Easy Blackened Salmon Recipe

This Easy Blackened Salmon Recipe is the best seasoning for salmon loaded with spices and herbs like smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and onion powder. This simple meal is ready in 15 minutes making it perfect for weeknight dinners. You can even toss the fish in tacos or on salads!

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If you are looking for ideas of what seasoning to put on salmon, this is the recipe for you! Just salt and pepper will get boring! When you are trying to stick to a healthy lifestyle, bold flavor is important. So is a good salmon rub!

What is Blackened Salmon? What Does it Mean?

I discuss this in the post for my Homemade Blackening Seasoning recipe. Blackening is a cooking technique, it’s usually associated with Cajun cuisine. Fish is dipped in butter, dredged in spices, and then seared in a hot cast iron or stainless steel pan. This leaves a crust, that will appear burnt, on the fish or meat that is loaded with flavor.

How to Make Blackened Salmon

1. Allow the salmon to come to room temperature and pat dry.
2. Coat the salmon in butter and then blackened seasoning.
3. Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat.
4. Sear both sides of the salmon.

Type of Butter or Oil to Use

Traditionally, butter is used for blackening. If not using butter, you should focus on oils with a high smoke point like avocado oil or grapeseed oil.

Smoke point refers to the temperature at which an oil starts to burn and smoke. When you cook with oil that’s been heated past its smoke point, you can introduce burnt flavor to foods. You can read more about Smoke Points and Cooking here.

What Type of Pan to Use

You will need a pan that gets hot and one that is great for searing. A cast-iron or stainless steel pan will work best. A non-stick pan will not give you the crispy crust that you are looking for in this recipe.

How Long to Cook Salmon Fillets

I typically opt for 2-4 minutes on each side. The cook time will depend on the temperature of your pan and the size of your fillets. The color of the salmon will become lighter as it cooks.

You can monitor the color of the sides to determine doneness. When the color of the side of the salmon has lightened about 3/4ths of the way up, it’s time to flip.

How to Sear Salmon and Prevent it From Being Overcooked

• Dry the salmon thoroughly before coating it in butter or oil. Wet salmon is more likely to stick to the pan.
• Avoid using salmon cold and straight from the fridge. I like to pull the salmon from the fridge and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
• The pan will need to get really hot. Cast iron usually smokes. This is normal. You can use a fan over the stove or open up a window as well.
• Don’t move the salmon after you have placed it down on the skillet. It’s more likely to crumble, break, and not turn out pretty! Allow it to cook and get ready for flipping.
• The color of the salmon will become lighter as it cooks. You can monitor the color of the sides to determine doneness. When the color of the side of the salmon has lightened about 3/4ths of the way up, it’s time to flip.
• Use a timer while cooking the salmon if you are easily distracted. This will help ensure you don’t overcook the salmon.

Overcooked Salmon

Overcooked salmon is dry and has little flavor. Fish (along with meat) will continue to cook when you remove it from heat. This is why it’s important to pay attention to how long the fish cooks.

When the fish is done, it will be a translucent pink in the middle. It should also look flaky. If you notice white goo protrude from the salmon, this is a sign it’s overcooked.

The white gunk is coagulated protein. As salmon cooks, the flesh contracts, pushing out the protein to the fillet’s surface. The higher the heat, the more quickly the flesh contracts, and the more albumin becomes visible.

You can check out more tips on How to Tell if Salmon is Overcooked here.

The Difference Between Cajun and Blackened Seasoning

Cajun seasoning is the spiciest when compared to blackened and Creole seasoning. Blackened seasoning falls in the middle of the two. It isn’t as spicy and it’s less salty than Creole Seasoning.

Each of these typically uses paprika, cayenne pepper (less for Creole and blackened), garlic powder, thyme, and onion powder

What’s the Difference Between Grilled and Blackened

Both methods use dry heat to add flavor and produce juicy salmon or meat. Blackening is a quick method of cooking and grilling takes a little more time.

Charring occurs naturally when food is grilled, broiled, or sometimes cooked on the stove. It does not involve a blend of seasonings. You can read more about Blackening and Charred Differences here.

Can You Bake the Salmon

You can, but you won’t get the same blackened crust, which is what the dish is known for.

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Rub the salmon in butter and spices.
3. Cover with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the parchment paper and bake for 3-5 minutes.

Topping Ideas

• Pineapple
• Avocado
• Mango
• Lemon
• Cilantro
• Lime

What to Serve With This Dish

Southern Style Green Beans
Fried Cabbage
Okra and Tomatoes
Air Fryer Broccoli
Air Fryer Asparagus
Roasted Ranch Potatoes

More Salmon and Fish Recipes

Pan-Seared Salmon
Air Fryer Salmon
Salmon Fried Rice
Keto Baked Salmon
Keto Salmon Cakes
Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict
Maple Glazed Salmon
Ninja Foodi Grill Salmon

More Fish and Seafood Recipes

Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Baked Crab Legs
Lemon Pepper Fish
Traeger Smoked Salmon

Southern Recipes

Instant Pot Gumbo
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice