Thai-inspired Red Curry Salmon is simmered in an incredibly tasty coconut red curry sauce with bell peppers, garlic and onions.
Red Curry Salmon
Red Curry Salmon is a quick and flavorful salmon recipe, perfect for those busy nights when you want something delicious and nutritious, without spending hours in the kitchen. The salmon simmers in a luscious red curry coconut sauce infused with aromatic herbs and spices, creating a rich, flavorful base. The best part? You can customize it with your favorite veggies. For more fish curry recipes, I also love this Salmon Coconut Curry with Spinach and Chickpeas and Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut Curry Sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Red Curry Salmon Recipe
My daughter Karina took one bite of this and said OMG! She loved this dish! I’m always looking for new salmon recipes and this was a winner with the salmon lovers in my house.
- Simple: You only need one pan to make this easy salmon curry with coconut milk. And bonus–it cooks in less than 25 minutes!
- Customizable: You can swap the vegetables for whatever you prefer! I used bell peppers, but snap peas or baby spinach would also be great.
- Dietary Restrictions: It’s high-protein, dairy-free, gluten-free (check the labels on the fish sauce), Weight Watchers-friendly, and anti-inflammatory.
If you make this healthy Thai red curry salmon recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook!
Red Curry Salmon Ingredients
There are two sets of ingredients: one for the salmon rub and the other for the curry sauce. All of the rub ingredients (avocado oil, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, red curry paste, salt) are also used in the sauce. Below is more about the red curry sauce ingredients, but the exact measurements can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Oil: I used avocado oil, but any neutral cooking oil will work.
- Aromatics: Grated ginger and garlic smell amazing when sauteed.
- Red Curry Paste: Thai Kitchen’s curry paste is widely available at most supermarkets, but if you have an Asian market nearby, check out their selection. Curry pastes vary in spiciness, so pick one depending on your heat tolerance.
- Light Coconut Milk creates the base of this creamy coconut curry sauce while keeping it light in calories.
- Fish Sauce is preferable for the best Thai flavor, but you can substitute soy sauce if necessary.
- Brown Sugar adds sweetness.
- Vegetables: Sliced sweet or yellow onions and green onions, and red bell peppers, any color bell pepper. I like using one green and one red, yellow, or orange for color.
- Lime for bright citrus flavors
- Fresh Herbs: Fresh Thai basil and cilantro
- Salmon: You can use fresh or frozen (and thawed) salmon fillets. Remove the skin before coating the fish with the rub.
How to Make Red Curry Salmon
This baked red curry salmon cooks all in one pan on the stove and then in the oven, making cleanup a breeze. See the recipe card for the complete instructions.
- Curry Salmon Rub: Mix the 6 rub ingredients in a small bowl until a paste forms. Brush the mixture evenly across the fillets.
- Curry Coconut Sauce: Sauté the ginger and garlic in a large oven-safe skillet. Add the curry paste and toast for a minute. Then, pour in the coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar, followed by the peppers, onions, and scallion whites. Simmer on for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Bake Salmon: Nestle the fish in the skillet and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes.
- Finish Touches: Remove the pan from the oven and stir in the lime juice, basil, cilantro, and scallion greens.
Variations
- Fish: Substitute salmon for any white fish, like cod, snapper, or tilapia. If you use thinner fillets, you may need to reduce the baking time.
- Coconut Milk: If you don’t have light milk, mix 7 ounces of coconut milk with 7 ounces of water. You can also use regular canned coconut milk if you prefer.
- Vegetables: Replace the bell peppers with snap peas, snow peas, baby spinach, broccoli florets, or sliced mushrooms.
- Sweetener: Swap brown sugar for honey or maple syrup.
- Herbs: If you can’t find Thai basil, skip it or use regular basil.
What to Serve with Red Curry Salmon
Serve the salmon curry over jasmine rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option, and you’ve got yourself a wholesome meal that’s as nutritious as it is tasty.
Storage
- Refrigerate the leftover fish for up to 3 days.
- Reheat it on the stove or microwave it until warm.
More Salmon Recipes You’ll Love
- Baked Salmon
- Air Fryer Salmon with Maple Soy Glaze
- Salmon Salad
- Asian Salmon Bowl
- Grilled Salmon Kebabs
Red Curry Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
Salmon Rub
- 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil, or any neutral cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Curry Sauce
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil, or any neutral cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1 14 oz can light coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce, or soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 small sweet onion, or yellow onion, sliced
- 1 1/2 bell peppers, sliced (I like to use one green and one red/yellow/orange)
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced, white part separated
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons chopped Thai basil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- 4 4-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and adjust the oven rack on the top third.
- In a small bowl, add oil, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, curry paste, and salt. Mix well with a fork until a smooth paste has formed. Spread mixture evenly across the salmon filets with a pastry brush.
- In a large, deep oven-safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat, when hot add the ginger and garlic. Sauté for about 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add curry paste and toast for another minute. Pour in coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Whisk to combine and add peppers, onions and scallion whites. Let simmer low heat, covered for about 10 to 12 minutes until the peppers are tender. If too dry, add 2 tablespoons water.
- Nestle the fish into the skillet. Bake at 400F for about 10 minutes or until cooked to your desired preference.
- Remove from the oven and stir in lime juice, fresh basil, scallion greens and cilantro.
- Serve alongside cooked brown rice or cauliflower rice.
