Seafood & Salmon Bowls

Crispy Pan-Seared Salmon & Asparagus Bowl

Crispy-skin salmon with garlic-roasted asparagus over brown jasmine rice with lemon-dill yogurt.

Prep
10 min
Cook
40 min
Total
50 min
Makes
4 bowls
Crispy Pan-Seared Salmon & Asparagus Bowl with brown jasmine rice, roasted asparagus, crispy salmon and lemon dill yogurt in a white porcelain bowl

Getting crisp salmon skin comes down to three things: dry skin, a hot pan and not moving the fish. Asparagus roasts in the oven at the same time, and a lemon-dill yogurt sauce finishes the bowl.

Why this recipe works

Cooking mostly on the skin side protects the flesh and crisps the skin. Placing it skin-side up keeps the skin from going soggy.

Ingredient notes

Scale the skin with the back of a knife if needed.

Common mistakes

  • Wet skin.
  • Moving the fish too early.

What to serve with it

Lemon wedges.

Meal prep

Best within 3 days; skin softens.

More bowls like this

Cooking tips

Press the fillets flat for the first 10 seconds. Don't put sauce on the skin.

Swaps and variations

Use green beans. Use dairy-free yogurt.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate within 2 hours for up to 3 days.

Recipe

Crispy Pan-Seared Salmon & Asparagus Bowl

Prep
10 min
Cook
40 min
Total
50 min
Makes
4 bowls

Ingredients

4 servings

You’ll need: nonstick skillet; rimmed sheet pan; medium saucepan with lid; small bowl; instant-read thermometer

Method

  1. Cook the rice: bring the rice and water to a boil, cover and simmer on low 35 to 40 minutes; rest 10 minutes.

  2. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the asparagus and garlic with the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and roast 10 to 12 minutes.

  3. Pat the salmon skin very dry and season with the remaining salt. Heat the neutral oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook skin-side down 5 to 6 minutes without moving, until the skin is crisp.

  4. Turn and cook 1 to 2 minutes until it flakes and reaches 145°F (63°C).

  5. Mix the yogurt, lemon juice and dill.

  6. Divide rice and asparagus among 4 bowls, set the salmon skin-side up on top and add a spoonful of sauce beside it.

Questions

Why won't my skin crisp?

Usually it wasn't dry enough or the pan wasn't hot enough.

Can I eat the skin?

Yes, crisp salmon skin is delicious.

Comments

Made it? Tell us how it went

Questions, swaps that worked, things that didn’t. Comments are moderated.