Seared Salmon with Smashed Cucumber Salad (35 Minutes)
This salmon with cucumber salad pairs soy-ginger marinated salmon with a deeply golden sear against a bed of smashed cucumbers dressed in rice vinegar, sesame, honey, and chili crisp. Finished with more chili crisp, scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. A bold, fresh, 35-minute weeknight dinner that's just as good the next day for lunch.
Equipment
- cutting board
- Rolling pin or the flat side of a chef's knife
- Colander
- 2 mixing bowls (one for the marinade, one for the cucumber dressing)
- Shallow dish for marinating the salmon
- Heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless works well)
- Fish spatula or regular spatula
- Paper towels
Ingredients
For the salmon:
- 4 6 oz salmon fillets, skin on or skin off
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil avocado or grapeseed
For the smashed cucumbers:
- 12 Persian cucumbers or 3 English cucumbers
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon chili crisp oil spooned from the jar, solids left behind
For finishing:
- 4 –5 tablespoons store-bought chili crisp stirred well
- 2 scallions thinly sliced on the bias
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Season both sides of the salmon with kosher salt, then start with the salmon marinade so it has time to work while you handle everything else. Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a shallow dish. Add the salmon fillets flesh-side down and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes — any longer and the soy sauce starts to firm up the texture of the fish, so don't walk away and forget about it.4 6 oz salmon fillets, skin on or skin off, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- While the salmon marinates, tackle the cucumbers. Lay them on a cutting board and whack them with the flat side of a knife or a rolling pin until they crack and split open, then tear into rough, bite-size pieces. Toss them in a colander with the salt and let sit for 10 minutes to pull out excess water, then shake off the liquid without rinsing.12 Persian cucumbers, 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Whisk the rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, and chili crisp oil together in a large bowl — spoon the oil off the top of the jar and save the crunchy bits for later. Toss in the drained cucumbers and set aside; it only improves as it sits.12 Persian cucumbers, 6 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon chili crisp oil, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- When the salmon's done marinating, lift the fillets out and pat them completely dry with paper towels — any leftover marinade on the surface will make it steam instead of sear. Season all over with the kosher salt.4 6 oz salmon fillets, skin on or skin off
- Heat the neutral oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high until shimmering.1 tablespoon neutral oil
- If you're going skin-on: lay the salmon in skin-side down and press gently with a spatula for the first 15 seconds for full contact. Let it cook undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes; it'll release naturally when it's ready. Flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes for medium.4 6 oz salmon fillets, skin on or skin off
- If you're going skin-off: lay the salmon in presentation-side down first and let it sear undisturbed for 6 to 7 minutes until it's deeply golden and releases easily from the pan. Flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes for medium, spooning a little of the pan oil over the top in the last minute for extra color and flavor.
- Either way, rest the salmon for a minute off the heat before serving.
- To serve, spoon a generous bed of the smashed cucumbers onto each plate and set the salmon on top. Spoon the chili crisp, solids and all, over each fillet right before serving so the fried bits stay crunchy. Finish with scallions, cilantro, sesame seeds, and a lime wedge on the side.4 –5 tablespoons store-bought chili crisp, 2 scallions, Fresh cilantro leaves, Toasted sesame seeds, Lime wedges
Notes
This is a great meal prep dinner. Store the salmon and cucumbers separately in the fridge. To reheat the salmon, place it in a cold oven, preheat to 350°F (175°C), and by the time it comes to temperature the salmon is done. The cucumber salad is best eaten within 48 hours.
Pat the salmon dry after the marinade — thoroughly. This is the most important step in the whole recipe. Any residual marinade left on the surface and the salmon will steam instead of sear. More than you think you need to. I mean it.
Don't let the salmon sit in the marinade longer than 15 minutes. The soy sauce will start to firm up the texture of the fish. Set a timer and don't walk away.
Smashing cucumbers is more fun than it sounds. It's also a great way to take out anger over the current state of the world. The irregular edges soften the texture and soak up the dressing in a way sliced cucumbers never could.
Stir your chili crisp jar well before using. You want both the oil and the crunchy solids in every scoop — the bits are the best part.
Serve with jasmine rice for a complete meal. Once cooked, toss it with a little toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, sesame seeds, scallions, and fresh cilantro. Trust me on this one.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 36gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 2909mgPotassium: 1141mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 305IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg
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