When it comes down to it, nearly all salmon meals are quick to make. Wild-caught salmon, whether you’re working with sockeye or coho, is a lean protein that cooks up fast whether you decide to sear, grill, poach, or bake it.
But wild salmon also has you covered for those times when you want a really quick and easy salmon dinner or impromptu seafood lunch. With a little direction, you’ll find that a quick salmon meal can be just as satisfying as one that takes a little more time to execute.
To get your salmon up to speed — we’re talking lightning fast — you’ll want to forgo marination and long lists of ingredients for high-impact flavors and high-heat cooking methods. You’ll also want to give leftover salmon fillets the culinary respect they deserve: Flaked leftover salmon is one of the most versatile ingredients you can have in your kitchen.
These quick salmon recipes and ideas will have you chowing down on healthy, flavorful, wild-caught sockeye or coho in under 15 minutes.
Pan-Seared Salmon, Fisherman Style
For the easiest and fastest salmon recipe of all, we’re taking our cues from the generations of Alaskan fisherman who’ve mastered the art of quick salmon meals. Pan-seared salmon — fisherman style — is easy and simple enough to enjoy right on the boat. After all, what more do you need than a perfectly seared and simply seasoned fillet of clean protein after a hard day of work?
If you’re not sure about your searing skills, don’t be timid: Pan-searing wild salmon is actually easier than cooking an egg.
Mustard Salmon
For an equally easy meal, try making our recipe for mustard baked salmon that combines the intensity of dijon mustard with sweet, tart fruit preserves to create a glazy, flavor bomb. No special skills required to make or enjoy this one.
Fish Cakes
Fish cakes are foolproof, endlessly adaptable food items that you can throw into a sandwich, on top of a salad, or enjoy on their own with or without a dipping sauce. They also happen to take less than 15 minutes to make.
Use leftover flaked salmon or even raw, fresh ground sockeye as the protein in your fish cakes. To the meat, all you basically have to add is a raw egg, a handful of breadcrumbs, and some herbs or diced onions, forming this mixture into patties. Those go straight into a hot pan until each side develops a nice, golden crust.
For more details, here’s our step-by-step primer on how to make fish cakes with anything you have in your kitchen right now.
Salmon Fried Rice
Another way to repurpose leftovers is by making an easy salmon fried rice. We’ve got a great recipe for you, which you can customize by tossing in any leftover cooked veggies you might have taking up space in your fridge.
Captain’s Cuts
Having a snack attack? Or just need good food fast? Reach for a pack of sockeye or coho Captain’s Cuts. The size and shape of these petite portions allow them to cook up in a fraction of the time it would take to cook something like a center cut of salmon.
P.S., these flatter portions also defrost a bit more quickly than center cuts, whether you’re thawing them in the refrigerator or doing a quick thaw on your countertop. They’re hands down the fastest fish option you’ll have, from freezer to frying pan. Use them the same way you’d use one of our regular 6-ounce portions of salmon, but just remember to reduce the cook time to account for their size.
For specific Captain’s Cuts inspo, check out a few great ideas we love in our blog post, and read up on everything you need to know about this speedy and sustainable offering.
Sheet Pan Meals
Okay, so some of these sheet pan meals take more like 30 minutes to pull off, but we’re going to consider that quick enough since they’re all-in-one-meals that are easy to make and easy to clean up. (You can spend most of the cook time sipping on a well-deserved beverage!)
Another thing to consider: Sheet pan meals make meal prep ridiculously easy, which will save you time throughout the week when you want quick salmon dinners that are packed up, portioned out, and ready to go.
Hop over to our post on sheet pan meals for links to great recipes featuring salmon, along with some of our other offerings. And if meal prep is your thing, we’ve got some pointers for you, too.
Smoked Salmon
You didn’t think that smoked salmon was just for bagels, did you? Consider using pieces of salty sockeye to trim your cook time to practically zero minutes. Take your avocado toast to the next level by adding a slice or two of smoked salmon, or chop it up for a quick poke-style bowl of grains, salad, or noodles. We have more ideas lined up for you in a blog post that covers how to go beyond bagels with smoked salmon.
