Description
This Coconut Lime Salmon is gently finished in a fragrant coconut curry-style sauce layered with garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and fresh lime. A quick sear builds flavor before the fish simmers softly in the creamy sauce, creating a dish that tastes restaurant-worthy yet comes together fast. It’s light, vibrant, and perfect over rice or noodles for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 salmon portions (about 6 oz / 180 g each), skin removed if possible
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced or grated
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, tender core finely grated
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili paste (such as chili garlic paste or similar), adjust to heat preference
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or substitute soy sauce)
- Zest of 1 lime
- Fresh lime juice, to taste
For Serving (Optional but Recommended):
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Thinly sliced red chili
- Cooked vermicelli noodles or steamed rice
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Lightly steamed Asian greens
Instructions
- Season the Salmon
- Pat the salmon dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Sear for Flavor
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick pan or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place the salmon in the pan presentation-side down and cook for about 1½ minutes until lightly golden. Flip and cook the other side for about 1 minute more. The interior should still be undercooked.
- Transfer the salmon to a plate and set aside.
- Prepare the Aromatics
- Lower the heat to medium-low and let the pan cool slightly.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Caramelize and Build Flavor
- Sprinkle in the brown sugar and cook briefly until it melts and begins to caramelize, about 20 seconds. Stir in the chili paste.
- Create the Sauce
- Pour in the coconut milk. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan so they incorporate into the sauce.
- Add the fish sauce and raise the heat to medium. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 2 minutes to develop flavor.
- Finish Cooking the Salmon
- Return the salmon pieces to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce heat slightly and let everything simmer gently for around 4 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked through.
- Brighten the Sauce
- Remove the salmon briefly if needed. Stir lime zest into the sauce and add fresh lime juice to taste. Adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce if desired.
- Serve
- Spoon the sauce over the salmon and serve over rice or noodles. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sliced red chili if using.
Notes
- Skinless salmon works best here since the recipe doesn’t focus on crisp skin, but skin-on fillets can be used.
- When preparing lemongrass, use only the tender lower section of the stalk. Pre-made lemongrass paste can also be substituted.
- Any chili paste or hot sauce will work; adjust the amount depending on how spicy you prefer the dish.
- Full-fat coconut milk yields a richer, thicker sauce, though light coconut milk can be used for a lighter version.
- This cooking method also works beautifully with white fish, shrimp, or even boneless chicken pieces.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
Nutrition
- Calories: 502 cal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 435 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 82 mg