This seared salmon recipe may sound fancy, but it's super simple to make. It's a great option for either entertaining or serving on a busy weeknight.
When I was a kid, my dad and I were fishing buddies. We were experts (well, by our own standards) at catching rainbow trout in the lakes of British Columbia. However, once it came to the big fish in the sea...well, let's just say that our hooks were sadly rejected by the coveted salmon in the area. For years, my grandparents owned a cottage about 45 minutes north of Vancouver, in the seaside enclave of Lions Bay. With a path that lead straight down to the rocks painted in seaweed, it was a location that just begged for an Old Man and the Sea moment. And so my dad bought a little boat that I affectionately refer to as a putt-putt. Water-skiing was not in the cards for our little vessel, but it was perfect for our early-morning fishing escapades.
With salmon worthy of years of "big fish" tales on our minds, we dragged ourselves out of our beds before the sun rose, trundled down to the beach carrying our rods and other fishing paraphernalia and rowed our dinghy out to our putt-putt. We were diligent fisher-people, trolling our lines around the bay for hours at a time, waiting to hook the big one, that silvery fish of our dreams. Well, the fish came, but it in the form of bottom-feeders and catfish. Never once did we catch a salmon, despite (or maybe because of) my loud calls of "Here fishy, fishy, fishy."
Luckily for us, there was never a shortage of fresh, wild salmon in the markets near the cottage or our home. My mum could prepare a whole sockeye at a moment's notice, often barbecuing or baking it in foil, wrapped up with green onions, ginger and a touch of soy sauce. So, after a long day of fishing in the bay, we could still come home to a meal that starred the tender, flavorful fish and dream of the day when we could write our own Hemingway tale.
The recipe:
Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add red, orange and yellow bell pepper slices and cooking, stirring occasionally, until peppers starting to soften.
Add water and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until peppers are tender-crisp. Remove peppers to a plate, tent with foil and keep warm.
Season salmon fillets with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive to the skillet, set over medium-high heat. Lay salmon fillets, skin side down, in the skillet and cook until the skin is crispy, about 3 minutes.
Turn over salmon fillets and cook for 2 minutes.
Turn salmon over so it is skin-side down again, spread 2 teaspoons pesto over the top of each fillet.
Cover and cook until pesto is warm and salmon is just cooked through, about 1 minute.
Divide peppers between 4 plates and top with salmon fillets. Serve.
Printable Recipe
Seared Salmon with Pesto, Sauteed Peppers & Toasted Almonds
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 4 5 ounces each salmon fillets
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup basil pesto
- ¼ cup sliced almonds lightly toasted
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add red, orange and yellow bell pepper slices and cooking, stirring occasionally, until peppers starting to soften.
- Add water and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until peppers are tender-crisp.
- Remove peppers to a plate, tent with foil and keep warm.
- Season salmon with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive to the skillet, set over medium-high heat. Lay salmon fillets, skin side down, in the skillet and cook until the skin is crispy, about 3 minutes.
- Turn over salmon fillets and cook for 2 minutes.
- Turn salmon over so it is skin-side down again, spread 2 teaspoons pesto over the top of each fillet. Cover and cook until pesto is warm and salmon is just cooked through, about 1 minute.
- Divide peppers between 4 plates and top with salmon fillets. Serve.
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Jean (Lemons and Anchovies)
My dad would love to have called me or my two other sisters his fishing buddies but it didn't quite work out for him, LOL! We went fishing with him only once--he had a boat and often went alone--isn't that sad?! However, we happily ate what he caught--mostly trout.
Love your seared salmon and I think pesto is a perfect accompaniment. I consider this a perfect meal, Dara.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thank you, Jean. I'm sure your dad was just as satisfied by the fact that you enjoyed his catch of the day.
Traci
Great job today on Studio 5! Those fries looked delicious and so does this recipe! You looked fantastic on TV! Loved that shirt!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks so much, Traci! I had a ball doing that segment. Thank you for watching.
Roz@weightingfor50
We had salmon last night, and I didn't think to put pesto on it!!! YUM! I'll be trying this next time. As always Dara, THANK YOU for your wonderful ideas and recipes. BTW, I live in Vancouver, and I "oooh'd" a bit at your Grandparents living in Lion's Bay. It is SOOO beautiful there. I'll think of you next time I drive up the Sea to Sky. Have a great week.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks so much, Roz. Pesto is a wonderful pairing with salmon; we often spread a little pesto on our salmon burgers, too. Lions Bay really is a beautiful spot and I wish I could spend a summer there again.
Barbara | Creative Culinary
I love salmon and I'm sure this one is absolutely wonderful but most delightful was your story which took me back, no WAY back to my fishing expeditions with my dad. Salmon? No, not hardly. We lived in a suburb of St. Louis so rivers were it and in my case, it was nothing much more than a small, I mean REALLY small little tributary that flowed under a bridge. Where we caught crawdads. Today I might have to prepare them as langostinos but then they were just these little things I could catch and take home for...are you ready? A pet. Or at least try.
My Dad finally got me to realize that taking them home meant their certain demise so we segued to catch and release. And for the rest of my life that's all I've been able to do. I can eat fish caught by others but any caught by me have to go back. Not that I've ever caught one worth keeping!
Thanks for the memories Dara...yours and mine.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Oh, Barb - thanks so much for sharing this wonderful story. I can just imagine you carting home some crawdads in hopes it would become a beloved family pet. So sweet!
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc.
so incredibly pretty and yummy. I am all about salmon! So sorry we didn't' connect in salt lake 🙁
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
I'm sorry we didn't connect either, Alison. I hope we have a chance to see each other later this year.
the wicked noodle
Gorgeous, Dara! I love the way healthy food is so vibrant. Looks absolutely delicious!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
You're absolutely right, Kristy. "Eating the rainbow", as we're always told to do, can be rather satisfying.
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective
Dara, this is perfectly lovely! I adore Salmon with crispy skin on the bottom.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Me too, Sommer. It is a secret treat I like to indulge in!
Winnie
Wow- that salmon is just gorgeous Dara!!!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thank you, Winnie. It's true when they say we eat with our eyes first.
Emilie @ Emilie's Enjoyables
I love the salmon/pesto combo, this looks great!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Emilie. The flavors of salmon and pesto are made for each other!
bellini
I just made salmon yesterday and try as I might did not get a great photo. You have conquered salmon photography if not fishing.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks so much, Val. The color of salmon throws me off, too. I got lucky this time!