This easy homemade blend of herbs & spices is the ideal seasoning for Salmon and other meats.
I love fresh Salmon and was excited to find some at Costco the other day. Blackened Salmon for dinner!!…I was so looking forward to it, until I reached into my spice rack to find barely a teaspoon of my favorite Pike’s Place Market (Seattle) spice rub left. Now what? I really didn’t want to go to the store again…but I had my heart set on Blackened Salmon (and there’s no stopping me when I crave it). So I just had to figure our my own seasoning mix to re-create the flavors of theirs that I love so much.
And I DID!
Looking over the ingredients on the store-bought spice mix bottle I had, and referencing a couple of recipes online (like this one by BetterWithCake.com) …I realized I had just about everything I would need in my spice rack and pantry to make it. Tweaking the quantities of the ingredients slightly and adding fennel seeds (a must cos it adds a little licorice-like flavor when you bite into the seeds that compliments the fish beautifully) which my Pike’s place rub I had…I was so proud to have made my own spice blend. It is so nice knowing exactly what’s going into what you’re eating – no MSG; no artificial flavors and preservatives; no gluten. Just a straight up herb and spice mix.
Smoky and charred with a little kick of heat, topped with tangy lime juice…the Salmon I made turned out exactly the way I wanted. So I just had to share the recipe with you.
Now, I haven’t specified any quantities, just merely a method as it all depends on how big or little your fish fillets are. You can also cook the fish any way you like- in a pan if they are small; on a grill; or in the oven. I chose the oven as I had a large 2lb fillet and wanted to cook it whole. Just remember not to be afraid to to char the spices on the fish a little….as that is the whole point of “Blackened” seasoning. So if you’re using the oven I’d suggest 425F for about 15-20 minutes (this may differ if your fillet is thicker or thinner) until the fish is just about tender then stick it under the broiler for a minute or two to char it. And whatever you do…don’t forget a squeeze of fresh lime over the fish before you eat it. It is a MUST to kick up the flavors with a zesty punch. You won’t regret it!
- Salmon fillet
- Olive oil
- Blackened Seasoning (see below)
- Salt to taste
- Lime juice
- 2 tbsp smoked Paprika
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 1-2 tsp cayenne powder (depending on spice level)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (lightly crushed, to release more flavor)
- 1 tsp salt
- Simply measure out and mix all the ingredients for the blackened seasoning.
- Pre-heat your oven to 425F. Lightly drizzle olive oil over your Salmon and using your fingers or a brush spread it to coat the fish. Generously sprinkle the blackened seasoning all over the salmon to coat it evenly. Repeat on the other side.
- You can pan fry the salmon, if using smaller fillets on medium heat for about 5-6 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of the fillets). Or simple bake it at 425F for 15-20 minutes (and if it isn't blackened enough stick it under the broiler for an extra minute or two).
- Serve the fish hot with a sprinkling of fresh lime juice and some extra lime wedges!
- I lightly crushed the fennel seeds to release its aromatic licorice-like flavor before adding it to the mix.
- If you have the skin on the salmon, just season the one side- it's plenty of flavor
Keri says
I love blackened salmon! Your recipe looks amazing and easy – I’ll definitely be making this!
Vanessa says
I used this recipe and it turned out absolutely PERFECT! Thanks for this awesome blackened salmon recipe!
Runelle says
looks great. im gonna try this
Runelle says
tried it out with some minor variations…its a great recipe
Noreen says
Glad you liked it! 🙂
Linda Ballard says
Trying. It looks great
jürgen says
looks try… im a chef in Norway and cook about 40 kg of salmon every week to a coretemp of 45 degrees which go up about 55 after resting …. if u do this in the oven you have to have a professional one … go up to 300 degrees and have it in about 10 min so that the spices turn black…. at home you best do it in a pan at high temp to get the salmon Blackened….
Eddie says
Hello. I love this recipe. Do you cook thosbwith skin off?
Noreen says
I cook it on the skin. The skin tends to peel off super easy once it’s cooked. 🙂
Irene says
Could you briefly sear in a pan at high temperature allow to cool and finish in the oven .Having a party so would love to do some prep in advance
Noreen says
You could, but I don’t see how that would save much time and you always risk drying out the fish. Prep the seasoning and even put it on the fish ahead of time. It’s a quick 15-20 mins in the oven to finish it.