RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
July Pick: Dinner

Blackened Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Salmon fillets crusted in paprika, cayenne, garlic, and herbs, seared dark in cast iron, and topped with a cool avocado, cucumber, and lime salsa.

Why you'll love Blackened Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Blackening is a New Orleans technique made famous with redfish in the 1980s: a fillet dipped in butter, coated thickly in spices, and seared in a very hot cast-iron skillet until the spices toast into a dark, crackling crust. Salmon is ideal for it, because its rich, fatty flesh stays moist under that intense heat and stands up to the cayenne. The spice blend here is sweet paprika, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne, all stirred together from the spice drawer.

The salsa is the other half of the dish. Avocado, cucumber, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime make it cool, creamy, and sharp at once, which is exactly what a hot, spicy crust wants beside it. On a July evening it turns a spicy dinner into a refreshing one, and it comes together in the five minutes the fish needs.

The whole dinner takes about 25 minutes. Run the vent fan and open a window before the fish goes in, because the spices char hard and the kitchen gets hazy for a few minutes.

Quick overview: This Blackened Salmon with Avocado Salsa takes 15 min of hands-on time and about 25 min in all and makes 4 servings, each 1 fillet with about 3/4 cup salsa and greens. You'll need a skillet.

Jump to recipe

Blackened salmon fillet with avocado salsa over arugula
Prep 15 minCook 10 minTotal 25 minServes 4Serving 1 fillet with about 3/4 cup salsa and greensYou'll need Skillet

Ingredients

  • 4 skinless salmon fillets (6 oz each), about 1 inch thick
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (label: garlic, and nothing else) Label: garlic, and nothing else
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne, or 1/4 tsp for milder
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 ripe avocados, diced
  • 1 Persian cucumber or 1/3 English cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus wedges to serve
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cups baby arugula

Instructions

  1. Make the salsa: Gently stir the avocado, cucumber, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a bowl. Set it aside while you cook the fish. The lime keeps the avocado bright and gives the onion a few minutes to mellow.
  2. Mix the spices: Stir the paprika, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, black pepper, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt together on a plate.
  3. Coat the salmon: Pat the salmon dry. Brush the tops and sides with the melted butter, then press them into the spice mixture so they are thickly coated. The butter is what the spices cling to, and it browns along with them into the crust.
  4. Heat the skillet: Turn on the vent fan. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until a drop of water skitters across it, then add the avocado oil. Avocado oil handles the high heat that blackening needs.
  5. Blacken: Lay the fillets in spice side down, leaving space between them, and cook without moving them for 3 minutes, until the crust is very dark and they release from the pan. Turn them and cook for 2 to 4 minutes more, until the fish flakes easily at its thickest point and reaches 145°F (63°C). The spices should be deep mahogany to almost black, which is where the toasted flavor lives, so lower the heat a little if they darken in the first minute.
  6. Dress the greens: Toss the arugula with the olive oil and the remaining pinch of salt.
  7. Serve: Divide the arugula among four plates, set a fillet on each, and spoon the salsa over and around the fish. Serve with lime wedges.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate leftover salmon in a sealed container for up to 3 days. The salsa is best the day it is made; press plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate it for up to 1 day.

Eat the salmon cold, flaked over greens with the salsa, or warm it gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 10 minutes.

Variations

  • Blackened shrimp: Toss 1 1/2 lb of large peeled shrimp with the butter and spices and sear them for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes a side, until pink and opaque and 145°F (63°C).
  • Grilled: Set the cast-iron skillet directly on a hot grill and blacken the fish outdoors, which keeps the haze outside on a summer night.
  • Tomato salsa: Add a cup of diced ripe tomato or halved cherry tomatoes to the salsa.
  • Milder: Use 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and add an extra teaspoon of sweet paprika for the same color with less heat.

Notes and tips

  • Use cast iron: Heavy cast iron holds its heat when the cold fish goes in, so the crust forms in minutes. A thin pan cools down and the spices scorch before the fish cooks through.
  • Check the spice labels: Garlic powder should list garlic and nothing else, and the paprika should be sweet paprika.
  • Choose even fillets: Center-cut fillets of the same thickness finish at the same time.
  • Dice the avocado last: If you are prepping ahead, chop everything else for the salsa and add the avocado right before cooking.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Salmon is one of the richest sources of the long-chain omega-3 fats, along with protein, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.
  • Avocado brings monounsaturated fat, fiber, and potassium, and its creaminess cools the cayenne.
  • Cucumber, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and arugula add crunch, freshness, and fiber to the plate.
  • Paprika, garlic, herbs, and cayenne build all the flavor in the crust from the spice drawer.
  • As you eat, notice the heat of the crust and how the cool salsa answers it, and check in later in the evening: this dinner should leave you satisfied for 4 hours or more, with no late pull toward the pantry.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Blackened Salmon with Avocado Salsa? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

Will the dark crust taste bitter?

The crust is very dark, but what you taste is toasted paprika, herbs, and browned butter. Keeping the heat at medium-high, rather than as high as it goes, gives the deep color without bitterness.

How spicy is it?

Medium, with a warm finish. Halve the cayenne for a milder crust; the salsa cools it either way.

Can I use skin-on salmon?

Yes. Coat only the flesh side, sear that side first, then finish skin side down until the skin crisps.

Can I use frozen salmon?

Yes. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and pat it very dry, since moisture keeps the spices from forming a crust.

You might also like

Tags: July Pick, Dinner, Cajun-Inspired, 30 Minutes or Less