A flavorful spicy salmon filet with a slightly sweet caramelized onion cauliflower rice. Seared on a pan, the salmon has a nice crispy crust, and is infused with all the goodness from the spice blend.
Its also nicely tender and juicy on the inside, and flakes just right so its easy to eat with the cauli-rice.
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This recipe was actually inspired by my Hot & Crispy Cajun Tilapia recipe that I posted a while ago. I absolutely love that seasoning coz it was so so perfectly spicy, and as you probably figured out by now I really like spicy food. I decided to give it a shot on salmon because it was all I had in my refrigerator last night, so I’m glad this turned out well.
Salmon vs Tilapia
I was a little skeptical at first because in terms of flavor salmon and tilapia are so different. Salmon’s on the fattier side and has more of a complex flavor as compared to the light and white tilapia.
People have a lot of opinions on the comparison, but I say they’re both pretty darn good.
Spicy Pan-seared Salmon!
I guess this worked because the filet was thin enough to absorb the spiciness during the marination. One too thick would result in plain-tasting salmon with just a slight coating of spiciness.
Just marinated it, and then fried the fish on a medium heated skillet.
Such an easy recipe I must say.
Fish and Rice
I paired the salmon with caramelized onion cauliflower rice to keep it Paleo and Grain-free.
Its like cauliflower fried rice, but with caramelized onion instead of mixed veggies.
I was a bit unsure about the combination of the spicy fish and sweet caramelized-ness, but it actually worked out. I didn’t use any sugars or sweeteners in there, so this recipe is also low carb and even keto!
Its got a windy name, but this seafood recipe is really just made with very basic ingredients and doesn’t require any fancy cooking skills either. Maximum taste with minimum effort!
Spicy Salmon with Caramelized Onion Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
Salmon:
- 4½ oz Salmon Fillet, ⅓ – ½” thick (128g)
- 1½ tsp Olive Oil
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp Paprika
- ¼ tsp Italian Seasoning
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- ⅛ tsp Onion Powder
- ⅛ tsp Pepper
- ¼ tsp Salt
Cauliflower Rice:
- 15-18 strips Red Onion, Thinly sliced, 30g
- 1½ cup Cauliflower, Chopped, 160g
- ¼ tsp Olive Oil
- ½ tsp Garlic, Minced
- ⅓ cup Low Sodium Broth
- ⅛ tsp each Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Combine olive oil and seasonings in a small bowl and coat salmon fillet with the marinade. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Pulse cauliflower in a food processor and until finely ground into “rice” form.
- Pour oil on a skillet heated on medium-high and fry the onions and garlic for about a minute until translucent.
- Turn heat to low, add ¼ cup water and cook, stirring occasionally, until water evaporates. About 5-7 minutes.
- Repeat previous step.
- Add cauliflower rice and broth, season with salt and pepper, stir, and cover. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to plate and cover to keep warm.
- Heat skillet over medium and add the salmon.
- Cook on one side for 4-5 mins, flip and cook other side for another 3 mins.
- Serve over cauliflower rice.
Notes
- Servings: 1 fillet + 1 cup rice | Serving size: 1 fillet + 1 cup rice
- Calories: 316kcal
- Fat: 16.5g | Saturated fat: 1.3g
- Carbohydrates: 13.2g | Fiber: 4.1g | Sugar: 4.5g
- Protein: 29.2g
Hey! I'm Haylee
Google Software Engineer
I use my passion for baking (and eating) to create healthy, high-protein, good-for-you and diet-friendly desserts and sweet treats that are actually delicious.
Come join me in Hayl's Kitchen and let's eat high protein, sweet and guilt free!