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Home » Seafood Recipes » Blackened Salmon

Blackened Salmon

A photo of Vered DeLeeuw.
by Vered DeLeeuwUpdated Jul 19, 2025
2 Comments
5 from 2 votes

Jump to Recipe Review Recipe

A Cajun-style rub gives this blackened salmon a wonderful flavor, and cooking it in a hot pan seals the juices in. This 25-minute recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight.

Blackened salmon is served in a cast-iron skillet with lemon slices.

This blackened salmon is incredible. The spice combination is amazing! Blackening keeps the inside of the fish extra juicy because searing it in a hot skillet seals the juices in. This technique works when making blackened halibut and blackened chicken, and it works here. Ready in about 25 minutes, this quick entree is perfect for a busy weeknight.

Ingredients

The ingredients needed to make blackened salmon.

See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.

  • Dry rub: Kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper. You can make the rub as spicy as you like. I add just a bit of cayenne for a hint of spice. You can double the amount and make it truly spicy.
  • Salmon fillets: Try to find fillets that are about the same size and thickness.
  • Butter: The milk solids in the butter brown as we heat it, promoting blackening.

Instructions

The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.

Combine the dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Rub the spices all over the fish.

Seasoning the salmon.

Cook the salmon in butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, about 3 minutes per side. It won't be fully cooked at this point, but the outside will be nicely blackened.

Cooking the salmon on the second side.

Place the skillet in a 425°F oven for 5-7 minutes to allow the inside of the fish to finish cooking and reach an internal temperature of 145°F. Serve immediately.

The salmon is served.

5 stars rating. This was so good! I used smoked paprika but kept everything else the same. Thank you for a foolproof recipe!
June
Read more comments

Recipe Tip

The reason we finish the dish in the oven is to make sure the salmon is fully cooked without charring the outside too much.

As an alternative, you can remove the skillet from the heat, tightly cover it with foil (or a tight-fitting lid), and allow the fish to finish cooking in the skillet's residual heat for about 5 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

What is blackening?

Blackening means coating food in a mixture of spices and cooking it in a hot skillet. The spice coating gets charred, giving the food a very dark, almost black appearance.

What pan should I use?

I use a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. It's superb in terms of heat retention and does a really good job of blackening the fish. As long as the skillet is well-seasoned and you use plenty of butter, there shouldn't be any issue with the salmon sticking to the pan.

Can I use frozen salmon?

Yes, but you should fully thaw it first. In fact, one of the reasons I like making this recipe is that I always have frozen salmon on hand.

How long can I keep the leftovers?

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. I don't like reheated salmon - it tastes fishy - so I crumble them cold over a salad the next day for lunch or use them in this Cobb salad instead of chicken.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve blackened salmon with a side dish I can bake in the same 425°F oven, such as:

  • Roasted cauliflower
  • Roasted green beans
  • Roasted fennel
  • Roasted pumpkin

It's also good with any of the following salads:

  • Homemade coleslaw
  • Asparagus salad
  • Cucumber tomato salad
  • Arugula salad, as shown in the photo below
The salmon is served with arugula salad.

Recipe Card

Blackened salmon is served with lemon slices.
5 from 2 votes
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Blackened Salmon Recipe

This blackened salmon is coated in a Cajun-style rub and cooked in a cast-iron skillet. It emerges from the pan juicy and flavorful!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 371kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
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Video

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 salmon fillets - 6 ounces each, skin-on, pin bones removed
  • 4 tablespoon butter

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, paprika, thyme, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne.
    Mixing the spices in a bowl.
  • Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them with the seasoning mixture, pressing with your fingers to help the coating adhere.
    Seasoning the salmon.
  • Heat the butter in a large 12-inch well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Swirl to coat.
    Heating butter in a cast iron skillet.
  • When the butter starts foaming, add the salmon fillets, skin-side down. Cook them undisturbed until their bottoms are blackened, about 2-3 minutes.
    Cooking the salmon, skin side down.
  • Turn the fillets to the other side and cook them for about 2-3 more minutes to blacken the skin side.
    Cooking the salmon on the second side.
  • Carefully, using oven mitts, transfer the hot skillet to the preheated oven. Let the fish finish cooking in the oven until its internal temperature reaches 145ºF, about 5-7 minutes.
    Placing the salmon in the oven.
  • Transfer the fish to plates, spoon the pan juices on top, and serve.
    The salmon is served.

Notes

  • The reason we finish the dish in the oven is to make sure the inside of the fish is fully cooked without charring the outside too much. As an alternative, you can remove the skillet from the heat, tightly cover it with foil (or a tight-fitting lid), and allow the fish to finish cooking in the skillet's residual heat for about 5 minutes. It should reach an internal temperature of 145°F.
  • You can use frozen salmon, but you should fully thaw it first.
  • You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. I don't like reheated salmon - it tastes fishy - so I crumble them cold over a salad the next day for lunch or use them in this Cobb salad instead of chicken.

Nutrition per Serving

Serving: 1 fillet with pan juices | Calories: 371 kcal | Carbohydrates: 6 g | Protein: 35 g | Fat: 23 g | Saturated Fat: 9 g | Sodium: 451 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 1 g

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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating




  1. June says

    March 19, 2024 at 7:32 am

    5 stars
    This was so good! I used smoked paprika but kept everything else the same. Thank you for a foolproof recipe!

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      March 19, 2024 at 9:28 am

      I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, June! Thank you for taking the time to write your feedback.

A photo of Vered DeLeeuw.

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Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered DeLeeuw. It features real food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.

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