Pan-Seared Blackened Salmon Recipe

If you're looking for a healthy and easy weeknight dinner, look no further! This pan-seared blackened salmon recipe from recipe developer and food photographer Catherine Brookes is your ticket to getting a flavorful main dish on the table in under 20 minutes. You only need salmon filets, some pantry staples, and 1 lime.

What exactly makes this salmon "blackened?" To blacken seafood is to coat it with a variety of spices and then cook it in a pan until slightly charred. This technique was originated by chef Paul Prudhomme in New Orleans in the 1980s, whose blackened redfish recipe became enormously popular.

Since then, the technique of blackening seafood has expanded to other types of fish and even chicken, but the flavorful punch of the spices in this recipe harkens back to the technique's Cajun food roots. "Adding the dry spices and herbs to blacken the salmon is what gives this recipe its unique smoky flavor and crispy texture," Brookes says.

To make this recipe, you'll need olive oil, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, dried parsley, salt, and brown sugar. You'll also need the juice of 1 lime.

And most importantly, you'll need 4 salmon filets. Brookes does not recommend using frozen salmon for this recipe, but if you do, make sure to defrost the filets overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.

Mix the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, dried parsley, salt, and brown sugar together in a bowl. Next, brush the olive oil all over the salmon filets. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the salmon, and gently pat it down into the flesh.

Place the salmon in a frying pan with the skin facing down. Note that you do not need to add any additional oil to the pan. Sear the salmon for 3 minutes over medium heat, and then flip the filets and cook them on the other side for an additional 3 minutes. Cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, flipping the salmon occasionally, until the filets are cooked through.

"To check whether the salmon is cooked, you can use a meat thermometer," Brookes says. The salmon should be 145 F when it's ready.

Remove the frying pan from the heat and squeeze the lime juice over the tops of the salmon filets. And that's it — you're done! Brookes recommends serving this pan-seared blackened salmon with couscous, rice, or quinoa and a salad or roasted vegetables.

"I would recommend serving the salmon right away, as it can tend to dry out a little if stored in the fridge," Brookes says.