Coconut Curry Salmon is a delicious one-pan meal that’s full of nutrients and packed with flavor. Serve it over a fluffy bowl of rice for an easy weeknight meal.
Coconut Curry Salmon
Thai-inspired curry salmon is one of my favorite weeknight meals. It’s spicy, zesty and packed with flavor, and comes together in just one pan.
Seasoned salmon fillets are seared in olive oil, then cooked in a red curry sauce made with coconut milk, aromatics, and some added veggies. The salmon stays tender and absorbs all of that delicious sauce.
Serve it over a bowl of fluffy basmati rice for a well-rounded weeknight meal.
I love to add chickpeas and red bell peppers to the sauce for an added boost of fiber and micronutrients. You can easily substitute your favorite veggies in this recipe, or use tofu to make this dish completely plant-based.
It’s the perfect cozy meal packed with so much flavor.
What you’ll need for this coconut curry salmon:
- 3-4 skinless, salmon fillets
- Full-fat coconut milk- full-fat is key to getting that thick, creamy sauce
- Thai red curry paste
- Soy sauce- this recipe is traditionally made with fish sauce, but I modified with soy sauce to use what I had on hand
- Aromatics: garlic, ginger and shallots
- Added veggies: red bell pepper and canned chickpeas
Plus a few other pantry staples! This recipe can be easily modified to your liking and comes together in just about 35 minutes.
- Start by searing the salmon in a hot pan with olive oil until browned
- Remove the fish from the pan and cook the shallots and bell pepper for a couple of minutes. Add in the chickpeas, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sugar and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the curry paste and coconut milk with a pinch of salt. Let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened for 5 minutes.
- Lastly, add the salmon back into the pan and allow the salmon to simmer in the sauce for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with lime juice, lime slices and fresh cilantro
This one-pan meal is a delicious, flavor-packed dish that’s going to be on repeat. I can’t wait for you guys to try it.
Other salmon recipes you’ll love:
Walnut & Pistachio Salmon with Citrus Date Glaze
Slow Roasted Salmon with Fennel Slaw
Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Coconut Curry Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 skinless salmon fillets, 4-6 oz each
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz)
- 1 can chickpeas. drained (15 oz)
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 2 tsp grated garlic
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos for gluten-free
- 1 tsp coconut or brown sugar
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- Garlic powder
- Lime juice/lime slices
- Fresh cilantro to top
Directions
- Season the salmon fillets with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat then add about 1 tbsp of olive oil.
- Cook the salmon fillets for about 5 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer the fillets to a plate and drain out some of the excess oil from the pan by using a paper towel to absorb the oil.
- Into the same pan on medium heat add in the chopped shallot and bell pepper and stir together for about 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the chickpeas, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sugar and stir together together. Let it cook for another 3 minutes.
- Season with a pinch of salt and add in the curry paste and coconut milk. Mix together to break up the curry paste and let the sauce simmer on a medium/low for about 5 minutes.
- Place the salmon fillets back into the sauce and top with a squeeze of lime juice from half a lime. Cover the pan and let the salmon finish cooking for about 5-7 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh lime slices and chopped cilantro and serve over rice.
Hi could you make this in advance and reheat ?
Yes, you can! It will reheat well for up to 3 days if you’re preparing it with the salmon. If you wanted it for long, I suggest cooking the sauce ahead of time and baking or grilling the salmon fresh when serving.
I first made this recipe when my boyfriend and I started dating. He is a much more experienced cook than me, and a big foodie. He LOVED it and it’s a favorite dish of ours now that we live together a year later ☺️ I love it just as much as him haha!
I’m so happy you both enjoyed it, Erin!
So delicious and filling! I didn’t have red curry paste so I subbed gochujang – super yummy! I also accidentally bought salmon with skin but discarded the skins before cooking the veggies. Definitely will be making this one again.
Thank you, Maddie! I’m not a huge salmon skin fan but I also find it easiest to remove after cooking 🙂