Bang Bang Salmon
This bang bang salmon dish features perfectly cooked tender and flavorful salmon drizzled with a sweet and spicy bang bang sauce. It’s a delicious and easy salmon dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes!
It’s no secret I love a good salmon dinner! Just see Cajun Honey Butter Salmon or Cajun Crab Stuffed Salmon. If you’re in the mood for pasta and salmon, I highly recommend the creamy and spicy Cajun Salmon Alfredo Pasta.
I am happy to add this bang bang salmon to my salmon recipes because its easy, fast, and delicious!
Don’t forget to check out 36 Healthy Side Dishes For Salmon to pick out your perfect salmon side dishes!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s quick. This dish is ready in about 25 minutes, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights!
- Salmon is cooked perfectly. Tender juicy inside with crisp and caramelized outside.
- Tons of flavor. The bang bang sauce adds the perfect amount of creaminess and zest with a little kick of heat.
- Pan fried salmon so the oven is free for your veggie side dish.
Equipment needed
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Buy Now → What is bang bang sauce?
Bang bang sauce became popular with the restaurant chain Bonefish Grill’s popular shrimp appetizer, bang bang shrimp. The dish is fried shrimp tossed in “bang bang sauce”. Bang bang sauce is a creamy, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce made of sweet thai chili sauce and mayonnaise.
My version of bang bang sauce has a little twist with lime zest, chives, and sriracha. The result is a sweet zesty sauce with a little heat. It is so good on on this salmon!
Should you cook salmon with the skin on or off?
Salmon skin is safe to eat, as long as you remove the scales first. But even if you don’t want to eat the salmon skin, I still recommend cooking the salmon with the SKIN ON.
PRO TIP: Cook your salmon with the skin ON to keep it moist and give it the most flavor.
When cooking salmon with a dry heat, like baking or pan frying, the skin will get caramelized and crispy, making it extra tasty. But leaving the skin on will also protect the flesh from being overcooked and drying out. There are tons of fatty acids in the skin that keep the salmon moist and delicious.
After cooking, the salmon flesh should easily flake away from the skin if you don’t want to eat it.
The only time you should remove the skin prior to cooking is if you are poaching it. This is a wet cooking method and won’t allow for the skin to get crispy, resulting in soggy rubbery skin.
Which side of salmon to sear first?
Most chefs will tell you to sear salmon skin side down first. When you sear the skin first, that side becomes crispy and easier to get a spatula under to flip.
But I am going to be controversial here. I like to sear the salmon skin side up first.
To me, the best part of salmon is the outer crispy caramelized seared layer where the fillet was in direct contact with the hot pan.
When you sear the skin side first, that side becomes more rigid, so when you flip over the fillet, there will be less flesh coming into contact with the pan.
But when you sear the opposite side first, it ensures more of the salmon flesh comes into contact with the pan, creating more of the crispy caramelized goodness.
Try it both ways and see which way is your favorite!
How to tell when salmon is cooked?
The FDA recommends to cook salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F at the thickest part of the fillet to be completely safe to eat. Unfortunately this means the salmon will be cooked well done, and most likely dry and tough.
So how do we make sure salmon is safe to eat AND still deliciously moist?
There are a few things you can do to make sure your salmon is safe.
- Buy salmon from a grocer you trust.
- Smell it for any overly fishy smells.
- Freeze it. Freezing salmon can help to kill some potentially harmful bacteria and parasites.
- When in doubt, cook to an internal temperature of 145°F.
There are two ways to tell how cooked your salmon is: use a meat thermometer or take a good look at it.
You can use a thermometer to tell the precise temperature of the salmon, but I like to keep an eye on the side of it while pan cooking so I know when it’s perfectly done.
I like to cook salmon to around 130°F to 135°F which is medium. The best way to tell when it reaches this stage is by watching the side of the fillet as it cooks. Cook times will vary depending on how thick the fillet is, so it’s best to watch it.
- Start with salmon skin side up in a hot pan.
- When the bottom third of the fillet turns to an opaque pink, and it gives easily from the pan, it is time to flip it.
- When the new bottom third is also opaque pink, and the middle third of the fillet is slightly translucent, the salmon is cooked and ready to eat! It should release easily from the pan.
If the salmon is solid opaque all the way through, its most likely overcooked.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Salmon – I like to buy a large piece of raw salmon (especially when it’s on sale) and break it down into smaller fillets. Six ounce fillets make decent sized portions. Run your fingers along the top and sizes to feel for any pin bones. You can remove them with a tweezer by pulling them straight out.
- Oil – Use olive oil, or an oil with a higher smoke point like avocado oil. To limit smoking in the pan, brush oil directly onto the salmon fillets rather than oiling the whole pan.
- Sweet Thai chili sauce – This should be available in the international or Asian section in grocery stores.
- Fresh chives – Can substitute for thinly sliced green onions.
- Sriracha sauce – Sriracha is a thick hot sauce that is tangy and slightly sweet. You can substitute for regular hot sauce, but sriracha has a unique and complex flavor that regular hot sauce doesn’t have. It is also in the international or Asian section of the store.
- Lime zest – Using lime zest adds a great limey flavor to this bang bang sauce without watering it down like adding lime juice would.
See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make bang bang salmon
STEP ONE: SAUCE
Combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, chives, sriracha, and lime zest in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
PRO TIP: Take salmon out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking. Letting the fish come closer to room temperature helps it create a better sear. Patting the salmon filets dry with paper towels will also help with this.
STEP TWO: SEAR
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Brush oil over salmon and salt. Place salmon skin side up in the pan.
STEP THREE: FLIP
Sear for about 1-3 minutes, depending on thickness. Flip and sear the other side for another few minutes, until desired doneness.
PRO TIP: The fish will naturally release from the pan when it is ready to flip. Gently wiggle the fillet. If it sticks, it needs more time. If it freely moves from the pan, it is time to flip.
STEP FOUR: SERVE
Serve salmon hot topped with bang bang sauce, chives, and a squeeze of lime. Serve this bang bang salmon with a scoop of rice and a green vegetable like broccoli or like roasted asparagus and brussels sprouts. Save some extra sauce for dipping the veggies!
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Expert Tips
- Cooking times will vary depending on how thick the salmon is, so its best to watch the sides of the fillet to check for doneness. Salmon is medium when the top and bottom thirds are opaque, and the inner third is still somewhat translucent. If you cook salmon to well done (solid opaque), it will be dry.
- The fish will naturally release from the pan when it is ready to flip. Gently wiggle the fillet. If it sticks, it needs more time. If it freely moves from the pan, it is time to flip. Don’t force the salmon from the pan or it can break apart.
- Always fully heat the pan fully before adding the salmon. To test if a stainless steel pan is thoroughly heated, add a splash of water in the pan. If the water forms a bead and glides easily around the pan until it evaporates, the pan is ready. If the water splatters, the pan isn’t hot enough.
- To limit smoking in the pan, brush oil directly onto the salmon fillets rather than oiling the whole pan.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers: Store leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
How to freeze: You can freeze uncooked salmon, but I do not recommend freezing this recipe after the salmon has been cooked.
How to reheat: To reheat, place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 350° until warmed throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Salmon skin is full of fatty acids and flavor. It gets crispy and caramelized when pan frying and is perfectly fine to eat, as long as you remove the scales.
Precise cooking times depend on how thick the salmon fillet is. Usually a few (1-4) minutes per side is good, but keep an eye on the side of the fillet to see how it’s cooking.
Yes, you should flip a salmon fillet when pan frying. Cooking the fish evenly on each side ensures that it is perfectly cooked in the middle. Watch the side of the fillet when cooking. When it is a third of the way opaque, flip it, then cook until that side is also a third opaque. The inner third will be slightly translucent for a perfectly cooked medium fillet.
More delicious salmon recipes
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Bang Bang Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds salmon four 6 ounce filets, skin on or off
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Bang Bang Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sweet thai chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped, can substitute for green onions
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- Lime zest from ½ a lime
Instructions
- SAUCE: Combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, chives, sriracha, and lime zest in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- PREP: Pat the salmon filets dry with paper towels. Remove any pin bones. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Brush oil over salmon.
- SEAR: Place salmon skin side up in the pan. Do in batches if necessary. Sear on each side for about 1-3 minutes, depending on thickness, until desired doneness. I like to cook salmon no more than medium, until the outer thirds are opaque, the inner third is still somewhat translucent, and the outer sides are crisp and browned.
- SERVE: Serve salmon hot topped with bang bang sauce, chives, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
- Take salmon out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking. Letting the fish come closer to room temperature helps it create a better sear. Patting the salmon filets dry with paper towels will also help with this.
- Cook salmon in batches if necessary so you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Fully heat the pan fully before adding the salmon. To test if a stainless steel pan is thoroughly heated, add a splash of water in the pan. If the water forms a bead and glides easily around the pan until it evaporates, the pan is ready. If the water splatters, the pan isn’t hot enough.
- To limit smoking in the pan, brush oil directly onto the salmon fillets rather than oiling the whole pan.
- Cooking times will vary depending on how thick the salmon is, so its best to watch the sides of the fillet to check for doneness. Salmon is medium when the top and bottom thirds are opaque, and the inner third is still somewhat translucent. If you cook salmon to well done (solid opaque), it will be dry.
- The fish will naturally release from the pan when it is ready to flip. Gently wiggle the fillet. If it sticks, it needs more time. If it freely moves from the pan, it is time to flip. Don’t force the salmon from the pan or it can break apart.
- How to store leftovers: Store leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- How to freeze: You can freeze uncooked salmon, but I do not recommend freezing this recipe after the salmon has been cooked.
- How to reheat: To reheat, place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 350° until warmed throughout.
Equipment
- Knife
- Skillet
Nutrition
About me
Hey good lookin’, what ya got cookin’? I’m Lauren and I love to teach you how to make the good stuff, from scratch! I use fresh quality ingredients to create impressive but approachable restaurant worthy recipes.
