This easy coconut lime salmon recipe features perfectly seared crispy salmon with a rich and flavorful sauce for an impressive main dish ready in 30 minutes or less! Enjoy it with rice and roasted veggies or a salad for a complete meal!
If you’ve been a long time follower, you know I’m a big fan of salmon! All of my meals are built around protein, and I love that salmon contains a great deal of omega-3 fatty acids for hormone and brain health. Plus, it tastes SO great!
Well, I’m here with a brand new unique salmon recipe to tickle your taste buds and level up your dinner game! It involves amazing crispy salmon in an incredible rich, zesty, sweet and savory creamy coconut sauce for a perfect balance of flavors.
My favorite part about this easy coconut lime salmon recipe is that it is quick and simple enough to make at a moment’s notice after a long day of work, yet is fancy enough to serve for a special occasion. Your friends and family will never guess the whole thing takes 30 minutes or less to make!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for coconut lime salmon.
Coconut Lime Salmon Ingredients:
Salmon: The star of the show here, we need one pound of salmon. You can use any kind of salmon you like! My personal preference is wild-caught King Salmon, but Atlantic salmon, sockeye salmon, coho salmon, and trout all work great.
Avocado Oil: We need a high temperature cooking oil to sear the fish. I like using avocado oil because it contains omega 3 fatty acids. I don’t recommend using olive oil because it has a relatively low smoke point (about 350 degrees F).
Sea Salt and Garlic Powder: Used to season the salmon to add extra flavor to the fish.
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: The base of the creamy coconut lime sauce is one can of coconut milk! Be sure to use full-fat canned coconut milk as opposed to light coconut milk or coconut milk from a carton for the best results. This ensures a rich and flavorful sauce. If you have access to canned coconut cream, this works too!
Fresh Lime Zest and Lime Juice: Both lime zest and fresh lime juice bring a punch of citrus flavor that makes this sauce taste so unique.
Fresh Garlic Cloves: Big flavor enhancer here!
Soy Sauce and Fish Sauce: These two ingredients add saltiness and umami flavor to the sauce, which cannot be replicated in any other way.
Pure Maple Syrup: A touch of sweetness offsets the acidity, complements the richness of the sauce, and completes the flavor profile! Use brown sugar instead if you prefer.
Fresh Basil: A light vibrant herb bliss works wonders here! Skip it if you aren’t into basil, or swap it for fresh cilantro.
Now that we’re experts on the ingredients, let’s make this delicious salmon recipe!
How to Make Coconut Lime Salmon:
Remove the salmon from its packaging and place it on a cutting board or a plate. Pat off any excess moisture with paper towels. Sprinkle the salmon filets liberally with sea salt and garlic powder.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes to become sizzling hot.
Carefully place salmon fillets on the hot skillet flesh side down. Sear for 6 minutes, then carefully flip to the skin side and cook for another 6 minutes, or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of each filet to check for doneness. If the salmon becomes too dark at any point, lower the stove to medium heat. The skillet should be hot enough to get a good sear on both sides, but not so hot that it burns the fish.
Transfer the salmon to a plate and set it aside while you prepare the sauce.
Place the skillet back on the stove top and add all of the coconut lime sauce ingredients. Bring the mixture to a full boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Taste the sauce for flavor and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve salmon in a bowl with coconut lime sauce drizzled on top alongside any side dishes like brown rice, white rice, and veggies.
Store leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Serving Suggestions:
For a complete meal, I love serving coconut lime salmon with Cilantro Lime Rice and Stir Fry Vegetables or Roasted Vegetables.
Recipe Tips:
- To speed up the cooking process, I prepare the sauce in a separate skillet while the salmon is cooking. This saves about 10 minutes of time, but creates a little additional cleanup.
- The salmon filets may take more or less cooking time depending on their thickness and weight. For the best results, spot check the internal temperature using a thermometer to prevent over or under cooking.
The next time fish is on the menu and you’re looking for a change up in flavors, whip up this easy recipe! With a nice crispy exterior, complex flavors, and amazing creamy coconut milk sauce, this creamy coconut lime salmon tastes like an island vacation!
For my fellow salmon lovers, also try these amazing salmon recipes!
More Salmon Recipes:
- Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bites Bowls
- Hot Honey Salmon
- Balsamic Glazed Salmon
- Teriyaki Salmon Bowls
- Crispy Skillet Salmon
Put the lime in the coconut!
Coconut Lime Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
Crispy Salmon
- 1 to 1.5 lbs salmon cut into individual filets
- Sea salt and garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
Coconut Lime Sauce
- 1 (15-oz) can coconut milk
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup fresh basil chopped, optional
Instructions
- Remove the salmon from its packaging and place it on a cutting board or a plate. Pat off any excess moisture with paper towels. Sprinkle the salmon filets liberally with sea salt and garlic powder.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes to become sizzling hot.
- Carefully place salmon fillets on the hot skillet flesh side down. Sear for 6 minutes, then carefully flip to the skin side and cook for another 6 minutes, or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of each filet to check for doneness. If the salmon becomes too dark at any point, lower the stove to medium heat. The skillet should be hot enough to get a good sear on both sides, but not so hot that it burns the fish.
- Transfer the salmon to a plate and set it aside while you prepare the sauce.
- Place the skillet back on the stove top and add all of the coconut lime sauce ingredients. Bring the mixture to a full boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Taste the sauce for flavor and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve salmon in a bowl with coconut lime sauce drizzled on top alongside any side dishes like brown rice, white rice, and veggies.
