This is probably one of the healthiest salmon recipes you will ever make. And it's pan seared...which means it's crispy and full of flavor in every single bite!

This pan seared salmon takes no effort at all to make and is made in one skillet. Looking for a quick, healthy, and flavor-packed dinner? This pan seared salmon with cucumber salsa is the perfect weeknight meal!
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Pan Seared Salmon: What To Know & Recipe Highlights
- Cook Time: It's ready in under 20 minutes!
- How To Serve It: I top it off with my homemade cucumber salsa made with fresh lime, cucumber, cilantro, and red onion. We're talking fresh flavor and crunch in every single bite!
- Ingredient Tip: Finely chop a jalapeño to add some spice to the flavor!
- Time Saving Tip: Prepare the cucumber salsa up to 3-4 hours ahead of time. This also allows the flavors to combine and meld together.
- Leftovers, Storage & Reheating: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store the cucumber salsa in a separate container. To reheat, put the salmon in a skillet on the stove top and heat on medium heat until warmed all the way through. Top with the cucumber salsa. It will keep for 3-4 days.
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Salmon - Atlantic, Sockeye....any type of salmon tastes amazing with this recipe! Fresh is best, but you can also use frozen salmon.
- Olive Oil - used to make the cucumber salsa. You can also substitute it with avocado oil if you want.
- Lime - use fresh limes to get the juice...don't use bottled lime juice.
- Cucumber - my favorite is to use an English cucumber add more crunch and tastes more fresh. Only peel half the cucumber...there are a ton of nutrients in the peeling!
- Red Onion - adds the most flavor, but you can also substitute a sweet onion or white onion to lighten the flavor. Don't use a yellow onion...the flavor is too bold.
- Cilantro - use fresh chopped cilantro. Do not use cilantro paste.
- Salt & Pepper - flavor enhancers. You can also add in some fresh chopped garlic to give it additional flavor!
👩🏼🍳 See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements!
🔪 How To Make It
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the olive oil has heated, place the fillets in the pan. Sear for a total of 7-8 minutes, flipping halfway through until done.
Step 2: Using a sharp knife, slice the lime in half. Lightly mash the lime with the fork to release some of the lime juice. Set aside.
Step 3: Using the same knife, finely chop the fresh cilantro, chop the jalapeño pepper, cucumber, and onion.
Step 4: Add the chopped cilantro, pepper, cucumber, and onion to a small bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and squeeze the lime juice and some of the pith from the lime and mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Set aside and let the salsa ingredients marinate together.
Step 5: Once the salmon is done, top each piece with the cucumber salsa. Grab a fork because it's ready to eat!
🙋🏼♀️ Recipe FAQs
No, you don’t need to remove the skin before cooking. It's actually better to leave the skin on when pan-searing! The skin helps protect the delicate flesh from overcooking and creates a crispy texture when seared properly. If you prefer skinless salmon, you can remove it after cooking since it will peel off easily once the fish is done.
t's recommended to cook it to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. But here's how I check for doneness.
The color will change from a red color to an opaque pinkish color when it's done.
After 6 minutes of searing, check for doneness by inserting a fork.
If it easily flakes, it's done. If not, keep searing for a few more minutes.
Personally, I don't. But some people do eat the skin. If you cook the skin correctly, it is crispy, full of flavor, and has a lot of minerals and nutrition. It's a personal choice.
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Pan Seared Salmon With Cucumber Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 6 ounce salmon fillets
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lime
- ½ cucumber, diced
- 2 Tablespoons red onion, minced
- 2 teaspoons cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, fresh cracked
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced, optional
Instructions
- Remove the pith from the lime and finely dice the flesh of the lime.
- In a small bowl, lightly mash the lime with the fork to release some of the lime juice and then stir in the chopped jalapeño pepper (optional), cucumber, onion, cilantro, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Set aside and let the salsa ingredients marinate together.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Season the salmon filets with a the remaining salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.
- Sauté the salmon, skin side down, until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes.
- Carefully flip the salmon and continue to cook until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily when a fork is inserted and slightly turned...about 4 more minutes.
- Transfer salmon to plates and spoon cucumber salsa over top. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Time Saving Tip: You can prepare the cucumber salsa up to 3-4 hours ahead of time.
- Leftovers, Storage & Reheating: if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store the cucumber salsa in a separate container. To reheat, put the salmon in a skillet on the stove top and heat on medium-heat until warmed all the way through. Top with the cucumber salsa. It will keep for 3-4 days.
Amy Liu Dong
The salsa sounds really delicious! I am going to make this dish for tonight's dinner.
Amanda Mason
I can't wait to hear how it turns out for you!
Jamie
This is such an awesome salmon recipe that everyone will definitely love and enjoy! Plus we can never go wrong with "Salmon", it's just so delicious! The best part of this dish is we only need 20 mins to have this already!
Amanda Mason
You will love every bite! Let me know how it turns out for you!
Maggie
That cucumber salsa was amazing! We loved it so much. Can't wait to make it again.
Amanda Mason
So glad you loved it!
Ann
I am a huge fan of salmon recipes! This one looks so delicious! Excited to give it a try! Thanks for the recipe share!
Amanda Mason
Let me know how it turns out for you!
indah nuria
Looks delicious indeed! I love the pan seared salmon and with the crispy skin on ๐
Amanda Mason
Enjoy! It's absolutely delish!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
That salmon is so perfectly cooked and I bet the salsa goes really well with it too.
Amanda Mason
Thanks! its fabulous!
Amanda Mason
Thanks!Enjoy!
Jovita @ Yummy Addiction
Salmon is like my favorite thing in the world, hands down. I can already imagine how awesome it will be with this cucumber lime salsa. Great idea!
Amanda Mason
Hope you love it! My kids even love it!
Olivia @ Olivia's Cuisine
Gorgeous pics! Looks delicious and very fresh.
Amanda Mason
Thanks so much!
Mackenzie
We just recently moved to Washington, where salmon is a-plenty! I grew up in a landlocked state where seafood was only found at Red Lobster, so it's slowly growing on me! I'm excited to give this a shot - it looks marvelous!
Amanda Mason
oh! Im jealous of where you live!!! I'd be in hog heaven there!
Cynthia Rusincovitch
Cucumber Lime Salsa just sounds delightful with the salmon. This looks really delicious.
Amanda Mason
Thanks! hope you love it!