A quick 15-minute recipe for Perfect Blackened Salmon – a well-seasoned salmon recipe for fans of bold flavors. This crispy salmon recipe is one of my all-time favorites and is a great recipe to meal prep or whip up for last minute guests. (It’s naturally gluten-free and using oil to cook the salmon makes it dairy-free as well!)

Cajun Blackened Salmon Recipe

Blackened Cajun Salmon is bold and flavorful, with a crispy exterior and juicy, tender salmon inside. The hint of charred flavor on the crispy crust beautifully contrasts the sweet, juicy salmon interior. And that zesty hit of lime juice after you take it off the heat? Perfection.

This Blackened Cajun Salmon recipe is one of my favorite easy protein recipes. I make it for lunch at least once a week, either in the pan or the air-fryer, and pair it with a heart salad or some tender-crisp veggies for a decadent, filling yet healthy meal.

Blackening is a cooking technique that involves brushing butter or oil on a protein (usually fish or chicken) before coating well with “blackening” spices before pan-searing or grilling. You can also replicate this technique in the air-fryer now.

Blackening seasoning is a type of Cajun seasoning, usually consisting of a bit more cayenne and paprika than a standard Cajun spice blend, which helps to develop the dark, flavourful crust. You can use any cajun seasoning to replace blackening seasoning in this recipe, and if desired, add a bit more cayenne and paprika, to personal preference. (I prefer to make my own blackening spice because I find some pre-made seasoning blends too salty.)

Blackened Salmon Variations:

serve with a creamy sauce to offset the effects of the spicy seasonings
top with a fruit salsa, like a pineapple salsa, for a yummy twist
use other sturdy types of fish (such as mahi-mahi, monkfish, halibut, catfish, etc), adjusting the cooking time as needed
drizzle with honey after cooking for a touch of sweetness
OR, add a bit of brown sugar to the spice blend before coating the salmon with it – it will add both sweetness and help with the caramelization of the crust
drizzle with lime or lemon juice after cooking for a bright, citrus touch
control the spiciness of this recipe by making your own seasoning blend and reducing the cayenne pepper called for in the recipe

close-up image of blackened salmon on a white plate served with cilantro lime rice

Instead of pan-frying the salmon, you can prepare it in a few different ways:

Air-fryer variation: cook salmon at 400F for 8-10 minutes.
Baked variation: cook salmon for 12-15 minutes at 400F
Grill variation: grill salmon for 8-12 minutes

How to prevent the blackening spices from sticking to the pan: One of the worst tragedies with making a blackened dish is going to remove your food from the pan and having all of that gorgeous seasoning stick to the pan. To avoid this, there are a couple things you can do:

Pat the salmon dry before brushing with oil and adding the seasoning.
Wait for the pan to be super hot before adding the salmon
Don’t try to move the salmon as it cooks on each side, as that will disturb the process of the crust forming
If possible, use a cast-iron skillet instead of stainless steel for best results

How to tell if salmon is cooked through: Salmon should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145F. The easiest way to ensure that salmon is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer and insert it in the thickest part of the salmon.

How to store blackened salmon: After cooking, the salmon can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months.

What to Serve with Blackened Cajun Salmon:

rice (pictured alongside the salmon in this recipe is our Cilantro Lime Rice recipe)
cauliflower rice
sautéed green beans (check out our Green Beans Almondine for a flavorful twist)
garlic mashed potatoes
cornbread
bean salad (my friend Stacey has this delish Mediterranean Bean Salad recipe)
corn salad (check out our Mexican Corn Salad)
risotto (my friend Kylee has so many great risotto recipes – this Garlic Parm Risotto is a favorite)
green salad

You can also serve this blackened salmon in tacos for a delicious fish taco recipe that rivals anything you can order in a restaurant, or break it up and stir into a creamy pasta recipe.

Composite image of blackened salmon on a plate along with three images showing how to make the recipe

Ingredients for Blackened Cajun Salmon

Salmon Filets, 3-4oz each
Oil
Blackening Seasoning <– grab our recipe for homemade blackening seasoning here
Lime Juice, as desired

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: I like to use my cast-iron skillet to help develop the blackened crust easily. I recommend not using stainless steel pans for blackening as the crust is likely to stick and peel off..

labeled ingredient image showing ingredients to make blackend salmon: salmon, blackening spice, oil and lime

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

Cast Iron Skillet <– I love the versatility of a good cast-iron pan – you can make everything from eggs to dessert in them and they transition easily from the stove to the oven. This one is pre-seasoned and great for even heating
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Metal Spatula
Basting Brush <– I like these because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.

overhead image of blackened salmon on a white plate served with cilantro lime rice, with a cast iron skillet holding more salmon in the background

How to Make Blackened Cajun Salmon

Place a skillet over medium heat.

Pat your salmon dry on both sides using paper kitchen towel.

images showing how to make blackened cajun salmon

Brush the salmon filets with oil, then sprinkle on half of the cajun seasoning. Flip the salmon filets and oil and season the underside of the filets.

Add the remaining oil to the skillet.

Once the oil is hot, place the salmon filets in the skillet and cook until darkened on the bottom, about 4 minutes. (Avoid moving the salmon as the blackened crust forms.)

Flip and continue to cook on the other side until darkened and salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145F.

Remove salmon from skillet and squeeze fresh lime juice overtop.

Pin this Easy Blackened Salmon recipe for a 15-minute meal with big, bold flavors:

A quick 15-minute recipe for Perfect Blackened Salmon - a well-seasoned salmon recipe for fans of bold flavors. This crispy salmon recipe is one of my all-time favorites and is a great recipe to meal prep or whip up for last minute guests. (It's naturally gluten-free and using oil to cook the salmon makes it dairy-free as well!)

Grab your free printable recipe card for our blackened salmon recipe:

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Yield: 4 servings

Blackened Cajun Salmon

Name: Blackened Cajun Salmon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Seafood recipe
Ingredients: 4 Salmon Filets, 3-4oz each; 2 Tablespoons Oil; 1 Tablespoon Blackening Seasoning; Lime Juice, as desired

A quick 15-minute recipe for Perfect Blackened Salmon - a well-seasoned salmon recipe for fans of bold flavors. This crispy salmon recipe is one of my all-time favorites and is a great recipe to meal prep or whip up for last minute guests. (It's naturally gluten-free and using oil to cook the salmon makes it dairy-free as well!)

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 Salmon Filets, 3-4oz each
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Tablespoon Blackening Seasoning
Lime Juice, as desired

Instructions

Place a skillet over medium heat.
Pat your salmon dry on both sides using paper kitchen towel.
Brush the salmon filets with oil, then sprinkle on half of the cajun seasoning. Flip the salmon filets and oil and season the underside of the filets.
Add the remaining oil to the skillet.
Once the oil is hot, place the salmon filets in the skillet and cook until darkened on the bottom, about 4 minutes. (Avoid moving the salmon as the blackened crust forms.)
Flip and continue to cook on the other side until darkened and salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145F.
Remove salmon from skillet and squeeze fresh lime juice overto

Notes

Recipe for Homemade Blackening Spice:

1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
1.5 teaspoons Paprika
1.5 teaspoons Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
1/4 teaspoon Oregano
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

Instead of pan-frying the salmon, you can prepare it in a few different ways:

Air-fryer variation: cook salmon at 400F for 8-10 minutes.
Baked variation: cook salmon for 12-15 minutes at 400F
Grill variation: grill salmon for 8-12 minutes

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 534Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 1278mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 50g

Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.

I hope your family loves this easy blackened salmon recipe as much as I do!

For more scrumptious seafood ideas, check out our full seafood recipe collection here:

Best Blackened Salmon