Coconut Curry Salmon is a 30-minute ONE-PAN dinner with simple ingredients and bold flavors! This Thai-inspired recipe features red curry coconut milk sauce and vegetables (bell pepper and spinach). It's dairy-free, gluten-free, Pescatarian, packed with veggies and protein, and fiber-rich.
Heat a large, high-sided skillet (I used cast iron) over medium heat for about 2 minutes to heat it.
I used salmon fillets with skin-on. Season the top of the salmon with salt and freshly ground black pepper, using 1 tablespoon of olive oil to rub the seasonings on top of the fish (do not season the skin part).
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot skillet. Add salmon fillets skin side up (flesh side down) and cook undisturbed on medium-high heat for 4 minutes.
Using a wide spatula, carefully flip the salmon fillets to the other side, skin side down. Cook for 5 more minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat.
Carefully slide a wide spatula between each salmon fillet and the skin to separate the flesh from the skin carefully. Remove salmon (without skin) to a plate.
Remove skins from the skillet. You can eat them later or discard them if you don't like them.
Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels, getting rid of all burned bits.
Cook bell pepper
Add thinly sliced bell pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same, now empty, skillet, and cook the bell pepper for about 4 minutes, occasionally stirring, on medium heat, until a little bit charred. Remove the cooked bell pepper to the plate.
Make red curry coconut milk sauce
To the same, now empty, skillet, add coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, honey, and lemon juice. Cook, constantly stirring, on medium heat, for about 5 minutes until all the ingredients blend and the coconut milk sauce has an even consistency.
Add fresh spinach and continue cooking, stirring, until it wilts completely.
Add sliced bananas and cooked sliced bell peppers. Stir to combine.
Assembly
Return the cooked salmon to the skillet with the red curry coconut milk sauce and reheat.
When serving, garnish with fresh lemon slices and chopped parsley.
Notes
Full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk is what I used. It provides creaminess and richness to the salmon curry.
Light, unsweetened coconut milk will work great, too, because the coconut milk sauce will thicken regardless (thanks to the sliced bananas).
What to serve with it?
Rice. White rice (basmati or jasmine), brown rice, or quinoa.
Noodles. You can also serve it with ramen noodles or rice noodles.