A flaky, tender fillet of wild salmon can be enjoyed on its own, with little more than a wedge of lemon for serving. But wild salmon’s incredible flavor also makes it a wonderful protein to pair up with a variety of seasonings, from mild to bold. Because wild has such culinary range, it’s one of the most versatile types of fish that you can have in your kitchen.
Here are some of the best ways to season salmon, any day of the week:
Basic Salmon Seasonings
Basic salmon seasonings like salt and pepper, especially on a perfectly pan-seared fillet, can be enough for an extraordinary meal. You can also add other single-ingredient seasonings to enhance any meal.
Try adding in one of these basic seasonings:
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Garlic powder: Adds savory flavor to salmon, no mincing required.
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Smoked paprika: Adds color and savory flavor to salmon fillets. Use sparingly, as smoked paprika has a strong taste.
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Cumin: Instantly adds depth and complexity to salmon. A lime wedge would be the perfect complement to salmon seasoned cumin.
Homemade Spice Rubs for Salmon
For something a little more complex, try preparing salmon with a homemade spice rub. Homemade spice rubs can be quick and easy to mix together, especially if you already have your pantry stocked with some basic ingredients. It can take as little as a few minutes to create a delicious seasoning for salmon.
How to Cook Salmon with Spice Rubs
Dry cooking methods are ideal when seasoning salmon with a spice rub, whether you’re cooking with an air fryer, broiling, grilling, pan-frying, or baking salmon.
Here’s are the basic steps for cooking salmon with a spice rub:
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Pat salmon fillet dry.
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Season with salt and pepper.
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Lightly dust both sides of fillet with spice blend, pressing to adhere if needed.
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Drizzle with olive oil, then cook.
Different Spice Blends to Try with Salmon
Mexican spice blend: A basic, Mexican-inspired spice blend is an easy way to turn any fillet of salmon into the perfect taco filling. Just add tortillas and some of your favorite toppings.
Cajun spice blend: The spices in a Cajun-inspired blend give salmon a smoky, rich flavor and a delicious blackened appearance. Try cajun salmon on a sandwich or flaked over a bowl of crisp salad greens.
Zaatar spice blend: If you’re able to pick up a jar of sumac, a bright and tangy middle-eastern spice, you can mix up an easy zaatar spice blend. It adds herbaceous flavor and fun texture to any meal.
Spice-rubbed salmon is delicious on its own, but you can also serve this salmon with sauce. Try pairing up seasoned fillets with one of these easy sauces for salmon.
How Long to Store Salmon Seasoning
Dry spice rubs are shelf-stable, so they’re a great go-to ingredient when you want to add a different flavor profile to any seafood meal.
Keep in mind, though that over time the flavor of any dried, ground spice will lose its edge, so don’t wait too long to cook with these seasoning blends. For the best flavor, try to use spice rubs within 3 months of opening any packaging — meaning, ideally try to make spice blends from freshly-opened spices, rather than from spices that were opened years ago.
However, it’s very typical to have a pantry full of spices that have been opened for a while. Definitely don’t hesitate to use them in a homemade spice rub! Just know that any spice blend made from these will not be at peak flavor, in terms of complexity.
Alternatively, buy whole spices rather than ones that are already ground. Whole spices keep their flavor longer. When you’re ready to use them, you can lightly toast them in a dry pan to release some of their flavors, then grind them up into your own ground spice blend.
