Two skin-on salmon fillets coated in a smoky, heat-forward spice rub of paprika, cayenne, garlic, onion, oregano, and thyme, then seared hard in a hot pan until the crust is genuinely blackened and fragrant. The result is deeply savoury with a charred exterior that gives way to tender, fatty fish within. Served with lemon wedges and fresh parsley, it suits a quick weeknight dinner or a confident starter.
1tbsp
1tsp
1tsp
0.5tsp
0.5tsp
0.25tsp
0.5tsp
0.75tsp
280g
1tbsp
1tbsp
1piece| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 1tbsp | — | — | |
| 2 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 3 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 4 | | 0.5tsp | — | — | |
| 5 | | 0.5tsp | — | — | |
| 6 | | 0.25tsp | — | — | |
| 7 | | 0.5tsp | — | — | |
| 8 | | 0.75tsp | — | — | |
| 9 | | 280g | — | — | |
| 10 | | 1tbsp | — | — | |
| 11 | | 1tbsp | — | — | |
| 12 | | 1piece | — | — |
Measure the smoked paprika into the small bowl.
Smoked paprika · 1 tbsp
Add the garlic powder to the small bowl.
Garlic powder · 1 tspAdd the onion powder to the small bowl.
Onion powder · 1 tspAdd the dried oregano to the small bowl.
Dried oregano · 0.5 tspAdd the dried thyme to the small bowl.
Dried thyme · 0.5 tspAdd the cayenne pepper to the small bowl.
Cayenne pepper · 0.25 tspAdd the ground black pepper to the small bowl.
Ground black pepper · 0.5 tspAdd the salt to the small bowl.
Salt · 0.75 tspStir the smoked paprika, the garlic powder, the onion powder, the dried oregano, the dried thyme, the cayenne pepper, the ground black pepper and the salt together until evenly combined.
Lay the salmon fillets skin-side down on the chopping board and press kitchen paper firmly over every surface to draw out as much moisture as possible.
Skin-on salmon fillets · 280 g
Gather the flat-leaf parsley into a tight bunch and chop it finely until you have a small pile of vivid green herb, on a clean chopping board.
Flat-leaf parsley · 1 tbsp
Tip the cajun spice mix over the patted-dry salmon fillets and press it firmly into every surface — flesh, skin and sides — so the fish is evenly coated.
Pour the olive oil into the frying pan.
Light olive oil · 1 tbsp
Set the frying pan over a high heat until the oil shimmers and just begins to smoke.
Lay the spice-rubbed salmon fillets flesh-side down in the hot oil.
Leave the fillets completely undisturbed over high heat for 3 minutes until the spice crust is deeply blackened and fragrant.
Slide a spatula under each fillet and flip it confidently onto its skin side.
Sear the fillets on the skin side for a further 3 minutes (for fillets about 2.5 cm thick, 150 g each) until the skin is crisp and the centre just flakes; turn the heat down if the crust starts to smell acrid.
Hold the lemon under cold running water and rub the skin clean.
Lemon · 1 piece
Halve the rinsed lemon lengthways, then cut each half into wedges.
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 tbsp | | Measure the smoked paprika into the small bowl.⏱ 20sResultSmoked paprika |
| 2 | 1 tsp | | Add the garlic powder to the small bowl.⏱ 15sResultSmoked paprika and garlic powder |
| 3 | 1 tsp | | Add the onion powder to the small bowl.⏱ 15sResultSmoked paprika and garlic powder and onion powder |
| 4 | 0.5 tsp | | Add the dried oregano to the small bowl.⏱ 15sResultSmoked paprika and garlic powder mixture |
| 5 | 0.5 tsp | | Add the dried thyme to the small bowl.⏱ 15sResultSmoked paprika and garlic powder mixture |
| 6 | 0.25 tsp | | Add the cayenne pepper to the small bowl.⏱ 15sResultSmoked paprika and garlic powder mixture |
| 7 | 0.5 tsp | | Add the ground black pepper to the small bowl.⏱ 15sResultSmoked paprika and garlic powder mixture |
| 8 | 0.75 tsp | | Add the salt to the small bowl.⏱ 15sResultSmoked paprika and garlic powder mixture |
| 9 | — | | Stir the smoked paprika, the garlic powder, the onion powder, the dried oregano, the dried thyme, the cayenne pepper, the ground black pepper and the salt together until evenly combined.⏱ 1 minResultCajun spice mix |
| 10 | 280 g | | Lay the salmon fillets skin-side down on the chopping board and press kitchen paper firmly over every surface to draw out as much moisture as possible.⏱ 1 minResultPatted-dry salmon filletsused in step 12 |
| 11 | 1 tbsp | | Gather the flat-leaf parsley into a tight bunch and chop it finely until you have a small pile of vivid green herb, on a clean chopping board.⏱ 1 minResultChopped parsleyused in step 22 |
| 12 | Patted-dry salmon filletsstep 10 | | Tip the cajun spice mix over the patted-dry salmon fillets and press it firmly into every surface — flesh, skin and sides — so the fish is evenly coated.⏱ 1 minResultSpice-rubbed salmon filletsused in step 15 |
| 13 | 1 tbsp | | Pour the olive oil into the frying pan.⏱ 10sResultLight olive oil |
| 14 | — | | Set the frying pan over a high heat until the oil shimmers and just begins to smoke.⏱ 2 minResultHot extra-virgin olive oil |
| 15 | Spice-rubbed salmon filletsstep 12 | | Lay the spice-rubbed salmon fillets flesh-side down in the hot oil.⏱ 15sResultSkin-side-down salmon filletsused in step 22 |
| 16 | — | | Leave the fillets completely undisturbed over high heat for 3 minutes until the spice crust is deeply blackened and fragrant.⏱ 3 minResultSeared-skin salmon fillets |
| 17 | — | | Slide a spatula under each fillet and flip it confidently onto its skin side.⏱ 15sResultFlesh-side-down salmon fillets |
| 18 | — | | Sear the fillets on the skin side for a further 3 minutes (for fillets about 2.5 cm thick, 150 g each) until the skin is crisp and the centre just flakes; turn the heat down if the crust starts to smell acrid.⏱ 3 minResultBlackened salmonused in step 21 |
| 19 | 1 piece | | Hold the lemon under cold running water and rub the skin clean.⏱ 30sResultRinsed lemon |
| 20 | — | | Halve the rinsed lemon lengthways, then cut each half into wedges.⏱ 1 minResultLemon Wedgesused in step 23 |
| Total Time | 17 min | ||
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 388kcal | |
| 30g | |
| 26g | |
| 5g | |
| 9g | |
| 2g | |
| 4g | |
| 986mg |
Two skin-on salmon fillets coated in a smoky, heat-forward spice rub of paprika, cayenne, garlic, onion, oregano, and thyme, then seared hard in a hot pan until the crust is genuinely blackened and fragrant. The result is deeply savoury with a charred exterior that gives way to tender, fatty fish within. Served with lemon wedges and fresh parsley, it suits a quick weeknight dinner or a confident starter.
What you’ll doYou will combine eight spices into a dry rub, press it firmly onto patted-dry salmon fillets, then sear them flesh-side down in shimmering oil for 3 minutes until deeply blackened before flipping to crisp the skin. While they finish cooking, you will prepare lemon wedges and parsley to garnish.
