Broiled salmon is a fast way to get a wholesome and delicious dinner on the table. This recipe will become your favorite way to eat salmon. It only requires four ingredients, and you will have a perfect meal for your busy weeknights.
Love salmon like me? How about trying more salmon recipes? I’ve got lots of delicious salmon recipes here on Primavera Kitchen, such as Garlic Butter Salmon Recipe, How to Cook Salmon in the Oven, Air Fryer Salmon, and Chopped Salmon Salad.
If you are looking for a quick and easy recipe for broiled salmon, you are definitely at the right place. I don’t know why I’ve never posted this recipe before. Broiling salmon is my favorite way to cook it, and I’ve been making this recipe for years.
I am sure you will love this recipe too because it is one of the fastest, easiest ways to prepare this versatile fish.
The high heat cooks it quickly and evenly, giving the fish a crispy texture. Oh, and there’s no need to flip the fish! The secret here is to place a cast iron skillet under a preheated broiler for about ten minutes. When the cast iron is fully heated, you place the salmon.
The contact of the cold salmon skin with the skillet will sear the skin and make it crispy and delicious. But if you don’t enjoy eating fish skin, you can easily remove it when you are eating, or you can make this recipe with skinless salmon.
It’s extremely important to use a well-seasoned, good-quality pan. This ensures that the fish won’t stick to the pan. The cast iron skillet is oven safe, so you can safely place it under the broiler. If you don’t have a cast-iron, you can line a sheet pan.
How to Make Broiled Salmon
- Set the oven rack in the center of the oven. Then, put your cast iron skillet in the oven under the broiler for ten minutes. The cast iron will evenly cook the salmon and give it a great flavor.
- Put the salmon in the skillet skin side down. Keeping the skin on will create a barrier between the tender meat and the hot skillet.
- Season the salmon. You want to pour on some olive oil (or cooking spray) to keep it moist and then sprinkle with seasonings. I like red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, but you can choose others like thyme, rosemary, ginger, mustard, honey, maple, and melted butter. Do not put fresh herbs under the broiler. They will incinerate at such a high temperature.
- Cook for eight to ten minutes. Keep an eye on the salmon. At this temperature, it can quickly go from perfect to overdone. The flesh will turn pink and start to flake when it is done. Then, splash with lemon juice and add any fresh herbs.
The FDA states that once the salmon has reached an internal temperature of 145°F at its thickest part, it is fully cooked. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, look for the following:
- Salmond flakes easily: Insert a fork at an angle just below the surface into the thickest part of the fish and twist. The layers of the salmon should easily separate from each other once it has cooked through.
- Salmon looks opaque: Raw fish has a translucent and somewhat transparent appearance. When cooked, the meat becomes less see-through but should still glisten.
Baking salmon involves cooking it slowly in an oven, while broiling uses high, direct heat from the oven’s top element for faster cooking and a charred finish.
Most ovens have a broil function. This is the setting you want to use for cooking this broiled salmon.
When you press broil, the oven will heat to 500-550F. Ovens do vary by about 50 degrees. But at that high of a temperature, you don’t have to worry about the difference. It may mean cooking the salmon for 30 seconds more or less.
Because the temperature is so high, the salmon will only take eight to ten minutes to cook completely. When you broil fish, you will get a similar result as pan frying, with browned edges in a short amount of time.
You can make it a complete meal serving with some delicious green salad, or maybe you prefer to have it along with some roasted crispy green beans and Mushroom Cauliflower Rice Skillet. Either way, you end up with a complete meal to fully satisfy you and your family.
More Salmon Recipes to Try:
- Easy Cedar Plank Salmon: This has tons of flavor!
- Foil Baked Salmon Recipe: It is baked over a bed of asparagus. You infuse your salmon with lemon, onion, and dried oregano for a richer flavor.
- 4-Ingredient Pomegranate Glazed Salmon: The pomegranate glazed is amazing.
- Spicy Butter Salmon in Foil: Easy, quick, and delicious.
Broiled Salmon Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 12 oz wild salmon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- crushed red pepper to taste
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- Pinch of Italian seasoning
- a squirt of fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven on high broil. Place a cast iron skillet under a pre-heated broiler for ten minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and put the salmon fillet skin-side down on the heated cast iron pan.
- Pour olive oil on top of the salmon and season it with red pepper flakes, dry parsley, salt, and pepper. Place the cast iron back in the oven on high broil and cook for about 8 or 10 minutes.
- Before serving the salmon, top with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Notes
- If you do not have a cast-iron skillet, use a sheet pan.
- To check if the salmon is cooked through, use an instant-read thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 145°F at its thickest part.
- To store: Store leftover salmon in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: You can reheat salmon on the stovetop or microwave.
- To freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe bag once the salmon fillets have reached room temperature. Freeze for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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It’s crazy that I don’t make salmon more! Especially when it’s this quick and easy
MMMMMHMMM! I looove broiled salmon and it really is such an easy and healthy meal! The red pepper and parsley sounds like an excellent way of seasoning the fish. Must try this recipe ASAP!
Oh this is salmon is cooked perfectly! I love your trick about pr-heating the pan – I’ve never tried that before! So cool! Yay for healthy, quick and easy dinners! Yum!
I’ve never tried broiling salmon, but I love this idea, especially pre-heating the skillet! Looks delicious, and love that it’s SO FAST!
Salmon is one of my hands-down favorite dinner go tos. It is so good for you, is filling, and can be prepared so many ways! I’m glad to see you sharing a delicious dinner idea!
This salmon looks absolutely divine, Olivia! Salmon is definitely one of my go-to dinners! Definitely going to try your recipe and method! 😀
I seriously have NEVER tried broiled salmon before, and right now all I’m thinking is WHY?? This seriously looks so perfectly cooked and easy, Olivia!
That last picture – oh my gosh!! Gorgeous! Love how quick and easy this salmon is 🙂
So simple! So delicious! And good for you, too. I like the sound of this!
😢 I don’t have a cast iron skillet..how sad is that? 😢
If I only have access to frozen salmon without the skin how would I adjust the cooking process?
I would unfreeze overnight.
Very easy and user dried dill on top.
Sounds good!
Key missing instruction: how many inches is the fish from the broiler heat source?
I used the middle oven rack.
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