Blackened Salmon

This tender, flaky Blackened Salmon recipe is pan-seared with cajun spices for an out of this world flavor. It's the perfect one pan meal for a quick and easy dinner.

Why this recipe works:

Blackening chicken, salmon (or other firm fish) means to coat it with a blend of spices and sear it in a skillet over high heart. We use no butter or oil (that's what makes it "blackened", crisp, and healthy!). The heat toasts the spices, so you get a crispy outside and a tender, flaky inside. It has become one of our favorite salmon recipes because it tastes great doesn't require much time. We cooked some veggies in the pan before searing the salmon, so this is essentially a one pan meal.

Ingredients:

• SALMON FILLETS: 1 ½ pounds
• WHITE MUSHROOMS: 8 ounces
• CHERRY TOMATOES: ½ pint
• JALAPEÑO PEPPERS: 4 peppers
• OLIVE OIL: 3 ounces
• BLACKENED SEASONING: ¼ cup (we use store bought seasoning a lot to save time, or you can make your own. See recipe below).
• LEMONS: 2

How to make Blackened Salmon:

1. Clean tomatoes, jalapeños and mushrooms. Place them in a small mixing bowl and toss with half of the olive oil.
2. Cut salmon into 6-8 pieces.
3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet on top of stove until hot. Add vegetables and cook over high heat for 3 minutes. 
4. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 4 more minutes. Remove from heat and set the vegetables aside.
5. Return the cast-iron skillet to stove and heat to high. Coat both sides of the salmon pieces with blackened seasoning.
6. Place a few slices of salmon skin down in hot skillet and cook for 3 minutes.
7. Turn salmon and cook another 3 minutes. Continue until all fish has been cooked.
8. Remove and place on serving plate. Add vegetables and squeeze lemon juice over both.
9. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

How to make Blackened Seasoning:

Combine the following spices together in a bowl, to use as blackened seasoning mix for salmon. This can be stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

1. SMOKED PAPRIKA: 2 tablespoons
2. CUMIN: 1 tablespoon
3. CAYENNE PEPPER: 2 teaspoons
4. ONION POWDER: 1 tablespoon
5. GARLIC POWDER: 2 teaspoons
6. SALT: 1 teaspoon
7. DRIED BASIL: 1 teaspoon
8. DRIED OREGANO: 1 teaspoon

Farm Raised Salmon vs. Wild-Caught Salmon:

• We like to use WILD-CAUGHT SALMON for this recipe if we can. We prefer this variety because it is usually lower in fat and calories, but sometimes it is hard to find (especially during the winter months).
• FARM RAISED SALMON works fine for this recipe. We just make sure to check to make sure it has a nice color and texture.

Expert Tips:

1. KEEP THE SKIN ON! For optimum flavor, we prefer a crispy, seasoned skin. If you don't like to eat it, you can always remove it after cooking.
2. MAKE SURE YOUR KITCHEN IS VENTILATED! Open the windows and turn on the oven fan as you begin to sear the salmon. It is normal for the seasoning to create smoke. Don't worry, it's worth it!
3. USE A CAST IRON SKILLET for best results. This will create the best sear. A stainless steel pan will also work. Do not use a non-stick pan.

Related Recipes:

Blackened Fish Tacos with Salsa Verde

Blackened Catfish Sandwich

Grilled Salmon with Mango Glaze

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