Blackened Salmon

5 from 1 vote

Blackened Salmon is made with a quick and delicious blend of spices, then pan seared with butter to create a crispy crust. The end result is restaurant-quality salmon that is flaky and moist and ready in all of about 20 minutes!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Calories: 519kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Salmon

4 salmon fillets skin and bones removed
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
8 Tablespoons salted butter melted
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Garnish

lemon cut into wedges
chopped fresh parsley or thyme for serving

Instructions

Mix the smoked paprika, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, basil, and oregano in a bowl.
Brush the salmon on both sides with half of the melted butter. Evenly sprinkle both sides of the salmon with the blackening seasoning, then drizzle one side with half of the remaining butter.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Place the salmon fillets buttered side down and don't move them. Drizzle the remaining butter over the top of each fillet.
Cook for 2-5 minutes on each side, just until the salmon develops a nice, dark crust and is cooked through so that it flakes easily with a fork and is opaque. Do not overcook.

Notes

Spicy Blackened Salmon: As written, this salmon isn't overly spicy. But if you prefer a really spicy seasoning, you can increase the cayenne pepper to 2 teaspoons.
If you have very thick salmon fillets, you may need to decrease the temperature to medium or medium-low in order for the salmon to cook through without burning on the outside.
Blackened salmon goes well with Caesar Salad, pasta, or mashed potatoes.

Nutrition