Salmon Coconut Curry is an easy weeknight dinner bowl that’s on the table in less than 30 minutes. We’re talking big juicy chunks of salmon and fresh spinach in a light Thai inspired red curry sauce ~ popped with the holy trinity of lime, cilantro and fresh ginger.
Do you eat enough salmon??
Do you eat enough salmon??Keeping up with health news can be confusing, and things change week to week, but everybody agrees that we should be eating lots of salmon…twice a week, in fact. So this meal is really the perfect storm of healthy, easy, and delicious ~ what more could you ask from dinner?
Salmon is by far the favorite fish in our house, and it’s well represented in my recipe index ~
- 7 Layer Smoked Salmon Dip
- Salmon Cobb Salad
- Mediterranean Sheet Pan Salmon
- Creamy Lemon Dill Salmon
- have you tried my Smoked Salmon Cheesecake??
These are just a few examples, if you’re a true salmon lover you need to check out the whole collection of salmon recipes, here.
What you’ll need to make this bowl tonight~
- rice, either leftover or fresh cooked. I like jasmine rice for this dish, and if you’re in the mood, my Coconut Rice would be perfect. But plain old white rice will do.
- a pound of skinless salmon filet.
- a can of coconut milk, full fat (it’s a good kind of fat, so don’t worry.)
- fresh garlic and ginger
- Red curry paste ~ look for the little jars in the Asian/Thai section of your grocery store.
- fresh lime juice
- fresh spinach
- fresh cilantro
- 30 minutes
Farmed or wild salmon?
It’s the question I struggle with every single time I’m at the fish counter.
- Wild salmon is a better choice, but it’s pricey.
- If you do need to buy farmed salmon, know that farming practices are getting better all the time, and try to buy it at a reputable source like Whole Foods that has implemented strict standards for farmed fish.
- Think about buying frozen wild salmon, it’s a better buy, and just as fresh as ‘fresh’! (Its a fact that all fish is frozen at the source, and then some of it is thawed for sale, so there’s no such thing as truly fresh fish at your supermarket.)
Coconut milk gives this curry a luxe feel without adding any unhealthy ingredients.
While your rice is cooking you can make the quick curry. The pretty golden color comes from the red curry paste and a little bit of turmeric. I’ve always loved curries made with coconut milk because the texture is so silky and it has the most beautiful subtle flavor.
I’m all for healthy January recipes, but they have to have tons of flavor.
Red curry paste (or the green variety) is a great secret weapon to keep in the fridge. The small jar will last you a while because you only need a spoonful to flavor a whole meal. I love using pastes like this because they contain so many different spices and ingredients (like lemongrass and kaffir lime peel) that make a dish taste authentic. It’s so much easier than having to stock so many different ingredients.
Do you hate cilantro?
A good number of you do, and it’s not your fault, you were born that way. Some people have a gene that makes cilantro taste unappealing.
- no worries, fresh basil works just as well in this dish.
Salmon Coconut Curry
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled, halved, and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger (more to taste)
- 1 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 1/2 tsp powdered turmeric
- 1 Serrano pepper, thinly sliced into rounds
- 15 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- fresh lime juice, to taste
- sea salt to taste
- 1 lb salmon fillet, cut into large chunks (or you can do smaller chunks if you prefer)
- 3 handfuls of fresh clean spinach leaves
garnish
- lots of fresh cilantro
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the onion, garlic, and ginger for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.
- Add the curry paste, turmeric, and hot peppers to the pan and stir to combine. Continue sauteeing for a few more minutes, stirring almost constantly.
- Add the coconut milk and a tablespoon of lime juice (you can add more to taste.) Bring the mixture up to a bubble. Add salt to taste.
- Add the chunks of salmon and let the pot gently simmer, covered, for 5 minutes, just until the salmon is cooked, it doesn't take long. Stir to cover the fish with the sauce. Add the spinach and cook just until it wilts.
- Check the seasoning again, and serve the curry over hot rice
Notes
- The sauce can be made a day in advance. Don’t add the fresh cilantro until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Really good! Like you, I prefer wild sockeye salmon and that’s what I used here. Everything was delicious and rich. We ate ours with konjac noodles so it was almost like a cross between Curry and Pad Thai. I’ll make basmati rice for the leftovers tomorrow. Yum! Thank you, Sue for another great recipe.
Yesterday I commented that this recipe has no flavor. When I told my daughter she suggested adding fish sauce. What a difference it made! I would make this quick and easy recipe again with the addition of 2-3 teaspoons Red Boat fish sauce. Brava!