Salmon with Coconut Curry (Thai-Inspired, 45 Minutes)
You will become addicted to this Salmon with Coconut Curry — it’s creamy, flavorful, and ready in 45 minutes. My husband had been craving curry, I had salmon in the fridge, and one test later it has not left our weekly rotation since. Seared salmon nestled into a silky coconut curry with charred bok choy, snap peas, jasmine rice, and a limey peanut-herb crunch that takes the whole thing completely over the top.
We eat mostly pescatarian style at our house, and this salmon curry with veggies is one of our favorites. In addition to coconut curry salmon, we love shrimp dishes such as my Tuscan Shrimp. I also have more seafood recipes like Halibut en Papillote and Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes.
Ingredients Notes
The Jasmine Rice: Simple, but important. Jasmine rice is the move here — it’s fragrant, slightly sticky, and soaks up every bit of that coconut curry sauce.
The Salmon: You want skinless salmon fillets here, about 5 to 6 ounces each. Patting them really dry before they hit the pan is the move — it is what gives you that golden, slightly crispy sear on the outside while keeping the inside tender. Do not skip that step.
The Coconut Curry: This is where the magic happens. A few things worth calling out: red curry paste is the backbone of the sauce, so make sure yours is fresh and fragrant — it makes a real difference. Full-fat coconut milk is non-negotiable here; light coconut milk will give you a thin, watery sauce and we are not doing that. Fish sauce and brown sugar are the flavor balancers — they add depth and just a tiny bit of sweetness that rounds everything out. The bok choy gets charred in the same skillet before the curry comes together, and the snap peas go in at the very end so they stay bright and crisp. You can also use other vegetables like onion, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, or spinach.
The Lime Peanut-Herb Crunch: This is the thing that makes this dish. Roasted salted peanuts, scallions, fresh cilantro, fresh basil, lime zest, and fresh lime juice — stirred together in a bowl and spooned over everything at the end. It adds freshness, crunch, and a hit of brightness that ties the whole bowl together. Do not leave it out.
A Few Testing Notes:
This recipe came together pretty quickly, but there were a couple of small things worth mentioning. Full-fat coconut milk is key — I tested it with light and the sauce just did not have the same richness or body. Also, taste the curry before adding the second teaspoon of lime juice. Start with one and see where you are — sometimes one is exactly right, and sometimes you want that extra brightness. It depends on your lime and your mood. And do not skip the lime at the very end. It is not garnish. It is what makes the whole bowl sing.
How to Make Salmon with Coconut Curry
- Cook the rice. Combine the jasmine rice, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low for 15 minutes. Let it sit off the heat for 10 — do not skip that part.
2. Make the limey peanut-herb crunch. Stir the peanuts, scallions, cilantro, basil, lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, and a pinch of flaky salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Char the bok choy. Cook the bok choy cut-side down in a hot skillet until lightly charred, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, cook one minute more, and transfer to a plate.
4. Sear the salmon. In the same skillet, sear the salmon until golden and just shy of cooked through. Transfer to a plate — it will finish in the curry.
5. Build the curry. Soften the shallot, then add the garlic, ginger, curry paste, and tomato paste. Pour in the coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime zest and simmer until silky and lightly thickened.
6. Finish and serve. Add the snap peas and bok choy back to the curry, then nestle the salmon in. Spoon everything over jasmine rice and finish with the remaining herbs, scallions, and a generous spoonful of that limey peanut-herb crunch.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it! Tag @alliehagerty on Instagram and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!
Salmon with Coconut Curry (Thai-Inspired, 45 Minutes)
Equipment
- Medium saucepan with lid
- large skillet
- Small bowl
- Microplane or fine grater
- cutting board
- Knife
Ingredients
For the jasmine rice
- 3/4 cup Jasmine rice
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the lime peanut-herb crunch
- 1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts finely chopped
- 1 scallion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Small pinch flaky sea salt
For the salmon and curry
- 2 skinless salmon fillets about 5 to 6 ounces each
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided – half for salmon, half for curry.
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil divided
- 2 baby bok choy halved lengthwise
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- 4 ounces snap peas trimmed
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- Lime wedges for serving
- Extra scallions, basil, or cilantro for serving
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the Jasmine rice, water, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.3/4 cup Jasmine rice, 1 1/4 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- In a small bowl, combine the chopped peanuts, the scallions, cilantro,basil, lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, and flaky sea salt. Stir to combine and set aside.1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts, 1 scallion, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon olive oil, Small pinch flaky sea salt
- Pat the salmon dry well. Season both sides with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and the black pepper.2 skinless salmon fillets, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy cut-side down and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly charred. Flip and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate.2 tablespoons neutral oil, 2 baby bok choy
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil to the skillet. Add the salmon and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, then carefully flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until lightly golden and just shy of cooked through. Transfer to a plate.2 tablespoons neutral oil, 2 skinless salmon fillets
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the red curry paste and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until slightly darkened and aromatic.1 shallot, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon red curry paste, 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- Pour in the coconut milk and stir until smooth. Add the fish sauce, brown sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and lime zest. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until silky and lightly thickened.1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- Add the snap peas and cook for 2 minutes, until crisp-tender and bright green. Return the bok choy to the skillet. Add 1 teaspoon lime juice and taste the sauce. Add the second teaspoon only if you want a little more brightness.2 baby bok choy, 4 ounces snap peas, 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- Nestle the salmon back into the sauce and spoon a little sauce over the top. Let it warm through over low heat for about 1 minute.2 skinless salmon fillets
- Divide the Jasmine rice between two shallow bowls. Spoon the curry, bok choy, and snap peas around the rice. Top with the salmon. Finish with the plus a generous spoonful of the limey peanut-herb crunch. Serve with lime wedges.