Blackened Salmon Fillets

Here lately when going to the grocery store, I find myself going without a list which can be pretty dangerous. I have been making myself only get the bare essentials: meat, fruits, veggies, and some side items. I need to figure out how to cook things without a fancy 20-ingredient list and 45 minutes of preparation. This was the perfect recipe I stumbled upon because it uses all spices that I have in my pantry! The reviews online said it was spicy but I couldn't taste it. I think it was just right!

Now cooking salmon can be tricky. You have to make sure that it is thoroughly cooked (and flaky) but not too over cooked and dry. It takes some time and even I haven't totally mastered it.

In the picture above you can see that the top is done but the bottom isn't. You should wait until you can easily flake off the salmon from the skin. If it's skinless then it should be somewhat difficult to remove from the pan because of crumbling.

Here is a picture of the spices I used! I just love these pictures; so colorful! Also if you notice on the website link below, the ingredients are doubled and it says it would be for 4 fillets. We had one big fillet so I halved the recipe and had quite a bit leftover. The recipe below will be sufficient unless you are feeding a group of 5 or more.

Blackened Salmon Fillets

Adapted from: Allrecipes

1 tbsp ground paprika

1/2 tbsp ground cayenne pepper

1/2 tbsp onion powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp dried basil

1/8 tsp dried oregano 

2-4 salmon fillets, skin and bones removed*

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Mix all seasonings in a small bowl and set aside. Brush the butter onto one side of the fillet and then sprinkle on some of the seasoning mix (as much as desired). Then, brush the fillet again with the butter and place in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Leave on for approximately 5 minutes (depending on the thickness and size of the fillet). While it is cooking, lightly brush some of the melted butter on the other side and seasonings as well. Flip the fillet over and cook until no longer a shiny-pink color inside and it flakes easily. Serve immediately! Fish like this tends to get cold quickly so it is best served straight from the pan.

*You don't necessarily have to remove the skin. If you don't, just put butter on the skin side and cook second because it will be easier to remove from the pan.