Fire up succulent blackened salmon with an exciting blend of Cajun-style spices!
Ok, so I discovered this recipe about a month ago, and it is SO absolutely delicious that I've been making it almost 4 times a week since! I have also discovered a few tips while making some better and some worse versions of this recipe. First, be SURE to skin the salmon. If you leave the skin on, the spices won't stick to the skin side of the salmon. Second, don't put the melted butter on the salmon immediately after removing the salmon from the refrigerator. This will cause the butter to harden (because the temperature of the butter will drop), and will cause the spices to cake off the salmon while it is being cooked. Third, don't butter and spice both sides of the salmon right away. After the first side is ready (brushed with butter, sprinkled with spice, and then drizzled with butter), place the fillet in the pan with the spice side down, and then butter and spice the second side. Fourth, don't let the salmon sit in one place in the pan, shake it around a little bit while it is cooking. If you don't, the spices will stick to the pan instead of the salmon. Now this is a tip for those of you who have salmon fillets that are thick (like mine always are). You are going to have to do several things in order for it to cook all the way through. After you drop the salmon onto the frying pan, reduce the heat to medium low, and COVER. After 6 to 7 minutes on that side, flip the salmon over and cover again cooking for another 6 to 7 minutes. BON APETITE!
Read MoreGood recipe, but waaaaaayyy too much cayenne pepper for our tastes! We like spicy food, but this left our mouths burning! I would divide the cayenne in about half. Also I added some garlic powder to give it extra kick.
Read More Ok, so I discovered this recipe about a month ago, and it is SO absolutely delicious that I've been making it almost 4 times a week since! I have also discovered a few tips while making some better and some worse versions of this recipe. First, be SURE to skin the salmon. If you leave the skin on, the spices won't stick to the skin side of the salmon. Second, don't put the melted butter on the salmon immediately after removing the salmon from the refrigerator. This will cause the butter to harden (because the temperature of the butter will drop), and will cause the spices to cake off the salmon while it is being cooked. Third, don't butter and spice both sides of the salmon right away. After the first side is ready (brushed with butter, sprinkled with spice, and then drizzled with butter), place the fillet in the pan with the spice side down, and then butter and spice the second side. Fourth, don't let the salmon sit in one place in the pan, shake it around a little bit while it is cooking. If you don't, the spices will stick to the pan instead of the salmon. Now this is a tip for those of you who have salmon fillets that are thick (like mine always are). You are going to have to do several things in order for it to cook all the way through. After you drop the salmon onto the frying pan, reduce the heat to medium low, and COVER. After 6 to 7 minutes on that side, flip the salmon over and cover again cooking for another 6 to 7 minutes. BON APETITE!
Blackened Salmon is my favorite and this recipe is great. I don't use butter though, I use olive oil and after blackening in the pan I transfer the salmon to a baking sheet and finish them in the oven.
This spice rub is fantastic! I didn't use any butter at all. I just drizzled the salmon with olive oil before rubbing it with the spices. It still tasted great. I also broiled it in the oven for about 3 minutes per side, then squeezed some fresh lemon over the fish before serving. Yum.
I had this type salmon dish at a local resturant on a ceasar salad. It was so good I wanted to duplicate it at home. After reading the comments I made some adjustments to the recipe and it was a HIT! (using olive oil instead of butter and I used garlic powder instead of onion powder and Cooked in the oven instead of skillet on ONE side only on broil for 5 mins then lower rack and lower temp (350) for another 8-10 mins and it was perfect.) Serve this on a bed of lettuce tossed with crutons, parmesan cheese and cesar dressing and it is fantastic. I got both of my boys to eat salad without complaint. Made lots of extra spice to save for next time.
This is about the only salmon recipe that we ever really use. It's fantastic. In fact, I mix the seasoning together in a double batch and keep it in a container in my spice cabinet. You can use it on chicken or steak too. It's just better than any prepared cajun spice from the store. You can lay it on lightly or heavily depending on your taste or mood. You can sprinkle it in soups and stews or chili. But it's especially good on salmon cooked exacly as this recipe says.
Very, very good. I will certainly make this again. I only used 1 tablspoon of butter and I added about 5 tablespoons of "Smart Balance" low fat spread. I put it on aluminum foil under the broiler. I broiled both sides for about 5 minutes at 500 degrees each and then reduced the temp to about 350 for another 10 minutes. Hardly any smoke at all and the flavor was super.
VERY smokey, do not cook on high. I used med-high and it set off my smoke alarm. I would cook on low-medium. Otherwise very good.
Fantastic!!! You can avoid the "smokey house" effect by using peanut oil instead of butter, although it does change the flavor just a touch.
We loved this on Mahi Mahi. I reduced the butter, and substituted half olive oil. I also substituted lemon pepper for the pepper. 3 min. on each side for 1.25 " thick mahi fillets on Med-Hi was perfect. Thanks!
I am not usually a fan of cajun type spices...but this is excellent. It blackens nicely and has great flavor; not too spicy...just right!
Wonderful recipe and not too spicy with my personal modifications! Took the advice of previous reviewers and: cut cayenne in half, added 1Tbsp garlic powder, used olive oil instead of butter. I drizzled oil and seasoned both sides of the salmon. Placed in my broiler @525 degrees for 13 minutes and it was done! I did not flip it over. No muss, no fuss! The longest part of this recipe is mixing the spices which I plan to make a large batch of for future use. Definite addition to the dinner rotation!
Phenomenal recipe. The BEST tasting blackened salmon I've ever had. I won't buy it in a restaurant any more with this recipe! For reviewers that had cooking and smoking problems... TURN DOWN THE HEAT! I cooked these on low-medium (with a covered lid), and had zero issues with smoking. Turned out perfectly. Extremely spicy and fabulous. For an extra special dinner and great presentation, serve blackened salmon on top of a Cajun Pasta with cream sauce with red pepper flakes. Add green pepper, jalapenos, red onions - fabulous!
Good recipe, but waaaaaayyy too much cayenne pepper for our tastes! We like spicy food, but this left our mouths burning! I would divide the cayenne in about half. Also I added some garlic powder to give it extra kick.
This is sooooo good!! I actually seared both sides in the pan with a little olive oil and then finished cooking it in a 375 degree oven.
This is an awesome recipe!!! I love the flavor of all the spices. I had an especially thick fillet that didn't cook through when I cooked it in the pan, so I just put it in the oven until it was cooked so it wouldn't dry out.
I made this recipe almost exactly as written with the exception of cutting the cayenne pepper in 1/2 and I didn't add the white pepper or dried basil because I didn't have any. I also added a little bit of garlic powder and chili powder. I brushed the butter on my fillets on one side and sprinkled the seasoning and melted a little butter in a skillet on medium high heat and placed the fillets in the skillet to cook seasoning side down for 4 minutes. While they were cooking, I brushed them with the butter and sprinkled them with the seasoning and flipped them after the 4 minutes. This fish was very delicious! My daughter doesn't like fish at all and she ate a whole fillet and said she wants me to make it again! I served it with rice pilaf and sweet potatoes with brown sugar and butter. It was a very delicious combination of spicy, sweet and savory. I will start using this as my go-to recipe for salmon from now on.
I seasoned my salmon as directed but I broiled for 6 minutes then I baked @ 350 for 10 minutes. Very good!!
This seasoning is very flavorful and delicious! I even put some on a veggie sandwich and was superb! I made these slight changes: 1/2 tablespoon of cayenne, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder, about 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves minced (I ran out of dried). And used olive oil instead of butter.
WOW! This is HOT! Everyone in my family was coughing and sneezing while I was cooking this and my house filled up with smoke,I had all the windows open.However I would make it again but,I'd use less cayenne pepper and salt.I also wouldn't cook on high heat. Karen
This is a great recipe because I'm not a big fan of salmon. I marinate the salmon in lemon juice for at least 2 hours before cooking. I never use salt in anything and I added garlic powder. I use single servings of salmon and bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. It is an excellent recipe.
Fantastic recipe. I did do a little something extra. After removing the salmon from the skillet, I added a little honey to the pan drippings and simmered over med-low heat for several seconds for a sensational sweet-spicy glaze for the fish.
First recipe I have EVERY tried from this website and this one was DEAD ON! My girlfriend and I were worried about the timing, you know, under cooked fish, but, this one was right on target. And the taste?! As if it we ordered it from a restaurant.
I can't believe I've had all these spices in my cabinet for years and I never thought to combine them together. This is the first time I ever blackened anything. I worried that it would just taste burnt, but it did not, it was fabulous!
I was scared to make this becuase I've never tried making seafood at home before. This was easy and delicious. I recommend it to other novices like myself!
Delicious!! I love spicy foods and this one is amazing!! I used a grill pan on my stove, buttered one side added the spices, put that side down first, then buttered and spiced the tops. After they were done, I laid them on top of a green salad with a simple dressing of balsamic vinegar and oil and it was wonderful!! This is definitely a keeper - Thank you so much for this awesome recipe - so simple and so very very good!!
It was a bi too spicy for us but just had to alter the spice mix to how we like it, it's wonderful because takes away the fishiness and brings good flavor without having to be doused in lemon (which I hate). I will be using this recipe over and over. It's quick, easy and so healthy. I serve with sauteed spinach and brown rice. DELICIOUS!
Giving this great recipe five stars even though I changed a few things. I used a fillet that was boneless but NOT skinless. I just rubbed EVOO all over the Salmon fillet instead of butter. Also, I put in the 375 oven for about 2-3 minutes to finish cooking through. Was DELICIOUS. Had with French bread (French Bread by Janet Vink on this site, also an amazing recipe) and steamed lightly seasoned asparagus. Very nice, quick, and easy meal. The rub is EXCELLENT even though I left out the thyme because I was too lazy to go out to the garden in the dark to get some. The rub ended up being too much as I thought it would be. (even though I heavily coated the salmon with it) but no worries as I will be glad to see how good it tastes on some diced potatoes for breakfast in the morning!
This was my first time making salmon and this recipe was quick, easy and most of all delicious. I received rave reviews from the taste tasters in my house. Great recipe!
Well - tonight we had the fire department over for dinner . The minute we put the salmon in the skillet, it smoked so badly that the entire apartment was blanketed in smoke within seconds. Unfortunately, it made us cough so badly, it burned our eyes, nose, and throats. So word of advice - don't cook this in a small kitchen - make sure the kitchen is well ventilated. The taste was AMAZING!!!!!
I sub'ed EVOO for the butter for a healthy option but otherwise followed the recipe. I thought it was very good. I can imagine it being a bit spicey for some but i like spice and thought it was tasty. Will make again.
wow, great recipe! fyi: i used marjoram instead of thyme because i didn't have any; you can lessen the salt in the recipe as you may find it too salty. definitely use skinless fillets and make sure your salmon is room temperature. i used a heavy iron frying pan and heated olive oil on high; buttered and seasoned one side and seared it and while it was searing i buttered and seasoned the other side. i flipped it over and after a couple of minutes, i turned it down to low heat to cook all the way through. excellent recipe!!
this recipe was awesome! only thing I did different was rubbed the fish with olive oil, wrapped it in tin foil and threw it on the bbq. easy, tasty and healthy! thanks for sharing. oh, and it tastes awesome with chicken too!
This was ok. it was a bit too buttery but the flavor is good. just didnt hit the spot or something. it might taste better on catfish. i personally prefer baked salmon or grilled- marinated with the cajun seasoning. my 4 yr old wouldnt eat it and my husband said it was "ok". it tastes better i think as cold leftovers in the fridge. it was good that way. maybe cause the butter was hard again.
Simply Awesome! This was so easy to prepare and cook. My husband was wanting some blackened Salmon like he had tasted in a restaurant and I gave this a try. He couldn't stop raving how great this was. I used blackening seasoning instead of all the other spices. It was much easier than mixing up the others in a bowl.
AWESOME RECIPE! I use it again & again from everyday food to entertaining....EASY...FAST.....DELICIOUS....GOURMET. Try serving with a dollop of Tzatziki & fresh lemon wedges...you won't be disappointed if you're a salmon fan!
This was easy and delicious! Took very little time, and the salmon was perfect for on a Caesar salad with good, homemade dressing.
I used chili powder instead of cayenne since that was what I had and it was great. Just a little kick and great flavour. I spiced both sides and made it with the wild rice and orzo salad found on the site. It was excellent.
It was a very good seasoning and change from the norm. I would definitely serve it to freinds, but with two changes. I cut the butter in half and would use the outdoor grillside burner for the smoke. Seasoning can be used on Chicken too!!
Blackened Salmon Fillets' Haiku: "Ooowee spicy fish! Olive oil, not butter, was my only change." I did my every best effort to recreate a blackened salmon salad with roasted chickpeas that I recently ate at a restaurant in Athens, GA (I did a chickpea recipe from AR for it as well), and while it came out tasty, it couldn't compare. As far as the actual salmon went, maybe I sprinkled mine too liberally w/ the spice mix, b/c it was fiery hot. I'm glad that it made alot of the seasoning b/c I look forward to using it again, but w/ a lighter hand. Directions were spot-on, and as I mentioned, the only difference I did was to dribble the fish in olive oil rather than butter.
awesome recipe! i've used it on chicken as well and is awesome. i cut the chicken into tender size strips or have also used chicken tenders. i used olive oil instead of butter....may smoke a bit more because of the low burn temp of olive oil, but just as tasty. i cut the cayenne pepper down to just a few shakes instead of 1 tablespoon! it was still spicy because of the pepper.
This recipe was perfection. I really enjoyed it and it had the right amount of spice (I love heat.) Per the other reviews I used olive oil instead of butter and did the broil/bake method. Served over rice with the honey roasted carrots from this site.
Holy Moly this is spicy!!!! I loved the blend of spices, but might scale them back a bit next time. I also didn't use the butter...I pan fried with a little olive oil.
Absolutely wonderful. My husband and I both loved it. It is very spicey -- as it should be. The only negative is that it definitely smokes up the house.
My husband & I loved this. We have done this recipe on Chicken & it was wonderful too. We thought this was very spicy, but I coated the salmon & chicken until you couldn't see them anymore. The last time we cooked it, we used our cast iron skillet & cooked the salmon out on the grill. This was great because it didn't smoke up the house.
Tastes like something one would order at a fine dining, impressive. thanks for the recipe. the only thing i did differently was that i blaackened the salmon then finished off the cooking in the oven.
Wonderfully easy, and so flavourful. I would eat it every day!!!
By far my favorite Salmon recipe. The only change I make is to cut the Cayenne Pepper in half. Still has a little kick but not overpowering.
I was looking forward to making this but wasn't really impressed. It was WAY too hot so if I make again I'd reduce the amount of cayenne. I cooked it in the oven (broiled for 5 minutes and 8-10 minutes at 350).
Everyone loved this, but I think I must have had not had the equivalent of "4 filets" because it was way too much spice! Next time I'll just cut down the amount a bit. Delicious!
Great recipe. I also use dry herbs when making this but I added rosemary to and squeezed lemon on top of my filets. Also when cooking this, I used PAM Olive Oil Spray and broiled them for 8-10 min on one side and 5 min on the second side. Then to finish it off, for that extra "blackend" look and a bit of crispiness, I sprayed a pan with the PAM and placed them on each side for about 20-30seconds. Came out excellent!
Only change due to health issues in my house was to reduce the cayenne to about 1 teaspoon, and one teaspoon of salt. I also added a pinch of garlic powder/Seafood Magic. Really delicious recipe...best fish I've made so far, it was a big hit! Thank you for the post :)
I used garlic pepper instead of onion powder. I used olive oil instead of butter. I brushed olive oil on one side of the fillets and spread the spices on top. I broiled it on hi for 5 minutes. It was definietly black. Then I took them out of the oven, flipped then over. Then I brused olive oil on the other side and baked it at 350 for 8 minutes. It was spicy. I put a little too much spice on. I scraped the spices off one side and it was much better. I served it as a ceasar salad- lettuce, grated parmasaen cheese, crutons, and lite ceasar dressing. It was great.
Loved this recipe. I used a creole seasoning blend from this site, search under 'creole seasoning blend' by Joselyn H for exact recipe. I lightly rubbed fish with olive oil and then dry rub. Then seared them in a med-high pan that had a little butter and olive oil until blackened both sides about 2 mins. Finished in the oven. Served on top of wilted spinach with garlic and mushrooms...perfect dinner!
The spices completely overpowered the flavour of the salmon. I love spicy but this just had an unappealing flavour to it. I scraped most of the seasoning off and still couldn't finish my meal. Very disappointing.
Delicious but SMOKY! Be sure to turn off your smoke alarms, open the windows, and turn on your fans! I omitted the cayenne and replaced the white pepper with fresh ground black pepper... this is my fave salmon/mahi mahi rub!
This is my first recipe that I ever cook from this site. The flavor was amazing...My boyfriend LOVED it! I didn't put the salmon on a skillet, I opted to put it in the oven for 40min at 350degrees. I also placed it on parchment paper before placing it on the backing dish just to make sure they wouldn't stick to the pan. The salmon came out moist and had great flavor! Despite the fact that I love spicy food, I may have to cut down on the cayenne pepper next time I make this dish because it was a bit overwhelming.
This recipe is amazing!! I have made this several times, with many different types of fish and chicken, and it comes out wonderful each time! I have a few small changes that I make: I only use about 1/4 cup of butter, which works just fine and is healthier. On days where I'm not feeling so daring, I also decrease the ground cayenne to 1 T to 1/2 T. This gives it a kick, but doesn't kill you. I highly recommend this recipe to anyone who loves blackened fish. It tastes better than in a restaurant.
Excellent! Not a salmon eater, but I am now! I bought a 2lb salmon fillet from my local grocer and cut it into 5 pieces. The seasoning was a tad bit spicy. I will probably decrease the cayenne pepper the next time I make this recipe...and yes there will definitely be a next time!
I used this recipe completely different than the recipe instructs. I mixed all dry ingredients and used as a rub on the salmon. Then I grilled it. I did not use the butter. It turned out WONDERFUL! I ate the leftover salmon cold over a salad the next day for lunch!
Great recipe, made for second time this month tonight. First time we used the butter and followed the recipe exactly. We found it to be good, but a bit greasy and very spicy from the cayenne amount as written. Tonight, we cut the cayenne in half (trust me, I like spicy) and just brushed the salmon with olive oil. For us, much better. The extra butter kept it from getting that nice "crisp" blackening crust the first time. Tonight, the crust was perfectly crisp, and the salmon, perfectly moist. Easy, winning recipe.
I used a light coat of olive oil instead of butter and ran out of paprika at 1 Tbl but turned out fantastic! I only put the seasoning on one side as the fillet I got still had the skin and I wanted to leave that on, and I'm glad I did cause I still got a nice salmon flavor as well as the spices.
WARNING DO NOT COOK IN THE HOUSE...I PUT THE SALMON FILLET ON THE PAN AND FROM THERE IT ALL WENT DOWNHILL...MY FIRE ALARM WENT OFF THREE SEPERATE TIMES I HAD TO OPEN ALL OF THE WINDOWS AND DOORS AND WAS GAGGING FROM THE SMOKE...JUST COOK OUTSIDE :)
The recipe as written is 4 stars for me...to make it a 5 star though only requires a couple of changes....cut the salt in HALF (so just use 1 teaspoon) and then reduced the cayenne to 1tsp. Also....does not need all this butter....I just brushed the fillets with melted butter...then as one other reviewer suggested, put the spice mixture on one side to cook, then waited till I flipped them over to put the spice mixture on the other side. 7-26-12 update...better with less salt, but 1 tsp of red pepper was still too much for me (or maybe I caked it on too thick this time)
I have made this twice. Both times I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great. I made it even better by topping it with a fresh mango salsa. So easy to make!
I always hate to give a low rating because I wonder if it were something I did wrong or just have a different expectation. However, I had to open my windows overnight.... My son, his girlfriend and I all started coughing and the air lingered. We hoped this meant a real special taste. Unfortunately the only taste was pepper. : (
My non-fish-liking husband enjoyed this dish. In fact, it's the only time I remember him eating his whole serving. Worked well blackening it on a cast-iron skillet on the grill. Thanks!
The combination of spices was great: nice spicy flavour that went well with the salmon. Paired it with a spinach salad, and think it would be great with a caesar salad, too. Didn't give it 5 stars because I still prefer my own oven baked salmon, but this was a nice way to change up my salmon routine.
Great recipe! Easily adaptable to whatever spices you have on hand and want to use as well.
DELICIOUS!!! Amazing flavors! My husband said that it's the best salmon he's ever had, it has so much depth of flavor! Will DEFINITELY be making this again!
Yummy Yum Yum. It was nice with just the right amount of spice. Will make again
Made this to top a Caesar and veggie salad today, and it was SOOOOOO GOOD! WOW. This was SUCH a good seasoning blend. Best "blackened" recipe I have found. Bravo! UPDATE: I love this seasoning so much I have made a huge batch that I put on tuna, chicken, shrimp... absolutely anything to be honest. YUM.
Added 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Love that you can make this recipe in quantity and put up the unused portion in an airtight container. Super tasty!
Save lots of fat and calories by using non-fat butter without melting first. I used it with my dinner and it worked really well.
i halved the amount of cayeene pepper. i also used olive oil instead of butter.
My fiance and I LOVE spicy food, and this didn't let us down. Very easy and VERY delicious!
Was easy and quick... but too much butter and spices. Really needed to blot with paper towels and I had only used 1/4 of the butter recommended.
My family LOVED this dish! My mother, the home economics teacher, even requested the recipe! I served it over individual mixed greens salad, but everyone wanted more of it as their entree. It will steal the show!
If I could give it more stars, I would. I blackened a little on both sides then finished in the oven at 350 for 10 min. It was perfect. The spice was delicious but a bit too hot for us. Next time I'll tone it down about 1/5th. But nevertheless it was the best salmon we've ever tasted!
Great seasoning mix. I did it all in the oven, following the allrecipes.com video on how to cook salmon, and it came out perfect. I would have thought it was pan seared if I hadn't cooked it myself. Take the salmon out of the fridge 20-30 minutes in advance to take some of the chill off. Preheat oven to 475 and when ready, place a couple Tbsp butter in a glass baking dish and set in the over for 5 minutes while you apply the spices. Put the salmon into the hot butter and bake for 3-4 minutes per side, being careful not to overcook it. Salmon will continue to cook after removed from the hot oven. Delicious!
Excellent recipe. Since I am a fan of sweet & spicy salmon, I created my own sauce to drizzle over the salmon. In a small bowl I mixed honey, teriyaki marinade and lemon juice, heated it slightly and drizzled it over the saqlmon. I put in back in the oven for 3-5 minutes. Now this recipe is excellent + 10!
I liked the recipe a lot but it was a little too spicy for me so next time I'm putting maybe 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Whew. Also while I was cooking the salmon my house smoked up soo bad high heat was scary and the fish cooked in like 2 minutes. My throat was on fire before I ate it. No high heat! Lol I will cook this again the blend of spices is marvelous. I also had enough to make 8 filets.
This was delicious and flavorful. I loved the little kick of spice. I caught some fresh red salmon and used this recipe, it is now a favorite in my house.
My husband and I both love this recipe. I cheated and used a pre-mixed seasoning called Cajuns Choice Blackened Seasoning the first time I made it and it was great. I make this all the time now using the spice blend in the recipe and it is excellant! Thank you Jeff :)
Yum! I LOVE Salmon...and this was very good! I did cut back on the Cayenne to 1/3 of the suggested amount and the butter was delic...but I will try cutting this amount in half and use Olive Oil in addition next time, to cut back on the greasiness and improve the Health factor. The crisiness was very nice with just the right amount of heat in the back of the throat. For those who commented that this was too spicy and the salmon flavor was lost......I do not agree. Salmon in a stronger fish and I felt it held up well to the spicy Blackening. I will indeed make this again, only I will buy more FISH! My Husband really is not a fish lover....but he gave this attempt a 5! That speeks volumns!
The spice mix on this just isn't "right". I made it exactly according to the recipe, and it was much, MUCH too much pepper. So much so that my husband, who loves spicy foods, wouldn't even eat it. Neither would my kids. I was eating salmon for 3 days just to get rid of it.
This is an absolutely fantastic recipe! I use olive oil instead of butter, and it still tastes delicious.
Very good! I replaced onion powder with garlic powder, added 3/4 tspn thyme, used an organic olive oil cooking spray to make it though. Also, on the flip side I covered it for 2 min while cooking. Came out delicious
Very good blackened seasoning. I used far less butter than the recipe called for and it still turned out great. I also added a little garlic powder to the mix. Hubby called it a 10! Thanks.
