This Blackened Mexican Salmon is crusted with a blend of 4 aromatic and delicious spices: Ancho chile, garlic, onion and oregano. And with a touch of citrus, this 5-minute salmon recipe is super easy for a busy weeknight and super impressive for a weekend dinner party.
Recipe Ideas can Come From Anywhere and Everywhere
Colors I see, a conversation with a friend — or someone I’ve just met, the weather, my mood, my fruit bowl, food images in magazines, walking down an aisle in the market, my kids, a book, a TV show, the seasons, and the list goes on.
The idea for this 5-minute salmon recipe came to me when I brought home a bag of leftover spice mix I’d made for a cooking project in my son’s fourth grade class. (Pozole de Frijol for “Mission Day.”)
I’ve been creating all sorts of recipes with it, but this Blackened Mexican Salmon is the best creation yet!
Between the citrus and the spices that create the blackened “crust,” I’m hoping this fresh and delicious, 5-minute salmon recipe will be one you always keep up your sleeve. It’s perfect for a last minute dinner party — once you have the ingredients set, it really does take just a few minutes and it’s so pretty!
Your guests will think you spend a lot of time on the Blackened Mexican Salmon, and only you’ll know how incredibly quickly you threw it together. (Well, and me.)
What to serve with Blackened Mexican Salmon:
- I think if you added it to a plate with Smoky Lemon Vegetable Quinoa, you’d have one hearty, satisfying and tasty meal.
- I’d love it over Coconut Cilantro Rice with Fried Meyer Lemon Caesar Salad on the side, too.
- A side of grilled or sautéed vegetables, including potatoes, would be perfect also.
I love this 5-minute salmon recipe not only because of how good it tastes, but also because of how beautifully the combination of textures and colors present.
This might just be my new favorite dinner salmon dish!
You can plate each portion of salmon to serve, or place all of them all together on a large serving platter to serve on the table. If you do the latter, add a few extra lime slices between the fillets of fish, and if you have it, a few sprigs of fresh oregano would be a nice touch.
Enjoy every last bite of this deliciousness!
With a touch of citrus and a "crust" of spices, this recipe is super easy for a busy weeknight and super impressive for a weekend dinner party.
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried, chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican Oregano
- 1 tablespoon Ancho chile powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried, granulated garlic
- 1.4 pounds salmon fillets (preferably wild caught)
- sea salt
- grapeseed oil for the pan
- about 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
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In a small bowl, mix the dried onion, oregano, chile powder, and granulated garlic together.
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Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the spice mix evenly over each salmon fillet. Then use your hands to gently press it down so that it adheres to the fish.
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Coat the bottom of a medium-sized sauté pan with grape seed oil and place it over high heat. Once it's very hot, sprinkle the coated fillets with a salt and place them in the pan, skin side up. (If you don't hear a sizzling sound, wait another moment. The pan must be super hot!)
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Let the salmon sauté until you can see that the spices have formed a crust, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully use a flat-bottomed metal spatula to flip the fillets over. Turn the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pan, and cook just about 2 more minutes. It should still look uncooked in the very center. (You can cook it more/longer if desired.)
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If desired, you can easily remove the skin from he bottom at this point.
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Drizzle a bit of lime juice over each one and serve immediately!
Please note that cooking times may vary, depending on the thickness of the salmon fillets. (Mine were about 1-inch thick in the center.) You also might like it more well done than me -- I think salmon (& most fish) is best when the center is still translucent.
Cathy | She Paused 4 Thought says
January 5, 2014 at 5:19 pmLooks great. I am wondering if this would work on the grill as well.
valentina says
January 5, 2014 at 11:59 pmThanks, Cathy! I think it would be great grilled — adding the char flavor would be fantastic. 🙂
sippitysup says
January 5, 2014 at 11:30 pmLooks perfectly cooked as well. GREG
valentina says
January 6, 2014 at 12:02 amI’ve seen all of your beautiful salmon recipes, so I’ll take that as a big compliment — Thank you! xo
rosalia levy says
January 5, 2014 at 5:44 pmLooks delicious and I know coming from you it is a hit!
I will make it tonight!
Thank you.
valentina says
January 5, 2014 at 11:59 pmRosalia, I hope you enjoy it! Happy New Year, my friend! XOXO
Ash-foodfashionparty says
January 7, 2014 at 4:40 amThat looks perfect. Salmon is one of my hub’s favorite and this is such an easy and yummy recipe.
valentina says
January 13, 2014 at 6:18 pmThanks Ash! Hope you try it. 🙂
Colette says
January 9, 2014 at 1:59 amSalmon is a fav here, but your Mexican spice blend is new. Can’t wait to taste it. We have everything except the Mexican oregano. That’s on my shopping list.
valentina says
January 13, 2014 at 6:18 pmSalmon is a favorite in our house, too. Hope you tried it (& loved it)! 😉
David says
January 10, 2014 at 12:22 amThis looks really wonderful – but I will have to switch out the garlic for dried shallots. That much granulated garlic would put me in the hospital! 🙂 The color of your salmon is so deep and rich!
valentina says
January 13, 2014 at 6:19 pmNo going to the hospital, please! Shallots it shall be! 😉
Pam says
January 18, 2014 at 2:25 pmI gave this idea to a woman I worked with on a program in New Orleans last week.
She just emailed me the a big WOW and INCREDIBLE
Thanks for the idea Valentina
I am cooking this tonight and serving it with Turksish pinto beans!
VIVA International food Saturday!
valentina says
January 18, 2014 at 10:58 pmThank you so much, Pam! What a lovely compliment! Turkish pinto beans sound like they’d be delicious. Enjoy! 🙂
Bob D. says
September 3, 2018 at 7:00 pmMade this tonight and it was *excellent*!! Didn’t have Mexican oregano so just used regular Oregano but a little less. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly and it was a huge hit. And, it really would be ideal for a dinner party as well, because it all comes together so quickly. This is definitely a keeper–many thanks!
valentina says
September 4, 2018 at 10:45 amHi Bob, You’ve made my day! I’m so happy this recipe was a hit for you, and I’m sure the oregano you used was great! Thanks for visiting my site and trying out my recipes! Hope you come back for more. 🙂 ~Valentina