir together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, dried thyme, cayenne, and black pepper until evenly blended.
- Rub a little oil on the flesh side of the salmon fillets and place the fillets, flesh side down, into the spice mix. Press down gently to ensure the spice mixture sticks. Leave the skin uncoated.
- In a heavy pan, heat the neutral oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add salmon fillets to pan, flesh (spice-rubbed) side down. Cook without disturbing until a dark “blackened” crust forms, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Flip the fillets to the skin side, reduce the heat level to medium-low, and continue to cook on the skin side until the thickest part of the fillet is cooked to desired doneness, 3 to 8 minutes depending on thickness or 125ºF for medium rare.
- Remove salmon from the pan, squeeze over lemon juice, and serve.
Notes
My Top Tip: Lower the heat after you flip the salmon. The spices have already browned, so the remaining cooking time is about finishing the center without scorching the outside.
Storage: Store leftover cooked salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, cook in a skillet over low heat until warm, or reheat in the oven at 200°F until warm.
Freezing: Wrap the cooked salmon tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in a freezer-safe container. It'll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a skillet or in the oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 294mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 920IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
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