This Thai red curry salmon is what happens when you make a batch of sauce on Sunday and spend the rest of the week feeling like a genius. Rich, creamy, deeply savory and on the table in 20 minutes because the sauce is already done. Weeknight cooking doesn't get much better than this.
This recipe uses the leftover Thai red curry sauce from my Thai red curry udon noodles so if you made those earlier this week, you're already halfway there!
TL;DR - Thai Red Curry Salmon
- ⏱️ Timing: 20 minutes start to finish.
- 🐟 The method: Sear the salmon flesh-side down first, then flip and finish in the sauce. Better texture, faster cook time, and the sauce reduces into something really special right in the pan.
- 🥫 The sauce: 1½ cups of my Thai red curry sauce
- 🌡️ Pull it at 125°F: Same rule always when cooking salmon so it doesn't overcook.
- 🍚 Serve it with: Jasmine or basmati rice or your favorite green veggies.
- 🐟 More easy salmon nights: This is part of my 2-ingredient salmon collection alongside miso butter salmon, baked teriyaki salmon, sweet chili baked salmon, and simple baked pesto salmon.
Key Ingredients
- Salmon: 4 fillets, about 1 lb total. Skin-on is my preference here the skin acts as a natural barrier when you flip the fish and makes it much easier to handle in the pan. Skinless works too, just be a little more careful when flipping. Try to get pieces that are roughly similar in thickness so they cook evenly. This recipe doubles easily for a crowd, just use a larger pan so the fillets aren't crowded.
- Thai red curry sauce: 1½ cups of my Thai red curry sauce. Trader Joe's Thai red curry sauce + full-fat coconut milk + Soy Vay Soyaki. If you have leftovers from earlier in the week they go straight from the fridge into the pan. If you're making the sauce fresh it takes about 5 minutes.
Why you sear the salmon first (and don't just bake)
Most Thai red curry salmon recipes bake or poach the fish straight in the sauce. Both work, but neither gives you the golden, lightly caramelized crust you get from two minutes flesh-side down in a hot pan first. That texture is worth the extra step. The other bonus: because the fish is already partially cooked before the sauce goes in, the cooking time is super fast. Better result, faster dinner. I'll take it every time.
How to make Thai red curry salmon
Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. While the pan heats up, pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. This is the move that helps you get a proper sear instead of steaming the fish.
Step 2: Place the salmon flesh-side down in the hot pan. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. You're looking for the fish to be cooked about ¼" up from the bottom and you'll see the color change from the side of the fillet. Don't move it around, let it sear and release naturally.
Step 3: Flip the salmon to skin-side down and lower the heat to medium-low. Add 1½ cups of Thai red curry sauce directly to the pan. The sauce will sizzle and start to reduce around the salmon. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the salmon reaches 125°F internal temperature.
Step 4: Spoon the sauce over the salmon a couple of times as it cooks, it concentrates the flavors and keeps the fish moist. The sauce will reduce and thicken slightly as the fish finishes. Serve immediately over rice or noodles with the pan sauce spooned generously over the top.
What to serve with Thai red curry salmon
This salmon is delicious over a bowl of fluffy jasmine or basmati rice as the sauce has enough flavor that the rice soaks up beautifully. Trader Joe's microwave rice pouches keep this a genuinely 20-minute dinner.
If you made the Thai red curry udon noodles earlier this week and have leftovers, this salmon is incredible served right on top. Same sauce, same flavor profile it all ties together into one of those dinners that tastes like you planned it on purpose. (You did. Kind of.)
For vegetables, any of these work great alongside:
- Teriyaki green beans: quick, savory, and a natural match with the curry flavors.
- Miso butter corn: rich and umami-forward, balances the sauce beautifully.
- Charred corn: sweet and smoky, an easy pairing.
The sauce that connects everything
This recipe is part of a three-recipe sauce ecosystem. Thai red curry sauce makes enough for the udon noodles, this stovetop salmon recipe, or the Thai curry baked potstickers.
- Thai red curry sauce: the base recipe.
- Thai red curry udon noodles: uses half the sauce batch.
- Thai red curry salmon: uses half a batch of sauce. (You're here!)
- Thai curry baked potstickers: great side dish to tie it all together.
Did you try this recipe and and love it? 😍 Let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
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📖 Recipe
Thai Red Curry Baked Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 Salmon fillets (about 1 lb total, skin-on preferred)
- 1 TB Olive oil
- 1½ cups Thai red curry sauce (homemade)
Instructions
- Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot.
- Place salmon flesh-side down in the pan. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, until the fish is cooked about ¼" up from the bottom (you can see the color change from the side of the fillet).
- Flip the salmon to skin-side down and lower the heat to medium-low. Add 1½ cups of Thai red curry sauce to the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, spooning sauce over the salmon occasionally, until the salmon reaches 125°F internal temperature. The sauce will reduce and thicken slightly.
- Serve immediately over rice or noodles with the pan sauce spooned generously over the top.
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