Green Curry Salmon Recipe

By
Janet A. Zimmerman
Janet A. Zimmerman
An award-winning food writer, cooking instructor, and author of five cookbooks. She focuses on dinners for two and date night cuisine.
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Updated on 06/9/21
green curry salmon

Getty Images / Jobrestful 

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Yield: 2 fillets
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
988 Calories
59g Fat
27g Carbs
82g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 988
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 59g 76%
Saturated Fat 21g 104%
Cholesterol 224mg 75%
Sodium 827mg 36%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 82g
Vitamin C 24mg 122%
Calcium 75mg 6%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 1478mg 31%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Using commercial curry paste and canned coconut milk makes this recipe fast and easy to prepare. The complex, spicy sauce is a perfect match for rich salmon fillets. It would also be good with roasted chicken thighs or pork tenderloin.

Ingredients

  • 2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

  • 1 pinch freshly ground white pepper

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or more to taste

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut oil, or vegetable oil

  • 2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade Thai green curry paste

  • 1 to 2 makrut lime leaves

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

  • 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce, optional

  • 1 tablespoon diced red bell pepper, for garnish

  • 1 tablespoon basil, cut into chiffonade, for garnish

  • Cooked plain rice, or coconut rice, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Season the salmon fillets with white pepper and brush with soy sauce. Set aside while you make the sauce.

  3. In a small saucepan, heat enough coconut or vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is shimmering, add the curry paste and stir to break up. (Be careful; the paste may splatter.) Add the lime leaves and continue cooking for a couple of minutes or until the paste is very fragrant.

  4. Add the coconut milk and stir to distribute the paste in the milk. Simmer the sauce until it has reduced by about a third. Taste and add sugar and fish sauce to balance the flavors if necessary. With the Mae Ploy brand of curry paste, a teaspoon of each enhances the flavor. Cover the pan and keep the sauce warm while you cook the fish. If the sauce becomes too thick or is too spicy for your taste, add a couple more tablespoons of coconut milk.

  5. To cook the fish, heat a thick coating of oil in a skillet large enough to hold both fillets without crowding. When the oil is shimmering, carefully place the fish in the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish (3 minutes for 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick fillets; 4 minutes for 1-inch). Turn the fish and cook the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes.

  6. Drizzle with the warm curry sauce and garnish with the bell pepper and basil. Serve with plain or coconut rice.

Notes:

  • Because salmon is a relatively rich fish, a 6-ounce fillet is a fairly substantial portion, but choose the size depending on your appetite. You may prefer 8 ounces.

  • Makrut lime leaves can be found at Asian markets and some well-stocked produce markets. If you can't find them, the sauce will still be good without them, but do try them if you can. Leftover leaves can be frozen or used in this lime cordial.

  • Use the rest of the coconut milk in curry noodles or other Thai dishes. It can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for up to a month (although it may separate slightly, the flavor is unaffected).

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