Pan Seared Salmon With Spice Rub – quick and easy salmon with pantry staple dry rub ready in no time. A low-carb meal that uses minimal ingredients with maximum taste!
Salmon recipes are my fave ones whenever I want to shed off some pounds before a big day or right after the holidays. And since we’re two months away before the holidays, I’m re-sharing this quick and easy LOW CARB salmon dish for you to add in your recipe box. And oh, this is also great especially during busy nights.
How to pan sear salmon?
Cooking salmon is somehow tricky. I’d bet that you have eaten overcooked salmon in your lifetime. It’s one of those fish recipes that will make you shed some tears and sweat. Don’t worry, I’ve been there and thankfully I’ve passed that stage.
The goal in searing a salmon is to achieve an opaque pink in the middle, tender and flaky juicy meat. It’s like hugging every salmon flakes in your mouth and savoring all the beautiful medley of flavors.
To start, make sure that your salmon filets are in room temperature and pat them dry with a paper towel. Next is to heat your skillet first before adding the oil. It also helps to use a good quality non-stick pan to avoid unnecessary stress of salmon skin sticking to your pan.
And the most important of them all is to press down firmly the fish once you place it in the pan. This ensures that the ends of the fish won’t curl up which is a major reason for uneven cooking.
How long do you pan sear salmon?
I’ve tried this recipe using skinless and skin-on salmon filets. One thing that you need to know by heart though is when you sear a skin-on salmon, you need to sear it with the skin-side up first and cook it for about 3-4 minutes on each side or depending on your preferred doneness. You shouldn’t take your eyes off of the fish as this cooks quickly.
You can mix ahead the dry rub in this recipe so you can easily season your salmon or any fish you love any time you like to. All of the ingredients are sitting right there in your pantry. Trust me, this dry rub will make you fall in love head over heels with this dish.
This pan-seared salmon is an easy, quick, yet flavorful way of making salmon. It only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish and you are set. Pair it with this spinach brown rice or with salad. It’s totally an amazing dish using pantry staple ingredients!
Want to have more salmon recipes? Check it out HERE.
Enjoy!
Watch How To Make It
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This recipe was first published on January 2015 and has been updated with new photos and write up.
Pan Seared Salmon With Spice Rub Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 Salmon steaks room temperature (4-6 ounce)
- 1-2 Tablespoons cooking oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon bouillon powder optional
- ¼ cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Combine the onion, garlic, paprika, thyme, and bouillon powder.
- Brush salmon lightly with the oil, then season with salt and pepper. Followed by the spice rub.
- Preheat a large heavy skillet or grill pan over medium heat for about about 2 minutes , then add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan, about 1-2 tablespoon.
- Add salmon to pan skin side up seared for about 3 minutes, then flip and sear the other side about 4-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of salmon or until desired degree of doneness is reached
- Remove and serve with salad or side
Tips & Notes:
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
How to Make Pan Seared Salmon
In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients ; the onion, garlic, paprika, thyme and bouillon powder.
Brush salmon lightly with the oil.
Then season ever inch of the fish with salt and pepper. Followed by the spice rub.
Preheat a large heavy skillet or grill pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes, add oil . Oil must be hot to ensure crispness
Place salmon skin up and cook for about about 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 4-5 minutes on the skin side or until desired degree of doneness is reached.
Leslie Carpenter says
You state in the directions, “Brush the salmon with the oil”….There is no mention in the ingredients of oil!! Which kind of oil are you talking about?
ImmaculateBites says
Any cooking oil- Canola, Olive oil
Taylor says
I made the salmon tonight and everyone in the house LOVED it. I have 3 teenage boys, a 12 y/o old girl and the hubs…. he even cooked fish and said this salmon tasted waaaaay better!!! Glad I found this 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Glad the whole family enjoyed it, especially hubs.
miranda says
I really love this recipe.
Cooked it before and today i want to cook it again.
Are you going to have a book out with all these recipes and pictures?
ImmaculateBites says
Yay!! So glad to hear you are making it again . A book is definitely in the works for sometime next year. Thanks Mira.
Alli @ Cupcake Diaries says
This is such a pretty piece of salmon! I can’t wait to try this dish.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Vicky! Let me know how it works for you.
Gloria says
This looks so good! I want to try it. How do you get to rice to look green?
ImmaculateBites says
It’s the spinach.
Maria says
Tried it and it turned out perfect.
Thanks so much for your simple yet yummy recipes!
ImmaculateBites says
Good to know it worked out well.
sylvie says
I’m very curious about the green rice you serve with salmon, it’s so amazing!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Sylvie, here is the link if you would like to make it http://africanbites.com/?p=11957
Gerri says
I’m a pretty good cook, but Ido not eat nor how to cook sea food. Hubby loves salmon. Would love to make this for him, but never know how to buy the fish. do I buy/cook it with the skin or not? What is the difference in cooking with or without skin Was your salmon recipe prepared with or without skin? Many thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Gerri,cooking salmon with or without the skin is largely a question of personal preference. However, cooking salmon with skin acts a safety barrier and
it keeps the salmon moist.I always buy and cook salmon with skin , most often I buy whole salmon fillet and portion it out. For a really flavorful salmon go with wild salmon it taste great when
compared to farm raised salmon.Please let me know how it works for you and if you have any more questions.
Mica says
Hi, this looks so yummy. I would like to make this, but I want to bake my salmon instead. What temperature would I put my oven on, and for how long would I bake it? Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Place them on a roasting pan, brush with oil, then bake @ 425 degrees for about 6 minutes or more depending on the thickness of your salmon, until fish is opaque and flaky.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
That’s such a beautiful dish. I could sit and look at it for a long time before poking a fork in there!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Maureen, it sure taste good too!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I cook salmon a couple of times a week for dinner.. it is such a staple in my household. Definitely need to try out your pan seared recipe next time I make it!
ImmaculateBites says
Thalia, I make it several times a week too ! Let me know how it turns out.
Nagi@RecipeTin Eats says
Imma, I just love your blog so much. So simple but such a great mix of flavours. Ordinary folk like myself would never think of this when making a quick salmon. I am absolutely going to have to make this the next time I pick up salmon. WITH the green rice which I have been meaning to make for ages! 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
You! Ordinary? Never. I am heading over to your blog right now for some inspiration. Am about to start cooking.
teejay says
@ imma thank you I sure will
Charlene @ That Girl Cooks Healthy says
I haven’t eaten any meat for a while but this salmon is very tempting.
ImmaculateBites says
You need to try it Charlene.
teejay says
This recipe loos yummy am going to try it but please can you put the recipe for the green rice?
ImmaculateBites says
Done Teejay. I knew you would ask…. Now let me know how you like it.