Need a quick and easy salmon recipe? You’ll love this flavorful blackened salmon that comes together in less than 20 minutes.
Remember my blackened seasoning recipe and this pineapple salsa? We’re bringing things full circle with this recipe because it uses both the seasoning blend and the salsa to create a flavorful blackened salmon dish that’s served over rice.
And did I mention that this meal takes only 20 minutes to make if you have your blackened seasoning, pineapple salsa and rice ready to go? Yup, it’s such an easy dinner recipe for busy weeknights.
Want to know my secret (not so secret) time saver? I keep cooked frozen rice from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods in the freezer at all times for meals like this. It tastes great and takes only 3 minutes to heat up in the microwave. Easy peasy!
If you’ve never had blackened chicken, shrimp, or anything really, I highly recommend it. It changes what could be a bland protein into a flavor explosion in every bite — but without a ton of added fat or calories. It’s just a simple spice mixture that takes the dish up 20+ notches.
And there’s no need to marinate in advance, so you can make this meal on the fly. More often than I would like to admit, I plan on making a lunch or dinner and realize an hour beforehand that the recipe calls for 8+ hours of marinating. Don’t have time for that on the regular!
I easily made my own blackened seasoning at home with just a few simple spices, but you can also use a store-bought mixture like this Old Bay Blackened Seasoning.
It doesn’t get much easier than this… ready? If you don’t have your blackened seasoning mixed already, mix up the spices in a small bowl. Liberally rub the seasoning on the flesh side of each salmon filet.
Heat oil or butter in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place the salmon fillets skin-side up in the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes. You know the salmon is ready to flip when the meat releases from the pan easily. Flip so the skin is now on the pan and cook for another 5-7 minutes until salmon is just cooked through. Just be sure not to overcook the salmon! Overcooked salmon is super dry and not very tasty.
I love serving this salmon with rice and my pineapple salsa because they tame the heat from the blackened seasoning and make for such a refreshing meal. That said, this recipe pairs well with so many different sides. Here are some ideas:
This salmon will keep fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. I recommend reheating for a few minutes in the oven or on the stovetop.
Be sure to check out all of the salmon recipes as well as the full collection of dinner recipes here on EBF!
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Wow it seems so delicious…
Delicious!
Easy recipe with great flavor! One of my favorite dishes at the moment.
I made the salmon only, so can’t comment on the rest. The blackened seasoning is amazing, I would recommend patting the salmon dry first though, that seemed to really help it stick. I used small frozen filets from Aldi and they only needed 3 min on each side.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the salmon, Meredith! Thanks for trying it and for sharing your suggestions with us, it’s super helpful to other readers. 🙂
Dang this recipe is hecka good. The pineapple salsa went beautifully with the blackened seasoning.
I had a huge fillet from Costco so I did 1/4 in a pan and 3/4 in the oven baked with pineapples in foil, and both ways were super good!