Easy pan fried salmon recipe that is simple, quick, and ready in minutes. This pan fried salmon with skin is crispy, tender, flaky, and flavorful. Seasoned, then pan seared to perfection, it makes a great fish dinner served with vegetables and other side dishes.
Pan Fried Salmon Recipe
This pan fried salmon recipe is all you need to make a great-tasting, quick dinner the whole family will love.
Not only is it quick with 10 minutes of cooking time, but it's also flavorful, and flaky, with crispy skin.
When you have to get dinner on the table in time, let these pan fried salmon fillets come to the rescue.
The pan-seared salmon is cooked to perfection in just 6 minutes, using minimal ingredients, but it's packed full of flavor without overpowering the salmon taste.
This recipe is as easy as marinating or seasoning the salmon, and then frying it to perfection. Trust me, you can't go wrong with it. Pan frying salmon locks in moisture so no dry fish here.
This recipe uses just a tablespoon to two of oil to cook it so no excessive oil or calories are added.
It is high in protein, low carb, and packed full of nutrients. It's restaurant quality, perfect for any weeknight. We like serving it with vegetables, and rice.
You'll need a skillet and spatula to cook it. Let me show you how to fry salmon in a pan.
Related: Air fryer salmon with skin, Pan fried cod, salmon bites
Ingredients
Here are what you will need to make it:
Salmon fillets - I use skin on salmon which is great when fried. The skin is crispy and delicious. You can use the one without skin, or fry and then take the skin off after. It's very easy to do so.
Oil- Vegetable oil, Sunflower oil, or any other oil with a high smoking point.
Seasoning- paprika, onion granules, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper.
How To Pan Fry Salmon
Here's how to cook salmon in a frying pan be it with skin on or skinless:
Mix the paprika, parsley, onion granules, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Pat the salmon fillets dry.
Season the salmon on both sides with the seasoning mix.
You can marinate salmon if you wish. If marinating, add the salmon in a bowl, cover it in salmon marinade, cover it with clingfilm, and put it in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes. Bring out the marinated salmon and let it get to room temperature. Pat off any excess marinade.
Place a skillet on medium heat.
Add oil to the pan and when the oil is heated, gently place the salmon fillets skin side down in the pan.
Let it fry without moving them for 2-3 minutes till the skin is fried and crispy then flip the fish and fry for another 3 minutes or until cooked through.
Add in garlic butter and scoop it to drizzle the salmon (optional).
Take the pan off the heat.
Use a spatula to gently lift the fish and transfer them to a plate.
Serve and enjoy.
How Long To Pan Fry Salmon
This depends on the size of the salmon. Salmon bites will fry than salmon fillets and salmon steak and whole side salmon will take longer to fry than fillets.
How long to fry salmon is 6 minutes. 3 minutes on each side.
The internal temperature should be at least 130F/55C. Check this with a food thermometer by inserting it into the thickest part of the fish and then reading the temperature. You can also check by inserting a fork to check the inside. If it flakes and is fork-tender, it is good. The inside should be pink and opaque.
What To Serve With
Fried salmon is a versatile protein dish that can be served with vegetables, rice, pasta, and sauces. Some of the side dishes we like serving it with are:
Fried potatoes, boiled potatoes, air fryer red potatoes, mashed potatoes.
Boiled carrots, pan fried carrots, pan fried broccoli, oven roasted carrot
Curry rice, Yellow rice, jollof rice, rice and peas
Instant pot Pasta, creamy tomato pasta
Garlic butter sauce, peri peri sauce
How To Store
To store leftover salmon, let it cool completely then put it in a Ziploc or an airtight container, label then store it in the fridge or freezer depending on how long you want it stored for. If you will consume it within 3 days, store it in the fridge where it will keep well for up to 3 days, or in the freezer where it will keep well for up to 3 months.
To Reheat
It can be reheated in the microwave, air fryer, or oven.
To reheat it in the microwave- Put the salmon on a plate that is microwavable, cover it, and put it in the microwave. microwave it on high settings at 30-second intervals till the fish is warmed through.
To reheat in the air fryer- Put salmon in the air fryer basket, set the air fryer to a temperature of 180C, and air fry for 4 minutes or until it's heated through.
Use leftovers in pasta, sauce, stews, sandwiches, and wraps.
Tips
- Choose good quality salmon.
- Pat salmon dry before seasoning or after marinating.
- Use a heavy-based skillet like cast iron or stainless steel as they retain heat, and heat evenly which is required for even cooking and perfect searing of salmon.
- Let the pan heat before adding the fish.
- Pan fry salmon skin side down first then flip and pan fry the flesh side.
- Don't lift the fish for the first 2-3 minutes to get a nicely seared salmon.
- It's best to use a spatula to lift the salmon.
- Garlic butter is great for flavor to add this in the pan and drizzle on the salmon a minute before taking off the heat.
FAQS
Cook till it is at least 130F/55C internal temperature, it is tender and flaky inside, and the skin crispy. This usually takes about 5-8 minutes.
This depends. Pan frying is quicker than baking so if time is of the essence, it's better to pan fry salmon. Also, pan frying comes out crispier.
Yes, Pan fry a side then flip and fry the other side to get the fish cooked through and the sides crispy.
It will lift easily from the pan without sticking, the inside will be tender, and flaky, and the internal temperature at least 130F.
More Easy Salmon Recipes
Air fryer salmon with skin
More Fried Food Recipes
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Recipe
Pan Fried Salmon Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 Salmon fillets
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion granules
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Mix the paprika, parsley, onion granules, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry.
- Season the salmon on both sides with the seasoning mix.
- Place a skillet on medium heat.
- Add oil to the pan and when the oil is heated, gently place the salmon fillets skin side down in the pan.
- Let it fry without moving them for 2-3 minutes till the skin is fried and crispy then use a spatula to gently flip the fish and fry for another 3 minutes or until cooked through.
- Add in garlic butter and scoop it to drizzle the salmon (optional).
- Take the pan off the heat.Use a spatula to gently lift the fish and transfer them to a plate.Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Choose good quality salmon.
- Pat salmon dry before seasoning or after marinating.
- Use a heavy-based skillet like cast iron or stainless steel as they retain heat, and heat evenly which is required for even cooking and perfect searing of salmon.
- Let the pan heat before adding the fish.
- Pan fry salmon skin side down first then flip and pan fry the flesh side.
- Don't lift the fish for the first 2-3 minutes to get a nicely seared salmon.
- It's best to use a spatula to lift the salmon.
- Garlic butter is great for flavor to add this in the pan and drizzle on salmon a minute before taking off the heat.
Nutrition
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