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5.0 from 15 votes

Crispy Salmon with Ginger Soy Sauce

Crispy salmon features perfectly cooked salmon with crispy skin, finished up with a fragrant garlic and ginger sauce. It is an easy main dish that you can put together quickly for a weekday dinner. {Gluten-Free adaptable}Use tamari instead of light soy sauce for a gluten-free dish.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 345 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 2 pieces salmon filet 6 to 8 oz / 170 to 225 g per piece
  • sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic , sliced
  • 2 teaspoons ginger , minced
  • 2 green onion , sliced
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce, or to taste)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Check salmon carefully. Use a paring knife to scale the salmon (if any scales remain) and use a pair of fish tweezers to remove pin bones (if necessary). Thoroughly pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
  2. Lightly season both sides of the salmon with sea salt.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place one piece of salmon into the skillet, skin side down. Immediately use a spatula to push the salmon against the skillet (*see footnote 1) and turn to medium heat. Let cook for 1 minute without moving your spatula. Continue cooking and move spatula around the salmon to press the filet down firmly and thoroughly, 1 to 2 minutes. When the shape of the skin is set, you can add the second piece of salmon and cook it using the same method. Cook the salmon until the skin is nicely browned and crispy, and the flesh is 3/4 cooked through on the edges. It can take anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes in total (from the time you add the salmon to the pan), depending on the thickness of the salmon (*Footnote 2). Check on the skin occasionally. If the skin is cooking too fast, turn to medium-low heat. Flip and cook the other side until just cooked, 1 minute or so. Transfer the cooked salmon to serving plates, skin side up.
  4. Spread 1 teaspoon minced ginger and half the chopped green onion onto the top of each piece of salmon.
  5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic into a small skillet or saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the oil is hot and the garlic is slightly caramelized on the edges.
  6. Remove the skillet from the stove and drizzle half of the hot oil and garlic onto each piece of fish. You should hear a nice sizzling sound. Immediately drizzle 1 teaspoon light soy sauce onto each piece of fish while the oil is still hot. Serve immediately as a main dish.

Notes

  • Salmon skin will shrink when heated. By pushing the salmon against the skillet, you can create evenly browned skin that is flat and crispy. You can use two spatulas to do this if you’re grilling two pieces of salmon at the same time.
  • When I cook a 7-oz (200 g) piece of salmon that is just over 1” (3 cm) thick, it takes me about 5 minutes to cook the skin side and 1 minute to cook the fresh side for a medium texture.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 345kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 4.8g (2%) Protein 39.6g (79%) Fat 19.4g (30%) Saturated Fat 2.8g (14%) Cholesterol 88mg (29%) Sodium 390mg (16%) Potassium 863mg (25%) Fiber 0.8g (3%) Sugar 0.6g (1%) Calcium 95mg (10%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 345

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 345kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 4.8g 2%
Protein 39.6g 79%
Fat 19.4g 30%
Saturated Fat 2.8g 14%
Cholesterol 88mg 29%
Sodium 390mg 16%
Potassium 863mg 18%
Fiber 0.8g 3%
Sugar 0.6g 1%
Calcium 95mg 10%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.