Blackened Salmon with Pineapple Salsa and Coconut Rice

Blackened Salmon with Pineapple Salsa and Coconut Rice is a healthy, flavorful meal that can be made in 30 minutes or less that the whole family will love!

I think I might have told you already how much I love seafood?  I definitely have, because it’s always high on my list of go-to meals.  Not only is it healthy and versatile, it’s so quick and easy to prepare on busy weeknights.  My whole family loves it, too, so it happens a minimum of  2 times a week– it’s always a sure fire hit. 🙂

Wild Alaska Seafood is a brand of seafood that I trust, and I turn to it for a variety of reasons:

• The cold water and natural environment of Alaska produces seafood with lean flesh, firm texture, and superior flavor that is full of high quality protein, vitamins, minerals and oils essential to good health.
• With five species of salmon, several varieties of whitefish, and numerous shellfish species, Alaska offers mouthwatering seafood options for every taste and cooking method and is available fresh, frozen and canned year round.
• Alaska’s fishing methods are anchored in strict conservation practices as well as the State Constitution, ensuring that the delicious Alaska seafood you enjoy today will be enjoyed for generations to come
• Alaska seafood is high in protein, low in saturated fat, low in sodium and one of the best sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

I love that I can find Wild Alaska Seafood fresh, frozen, or canned.  You can choose between scallops, shrimp, halibut, cod, sole, crab, and salmon, to name a few.  I often shop at Costco, and they happen to carry large bags frozen Wild Alaskan Seafood, which are perfect for feeding my family a variety of ways.  Tacos, skewers, rice bowls — you name it, we love it.

I simply thaw out what I need and decide how I want to prepare it.  Each and every cooking method is quick and easy, whether you choose to bake it, grill it, broil it, or pan sear it.  We’re talking a healthy, fresh, no-stress meal on the table in under 30 minutes, and there’s nothing better than that my friends.

Salmon is definitely our favorite fish, and I love that it can handle big, bold flavors like this blackened seasoning.  The sweet and spicy combination is a favorite of mine, so that’s where the inspiration for this dish came from.  I couldn’t help but think that a sweet and savory fresh pineapple salsa would be the perfect compliment for the moist, spicy salmon, and it really was.  The coconut rice gave this dish a necessary creamy element that brought all the flavors together.

I made my rub, and gently worked it into the salmon fillets and let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

I placed the salmon presentation side down in a hot non-stick skillet (I used cast iron) until it got a nice crust, then flipped it and cooked it on the other side.  The fish was done in all of 5-6 minutes.  You just can’t beat that!

If you don’t cook with salmon often, you may be wondering how to tell if it’s done.  It’s important not to overcook seafood as it will be tough and dry, and we want it to be nice and moist.  Salmon, for instance, does not have to be cooked all the way through.  A couple of minutes on each side, depending how thick the fillet is, and you’ll see the white fat begin to render, as in the photo above.  That’s a tell tale sign that the salmon is ready to go.

To make this a 30 minute meal, get your rice on first, then make the salsa to let it stand and let the flavors meld.  Since the fish doesn’t take long, that can be done last so you can serve it up nice and piping hot.

Wild Alaskan Seafood is something you can feel good about serving to your family.  It’s fresh, healthy, and flavorful, and it makes a quick meal completely doable on a busy night.  The options are endless, and it’s always going to result in something the whole family will love. 🙂

Blackened Salmon with Pineapple Salsa and Coconut Rice

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Blackened Salmon with Pineapple Salsa and Coconut Rice is a fresh, healthy, flavorful meal that you can put on the table in 30 minutes or less!

Author: Flavor the Moments

Serves: About 4 servings

Ingredients

Blackened Seasoning:

• 1½ tablespoons paprika
• 1½ teaspoons onion powder
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Salmon:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1½lb. salmon fillets, skin removed
• ½-1 teaspoon blackened seasoning per salmon fillet

Coconut rice:

• 1 cup quick cooking brown rice*
• 1¼ cup full fat coconut milk
• 1¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Pineapple Salsa:

• 1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped into small chunks
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped small
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• ½ cup finely chopped red onion
• ¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro
• juice of 1 lime
• salt, to taste

Instructions

Prepare the seasoning:

1. Place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Prepare the salmon:

1. Place ½-1 teaspoon of the blackened seasoning on both sides of the fish, depending on how spicy you'd like it. Let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the rice and salsa.
2. Heat the canola oil in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Place the salmon fillets presentation side down in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until a nice crust is formed and it releases easily from the pan. Gently flip and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes, or until the fat begins to render. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Prepare the rice:

1. Place the coconut milk and water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the rice and salt, and return to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and cover, and simmer the rice according to package instructions. Once the rice has absorbed the liquid, remove from heat and let stand covered 10 minutes to steam. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.

Prepare the salsa:

1. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes in order for the flavors to marry. Serve as a dip, topping, or condiment.
2. Serve the salmon over the rice and spoon the pineapple salsa over the salmon. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

To make this a 30 minute meal, get the rice cooking first, then make the salsa and let stand so the flavors can meld. The salmon can be seasoned next then cooked last so it can be served piping hot!
Quick cooking brown rice is the only way to get brown rice done in 30 minutes. If you go white rice, adjust the amount of liquid as stated on the package instructions.
Buying freshly cut pineapple is a huge timesaver, or cut a fresh pineapple ahead of time and store in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
Recipe by Flavor the Moments.

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.