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!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 371kcal

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

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, paprika, thyme, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne.
Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them with the seasoning mixture, pressing with your fingers to help the coating adhere.
Heat the butter in a large 12-inch well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Swirl to coat.
When the butter starts foaming, add the salmon fillets, skin-side down. Cook them undisturbed until their bottoms are blackened, about 2-3 minutes.
Turn the fillets to the other side and cook them for about 2-3 more minutes to blacken the skin 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.
Transfer the fish to plates, spoon the pan juices on top, and serve.

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. I thaw it for 24 hours in the fridge and blot it dry with paper towels to remove any extra moisture.
Don't over-flip. Let the salmon sear undisturbed until a dark crust forms.
Blackened seasoning can create smoke, so open a window and/or run your vent fan.
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 serve them cold over a salad.