Salmon is one of the easiest fish to cook at home! You can pick just about any cooking method and have dinner ready in less than 15 minutes. There’s no need to buy any type of fancy equipment or use exotic ingredients either. Salmon alone is a full-flavored fish, but it’s also versatile so it goes well with most items in your pantry!
Anyone can cook an amazing salmon dish at home. Including newbies! So we dedicate today’s post to all home cooks who want to learn how to cook salmon at home. We are sharing a roundup of the best tips and tricks to become a salmon expert in all cooking techniques!
How To Cook Salmon At Home
There are a few different ways to prepare salmon at home. Some of them take a little longer than others. But they are all delicious! Keep reading to learn how to master each one of them.
Broiling.
Broiling salmon lets you get that char-grill effect when it’s too cold to cook outside. The fish gets a nice browning while keeping a tender center. It’s the best of both worlds, plus it takes less than 15 minutes to cook it this way. And forget about flipping the salmon too. The broiler does all the cooking for you, so you don’t even have to remember that step!
So, let’s get started! First, prepare the top rack of the oven. Then decide on your seasonings. We like to keep this cooking approach simple, so we recommend using olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped garlic. You can absolutely season the salmon however you like, but it’s good to know that salmon tastes amazing with minimal seasoning too!
Then adjust the oven rack and preheat your broiler to a high temperature of at least 400 degrees. Now lay the salmon fillets on a baking sheet and season. Finally, place the salmon under the broiler for 7 to 10 minutes, until it flakes and has a nice crisp to it.
That’s it! Now you know how to broil salmon.
Poaching.
Poached salmon can be done in just 10 minutes and it’s also one of the healthiest ways to cook salmon since you’ll skip all the heavy oils and fats. All you need is water!
Salmon fillets are perfect for poaching. But make sure they are no bigger than 6 1/2 oz or they might end up undercooked. As for the poaching liquid, you can use white wine, vegetable stock, or white vinegar. Use around 230/250 ml of liquid per fillet.
Now onto the aromatics. Fresh herbs are a must when poaching any type of protein, but they go especially well with salmon. If using white wine and water, go for subtler flavors like rosemary, dill, or parsley. You can pick stronger flavors if your chosen liquid is vegetable stock, like cumin, paprika, or garam masala.
To poach salmon fillets, start by heating the poaching liquid and aromatics at 95 degrees for 5 minutes. Then, add your salmon to the mix. For stovetop poaching, cook the salmon for 8 to 10 minutes with the lid down. If you are using the oven to poach your fish, preheat it at 200 degrees and cook for at least 15 minutes.
Grilling.
This classic way of preparing salmon cuts your cooking time in half and gives you the most perfectly crisped salmon! Adding the smokiness of the grill gives the fish a bolder flavor too. YUM!
First things first are the ingredients. You’ll need fresh salmon fillets, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Now, start by preparing the grill for direct cooking at a high heat of around 450 - 550 degrees. Oil the grill, not the salmon. Just season the fish. Once it’s hot enough, grill the salmon skin side down with the lid closed for 6 to 9 minutes or until the salmon has lightened in color. Then, flip the salmon. Be extra careful during this step! Be patient or else the fish will not want to come off the grates. We recommend using a stainless steel spatula. With the fish flipped, cook for 2 to 4 extra minutes. Remove from the heat and enjoy!
Baking.
This is a great way to cook salmon if you’re looking for a hands-off method. And it’s perfect for weeknight dinners too! Baking salmon takes less than half an hour from start to finish and you can get pretty creative with the seasonings. Still, if it’s a true rush you can never go wrong with a little salt and pepper.
All you need is salmon fillets, olive oil, and one shallot. For the seasonings, we suggest going with fresh herbs, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Remember to always pat dry the salmon fillets. This is the best way to ensure your fillets get a little crisp on the outside!
First, preheat the oven to 250 - 280 degrees. Now, start by preparing an herb paste with the seasonings. Mix everything but the salmon in a bowl to create a rough paste. Then, line the parchment paper on the baking sheet. You could also use aluminum foil. Place the salmon fillets on top and coat the fish with a thick layer of the herb paste. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes on the middle rack. You will know the fish is done if it flakes when you stick a knife into the thickest part. That’s it, you prepared baked salmon at home!
Pan-frying.
Pan-seared salmon has a beautiful crisp and crunchy blackened skin! This cooking method is super speedy and is the best way to get an amazing texture. It is your best bet for any busy weeknight. Ready to learn how to pan-fry salmon at home? Let’s go!
You will need salmon fillets, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Keep in mind this is a classic combo of seasonings, you can always get creative and try new flavor combinations. As for equipment, this technique works best with a cast-iron skillet.
To pan-fry salmon, start by patting dry each piece of fish. Then let it get to room temperature so it’s not cold when it hits the pan. This makes it crispier! Preheat the pan at high heat for 8 minutes. Then add the olive oil and wait 2 minutes before letting the salmon fillets hit the pan. Place the salmon in the skillet skin side down and cook for 7 to 10 minutes. Then, flip the fillets and cook the flesh side for 3 more minutes. Finally, remove the salmon fillets from the heat and let them cool before serving!
Sauteing.
This way of cooking salmon is easy and takes just a few minutes. It’s the perfect way to cook dinner in a flash. So in just a few steps, you’ll be ready to devour a delicious plate of salmon.
For this recipe all you need is olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and lemon. As we’ve mentioned before you can always add any ingredients you want. As for your pan, use a non-stick skillet.
First, brush both sides of the salmon fillet with olive oil. Season the fish with salt, pepper, and then paprika. Adjust your stove to medium to high heat and place the salmon skin-side down first. After a few minutes, you’ll notice the salmon side facing up has changed colors, now you can flip it. Cooking the salmon skin down first makes it easy for you to remove and discard the skin in this next step. With the salmon now flipped over, cook this side of the fish for about 3-4 minutes. Go ahead and give the lemon a squeeze and then flip once more to check for doneness. You can do this by inserting a fork to see if the salmon flakes. If done, transfer to a plate and enjoy!
Hot-smoking.
If you’re craving a fiery-bold flavor, hot-smoking is a great cooking method for salmon. It’s easy and delicious! The only downside is that you need to plan this dish ahead of time, because of the time needed to chill the fish.
The ingredients are salmon fillets, vegetable oil spray or olive oil, a small shallot, salt, pepper, coriander, dill seeds, celery seeds, fresh tarragon, lemon zest, and sour cream. For the equipment, a cast-iron skillet will do wonders. And wood chips are the secret ingredient!
Start by patting dry the salmon. Then, salt each piece of fish and let it chill for at least 3 hours. In the meantime, mix the shallot, sour cream, tarragon, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Cover and let it cool. Now we are getting into the good stuff. Place the wood chips into the iron cast skillet over medium-high heat and let them blacken for 5 minutes. Add the coriander seeds, dill seeds, and celery seeds to the skillet. Then carefully place the salmon into the skillet and cook for 8 minutes at medium heat. Later, reduce heat to a low setting and smoke until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Transfer out of the skillet and let it cool for 30 minutes. Even though this method has a few more steps and it takes more time, it’s so worth it!
What is your favorite way to cook salmon at home?
Now that you’ve learned a few different ways to cook salmon at home, which method are you going to try first? You can always come back to our blog for more tips, tricks, and yummy dish ideas. Also, check our Pinterest and Instagram profiles for some gorgeous visual culinary inspiration. Good luck with your salmon meals, home cooks!