This Coconut Green Curry Salmon is based one of the recipes I used to make for one of my first personal chef clients, and is also one of the first recipes I ever blogged. I’ve been spending a lot of time going through the recipe archives and cleaning up the site, which is long overdue! There are some doozies from back in 2012… Some recipes are not worth saving, but some – like this one – deserve a revamp.
Coconut Green Curry Salmon
The thing I love about this recipe is that it’s virtually foolproof. The sauce that the salmon is cooked in is made in a blender, and the fattiness of the coconut milk helps keep the salmon from drying out while cooking. This new and improved version has a handful of spinach added to the sauce, which makes it even greener, and sneaks in some extra nutrition, too.
The crispy shallots are optional, but add great texture and flavor to the dish.
Please note that cook times will vary based on the thickness and fattiness of your salmon. Wild salmon tends to be leaner, so keep an eye on it if that’s what you’re using. To test its doneness, gently insert a knife into the center. It should flake apart but still be moist.
Coconut Green Curry Salmon
Delicious, Foolproof Salmon- on the table in under 30.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients
Salmon Ingredients:
- 1 handful baby spinach
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves (plus additional for garnish)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro (plus additional for garnish)
- 2 teaspoons curry powder*
- 1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 14- ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 1–1.5 pounds salmon filet, (skin removed (about 4–6 ounces per serving))
- lime wedges, (for serving)
- rice or cauliflower rice, (for serving)
- crispy shallots for serving, (optional (recipe below))
Crispy Shallots Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup avocado or coconut oil, (enough to come up 1/4-inch or so in your pan)
- 1 medium shallot, (thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- finely ground sea salt
Instructions
To make the Salmon:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a blender, puree the spinach, basil, cilantro, curry powder, sea salt, fish sauce, and coconut milk until smooth.
- Place the salmon in a baking dish that is as close to the size of the filet as possible. (My 1-pound filet fit nicely in an 8×8 baking dish.) Pour the sauce over the salmon.
- Place in the oven and cook for 15-22 minutes, depending on the thickness and fattiness of your fish. If using wild salmon, it will probably be done closer to the 15 minute mark.
- To serve: Place the salmon and sauce over a bed of rice or cauliflower rice, and garnish liberally with fresh basil and cilantro. Sprinkle with Crispy Shallots, if using. Serve with rice or Cauliflower Rice, and lime wedges.
To make the Crispy Shallots:
- Heat the oil in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl, toss the shallots with the arrowroot, breaking apart the rings so they’re evenly coated.
- Once the oil is hot, fry the shallots in 2-3 batches until golden, about 2 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining batches.
Notes
*I highly recommend the Persian Lime Curry from Oaktown Spice Shop for this (and so many other things). This small but mighty spice shop in Oakland grinds all of their own spices fresh, and they’re by far the best spices I’ve ever used. Don’t fret if you’re not in the area; they ship!
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Jodi says
Use any protein for this recipe!
zenbellyblog says
Definitely! It’s a versatile one 🙂
Becca says
I made a few wrong turns with this recipe, but it was still delicious! My basil was a bit brown so I had to toss it. I used extra cilantro and a wee bit of red currry paste. This is a really versatile sauce! I will say that next time I will probably cut the sauce recipe in half—it made more than I needed. I found that it did take a bit on the longer side to get the salmon cooked. Hubby and I both loved it—will definitely make again!
zenbelly says
I’m glad it worked out with the little hiccups! It does make quite a bit of sauce, which I like for rice, but you could definitely cut it in half if you don’t want so much.
Pen says
Why remove the salmon skin?
zenbelly says
Because it’s cooked in a sauce which makes it soggy, which I don’t find appealing. But you can leave it on if you prefer.
Linda says
Where did you get that baking dish?
zenbelly says
It’s actually a platter my mom gave me; I believe it’s one of the few things she had from Sweden!